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A coalition of progressive groups marched today outside one of the most luxurious residential buildings in the city to call for the repeal of a controversial real estate tax break.

Hey, hey! Ho, ho! 421-a has got to go! cried several dozen protesters in front of One57, the tony residential tower at 57th Street near Central Park. Subsidize our house, not your penthouse!

The tax abatement, known as 421-a, offers tax exemptions for developers that build multifamily housing in the city. Critics from groups like New York Communities for Change, Make the Road New York and Vocal New York charge that the tax break, created in the 1970s to spur development at a time when the citys fiscal health was waning, is antiquated, allowing powerful developers to reap millions in tax breaks while creating housing exclusively for the wealthy.

One57, where a penthouse sold for $100 million, saw its property tax bill for this year cut by 95 percent, thanks to 421-a. The tax break, which advocates say hastens the creation of affordable housing and encourages residential development at a time when its desperately needed, cost the city about $1.1 billion in foregone tax revenue in 2013, according to the New York City Independent Budget Office.

Like all real estate and rent laws, 421-a is up for renewal in Albany this year. Progressives are pressuring Mayor Bill de Blasio, a liberal Democrat, to fight to scrap the tax break, but Mr. de Blasio has yet to tax a position on 421-a. The mayor needs the cooperation of the citys real estate industry to make his plan of building and preserving 200,000 units of affordable housing over the next decade a reality.

Even if Mr. de Blasio comes out against 421-a, a repeal will have to pass the State Senate, now controlled by the Republican Conference. The Real Estate Board of New York, a key backer of the Senate GOP, supports the tax abatement.

But outside One57, as wary police officers looked on, the left-leaning groupssome of whom have worked closely with Mr. de Blasiorailed against 421-a as another form of corporate welfare. Joshua Kellermann, a researcher with the Alliance for a Greater New York, a left-leaning community organizing group, pretended to be a billionaire, calling to the sign-waving crowd for a deflated rubber tube to swim with in his private penthouse pool.

When we have this fiscal crisis, like we consistently have every budget period, we should really be considering areas of waste and this is just simple waste, Mr. Kellermann said.

Aldrin Rafael Bonilla, the deputy Manhattan borough president for community and borough relations, denounced 421-a because it does not guarantee the construction of affordable housing.

In this building, we also bought the kitchen sink, Mr. Bonilla, referring to One57, shouted. This building is an egregious example of our hard-earned money being squandered.

Continued here:
Progressives March Against Tax Break for Luxury Developments

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (fourth from the left) leads the first cabinet meeting of his government Jan. 28 in Athens. He's been criticized for selecting no women for senior positions. Petros Giannakouris/AP hide caption

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras (fourth from the left) leads the first cabinet meeting of his government Jan. 28 in Athens. He's been criticized for selecting no women for senior positions.

Anastasia Giamali is a young, well-educated and ambitious woman. She's a regional politician for Syriza, the leftist party now running Greece, and a high-profile journalist with the party-affiliated newspaper.

She also agrees with Amparo Rubiales, the Spanish feminist who criticized Syriza for appointing only men to the new cabinet. She says no one in Greece commented on the single-gender leadership, a reflection of how the nation clings to its traditional, patriarchal roots.

"It's still a male-dominated society," Giamali says. "It's hard for a woman to be involved in high-end politics, because a woman must be a mother, must be working, must take care of the whole family more than a man would in Greece.

Greece ranks near the bottom in the European Union in the number of women participating in politics, and never has had a female prime minister. Men still dominate parliament.

A group of young women at an Athenian cafe say they joined Syriza because, compared to the other parties, it has more women in its ranks and more elected women in parliament. Still, says Lina Theodorou, a 25-year-old lawyer, most party leaders are men.

"Men are accepted with all of their flaws, but women are not," she says. "Women are often categorized as being too shy or too loud or whatever for some big post. It's a problem in Greece, and it's a problem in our party."

The idea that Greek men are born leaders is even taught in school, says Natasa Spanoudi, a 25-year-old teacher.

"In history books about the Greek revolution, for instance, we're taught that the men with the big mustaches and giant muscles are the ones that saved us," she says. "Not the women, who fought too and just as bravely."

