We had enjoyed a comfortable ride on American flight 4555, cruising at 30,000 feet, enjoying our grab-and-go sandwiches, and the coffee that air passengers crave so much. One of the nice things about visiting Key West every March is the relatively expedient flight. While officially listed at three and a half hours, our experience has been closer to three hours, wheels up to wheels down.
As the flight attendant announced our initial descent into New York’s LaGuardia, I ruminated on that word, “descent.” To descend: to plunge, plummet, stumble, or tumble. I tried to remember if I heard that word when we landed in Key West, maybe or maybe not. I heard it now, any coincidence we were returning to New York?
25,000 Feet
As usual, I followed the news while soaking up the Florida sunshine. The latest from New York is the squatter disaster. According to a story published on Fox News on March 19, a property owner in New York City was arrested after encountering a standoff with a group of squatters, who decided to inhabit her property following her parents’ deaths.
“It’s enraging,” said property owner Adele Andaloro, who inherited the million-dollar home from her parents. “It’s not fair that I, as the homeowner, have to be going through this.”
Meanwhile, in the Sunshine State, Governor Ron DeSantis (R) just signed HB.621, which protects property owners’ rights and provides remedies against squatting.
“We are putting an end to the squatter scam in Florida,” said Governor DeSantis. “While other states are siding with the squatters, we are protecting property owners and punishing criminals looking to game the system.”
It’s true. Under this new law, a property owner in Florida can request law enforcement to immediately remove a squatter under certain conditions, which are clear and reasonable, including that the individual unlawfully entered the property and was directed to leave. Putting homeowners first, what is Florida thinking?
20,000 Feet
What else is going on in the Big Apple? Former NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has warned that among the thousands of migrants entering the city are notorious gang members from Venezuela and El Salvador. These are “prison spawned gangs” that bring “mindless violence” to our cities, according to Kelly and the FBI.
Apparently, we are in the midst of Albany’s newest great social experiment, the perfect storm of NYC declaring itself a “sanctuary city” for illegal and potentially dangerous migrants, while NYS Democrats reform our bail laws.
In 2019, the great social experiment began when Governor Cuomo (D) and the Democratic majority overhauled the bail system, which essentially removed the ability of prosecutors to remand defendants for certain crimes, or for judges to exercise discretion in keeping potentially dangerous offenders off the streets. Weak bail laws, sanctuary status for illegal migrants, possible gang members, what could possibly go wrong?
With NYC’s misguided sanctuary policy, the NYPD is barred from communicating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), whereby illegal offenders could be detained or possibly jailed, which would protect the public.
The Great Experiment Blows Up
To illustrate the danger of the great experiment, in September 2022, 26-year-old Jose Ibarra came to NYC, after entering the U.S. illegally under Biden’s open border policy. While here, he was arrested but not detained. He then went to Athens, Georgia, where he was again arrested more than once, and again released (Athens is also a sanctuary city). Ibarra is now charged with the murder of an innocent college student, Laken Riley.
In a brutal melee in January, as many as thirteen offenders were caught-on-camera assaulting two police officers in Times Square. Many of the suspects, including migrants, were released without bail. A week later, authorities revealed that several of the men had fled the Big Apple for California. The Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) declined to respond when asked about allowing the defendants to walk free. Many have since been re-captured.
Federal officials say that in many cases, New York officials do not alert them when an undocumented defendant is released from court or jail. Doing so would be prudent, until such time that Federal authorities can decide the proper course of action. Apparently, this is how criminal justice works in Big Apple sanctuary land.
I did some checking and learned that, in 2019, Governor DeSantis signed legislation requiring all law enforcement agencies in Florida to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The legislation prohibits local governments from enacting policies that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation. Those jurisdictions will be required to honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers for undocumented immigrants who are arrested or convicted of a crime.
It’s called protecting the public.
“Sanctuary cities basically create law-free zones where people can come to our state illegally, commit criminal offenses and then walk right out the door and continue to do it,” DeSantis said. “In Florida, that will not happen.”
10,000 Feet
In a case that has shaken Long Island residents, human remains were recently found across Babylon Township and Bethpage State Park. Suffolk police tracked down suspects living in a shared home in Amityville, where “sharp instruments, multiple body parts, and other related items” were found. Four people were charged with concealing a human corpse, tampering with evidence, first-degree hindering prosecution, and tampering with physical evidence.
Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Frank Schroder, of the Homicide Bureau, stated police have obtained damning evidence against the four, including human remains, meat cleavers, butcher knives, large amounts of blood, as well as video surveillance.
The four defendants were released without bail, after being issued GPS monitoring devices, pursuant to New York Democrat’s lenient bail laws. Governor Hochul (D) blamed their release on the D.A.’s office, alleging that the prosecutors failed to build their case. But she is totally wrong. Per D.A. Ray Tierney (R), law enforcement had to act and make the arrests to protect the public.
“You would think leaving body parts in a park for children to find would be bail eligible,” quipped a prosecutor at a news conference.
If you’re wondering about bail policy in Florida, it’s really quite straightforward. Bail is determined by several factors, including the seriousness of the crime, the circumstances surrounding the arrest and the weight of the evidence. Importantly, Judges can use discretion when determining bail amounts based on the defendant’s likelihood to return to court and their previous criminal history.
5,000 Feet
Meanwhile, New York residents can take solace that Albany Democrats have been hard at work looking after the quality of life for all its citizens. About a year ago, the New York State Education Department released a directive that public school districts are to stop using Native American-themed mascots and logos by the end of the 2022-2023 school year, or risk certain withholding of state aid.
Meanwhile, Long Island school districts are projecting higher tax increases pending a last-minute handout in state financial aid. Preliminary reports show that property taxes would rise an average 2.67% during 2024-25 school year. It’s no secret Long Islanders already pay sky-high property taxes, with 60% of those taxes allocated to school districts. Fixing the so-called mascot issue will undoubtedly cost money for some districts, while having nothing to do with educating our students, as they struggle to catch up from the Pandemic lockdown. Still not convinced that Albany has the best interests of New Yorkers at heart? This past November, the Governor signed legislation requiring middle and high schools to provide free menstrual products in all school bathrooms, even men’s rooms. It also requires cosmetologists to receive training on all hair types and patterns, including natural hair types. All fine and good, but are these really the top priorities the state faces?
Since 2016, and maybe earlier, the Empire State has topped the list for residents relocating to the Sunshine State, according to data from the Census Bureau. It was during the COVID-19 Pandemic that many New Yorkers were attracted to Florida’s less harsh COVID restrictions and open economy, not to mention lower taxes and school choice.
And speaking of school choice, Florida’s “Schools of Hope” charter school program has attracted the attention of Success Academy, New York’s largest charter operator. Citing Florida’s openness to school choice, Success Academy founder Eva Moskowitz is planning to become a provider in the Sunshine State, reportedly telling the NYS Board of Education that working in New York, though gratifying, has become increasingly difficult.
“I want to be in a place that’s high-growth, high-innovation, and welcoming to parental choice,” said Moskowitz.
0 Feet
With the descent into New York over, can’t possibly get any lower than this, or can we?
