I am pleased to tell you that my goal of revitalizing the Kingsbridge business area is moving forward. As I’ve mentioned, I have always envisioned developing a shopping center, including stores, office space and parking in Kingsbridge at West 230th Street and Broadway where a parking lot exists. The response from Community Board’s backing of this idea has been very positive – people want shopping.

The NYC Economic Development Corporation is currently reviewing eleven proposals that have been put forth to develop the site. I strongly believe that we should make maximum use of this site for commercial development – for top notch stores and some office space. This means no housing. The Bronx needs housing, but there are plenty of locations to develop housing. This type of commercial development can only take place in a limited number of locations. This site, ideally situated between the West 231st Street/Broadway hub and the new West 225th Street mall, should be used for what is clearly the only sensible use: commercial development. Our community would reap significant economic benefits if we develop this site commercially to its maximum potential.

I will continue my fight for good stores, office space and lots of parking on this site and look forward to this development being the start of a renaissance of the entire Broadway corridor from West 225th Street to West 238th Street.

Express bus service since the MTA took it over from Liberty Lines has been deplorable. My office has received numerous complaints in the last month. The buses have been late and sometimes they haven’t arrived at all, leaving passengers stranded; they are not as clean as before; and new service changes are causing a lot of problems, particularly for seniors and students.

Seniors can no longer use their senior MetroCard before 10:00 a.m., and they cannot return until 8:00 p.m. Under the Liberty Lines service, senior citizens were able to use their MetroCards starting at 9:00 a.m. and were able to use their card to return home at 7:00 p.m. Students are more inconvenienced due to the buses no longer accepting dollar bills. Students with 1/ 2 fare cards must pay 2.50 per ride – all in coins – each way each day. They can’t even use a MetroCard to pay this $2.50 the way seniors pay with a senior MetroCard. These policy changes do not make sense and should be reversed.

I want to highlight one instance of what some have had to endure since the takeover. Passengers taking the express bus from Manhattan to Riverdale were told that they had to sit on the left hand side of the bus because the bus’s structure leaned too far to the right. They were taken 30 blocks, left off, and had to wait for another bus in Manhattan. The MTA should not allow buses to be in use that pose a danger to its riders.

I vigorously opposed this takeover. Liberty Lines provided excellent service, and I feared that this change would result in a diminution of service. Furthermore, given the 25% fare increase, one would expect better service. Unfortunately, some of our fears have been realized.

In three separate letters in the last month to Peter Kalikow, the Chairman of New York City Transit, I insisted that the MTA take action to reverse the recent deterioration of express bus service. Thousands of residents in my community rely on the express bus service. They depend on the buses to be on time, clean, and easily usable. I will continue to stay on top of this issue. When you call the MTA with a complaint about service, please call my office as well so I can keep track of the problems people are experiencing.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. I am urging more of my constituents to become aware of this highly preventable disease. Unfortunately not enough people get colonoscopies but there has been major progress. Today millions of Americans are learning about the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer – and lives are being saved. Consult your physician about preventative measures concerning colon cancer. People over 50 should be screened.