🌱 Mexican Immigrant Commissioner + Possible Property Tax Increase

Morning, Sunset Park! Happy New Year everyone! I'm back from a very restful weeklong staycation to bring you lots of local news in 2022.

First, today's weather:

A little snow at times. High: 31 Low: 24.

Here are the top five stories in Sunset Park today:

1. Manuel Castro, a Sunset Park-raised Mexican activist and formerly undocumented immigrant, was appointed the new Commissioner for Immigrant Affairs of the Mayor's Office of NYC, making him the first Mexican-American to hold the role. (Central Valley Business Journal)
2. Brooklyn may be the only borough in the city to see an increase in property taxes for small landlords, according to last-minute reforms proposed by De Blasio last week. The tax increase could particularly effect the owners of high market-value brownstones, but there's the possibility of exemptions for homeowners with low or limited incomes. In Sunset Park, this news has some people fearing displacement. (Brooklyn Paper)
3. Kathe Case, the businesswoman behind the development of Industry City, is taking on a new role this year as an external contractor. Throughout her tenure, Case has built a reputation for converting formerly industrial complexes to commercial and retail use, including in Manhattan's Chelsea Market. (Commercial Observer)

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Today in Sunset Park:

• Online mental health workshop in Mandarin (11 a.m.)

From my notebook:

• Marcela Mitaynes has only been in the assembly for one year, and she's already served over 2,500 constituents, and successfully pushed for the excluded workers fund. (Twitter)
• The Fifth Avenue Committee helped over 70 adults receive their high school equivalency diplomas in 2021. (Twitter)
• Sunset Park's City Council district is taking part in participatory budgeting this year, which means local residents can submit ideas about what they want their neighborhood to look like. (Participate.nyc)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around.

— Dashiell Allen