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Even As Progressives Take Lead In Greece, Women Remain Out Of Power

National Chairman, All Progressives Congress, John Odigie Oyegun

The All Progressives Congress has written President Goodluck Jonathan and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to ensure that the judgment barring the involvement of soldiers in elections is complied with in the forthcoming polls.

The letter dated February 16, 2015 was addressed to Jega, but was copied to President Jonathan, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff and the National Chairmen of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party.

The Director, Legal, the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), who authored the letter on behalf of the party, said with the recent court decision, Armed Forces personnel should not be deployed to provide security during elections.

The party was referring to a judgment delivered on January 29, 2015 by Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Sokoto and another by the Court of Appeal, Abuja, on February 16, 2015.

The APC in its letter, in which it profusely quoted parts of the court judgments, said it acknowledged the INECs frustrations at the illegal imposition of armed forces personnel into a purely civil election process.

The partys letter read in part, I am sure all well-meaning Nigerians share your deep-seated concern on the militarisation of our elections.

It is therefore imperative your good office and commission ensure henceforth, and until there is an enabling Act of the National Assembly, the court orders are obeyed and armed forces personnel are never again deployed in any form of security supervision of our elections.

Justice Aikawa of the Federal High Court in his judgment on the suit marked: FHC/S/CS/29/2014, among others, restrained the President and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and INEC from engaging the service of the Nigerian armed forces in the security supervision of elections in any manner whatsoever in any part of Nigeria, without an Act of the National Assembly.

Justice Abdul Aboki , in his lead judgment in the Ekiti State Governorship Election appeal on February 16, held that even the President of Nigeria has no powers to call on the Nigerian armed forces and to unleash them on peaceful citizens, who are exercising their franchise to elect their leaders.

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Poll: Obey court ruling on soldiers, APC writes President

The All Progressives Congress has written President Goodluck Jonathan and the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to ensure that the judgments barring the involvement of soldiers in elections is complied with in the forthcoming polls.

The letter, dated February 16, 2015, was addressed to Jega, but was copied to President Jonathan, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff and the National Chairmen of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party.

Director, Legal, the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), who authored the letter on behalf of the party, said with the recent court decisions, Armed Forces personnel should not be deployed to provide security during elections again.

The party was referring to a judgment delivered on January 29, 2015 by Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Sokoto and another by the Court of Appeal, Abuja, on February 16, 2015.

APC in its letter, in which it profusely quoted parts of the court judgments, said it acknowledged the INECs frustrations at the illegal imposition of armed forces personnel into a purely civil election process.

The partys letter wrote in part, I am sure all well-meaning Nigerians share your deep seated concern on the militarisation of our elections.

It is therefore imperative your good office and commission ensure, henceforth, and until there is an enabling Act of the National Assembly, the court orders are obeyed and armed forces personnel are never again deployed in any form of security supervision of our elections.

Justice Aikawa of the Federal High Court in his judgment on the suit marked: FHC/S/CS/29/2014 among others, restrained the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and INEC from engaging the service of the Nigerian armed forces in the security supervision of elections in any manner whatsoever in any part of Nigeria, without the Act of the National Assembly.

Justice Abdul Aboki, in his lead judgment in the Ekiti State Governorship Election appeal on February 16, held that even the President of Nigeria has no powers to call on the Nigerian armed forces and to unleash them on peaceful citizens, who are exercising their franchise to elect their leaders.

Whoever unleashed soldiers on Ekiti State, disturbed the peace of the election on June 21, 2014; acted in flagrant breach of the constitution and flouted the provisions of the Electoral Act, which required an enabling environment by civil authorities in the conduct of elections.

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APC writes Jega over order barring soldiers from polls

The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari, has urged Nigerians to use this season of penance to reflect, meditate and pray to God for peace and the rebuilding of our nation.

Buhari made this appeal in a message to Nigerian Christians, as they joined other Christians worldwide in observing 40 days of fasting and prayers popularly called Lent.

He urged Nigerians especially Christians to use the annual period of repentance, sacrifice, fasting, prayers and alms-giving to intercede for the country.

He said, My dear brothers and sisters, as we pray daily for mercy from God, let these 40 days be for us, a greater opportunity to change our ways and our hearts so that God can heal our land; which is in dire need of leaders and citizens who will show love and care for the poor and the rejected in our midst, for whom, Jesus Christ also sacrificed and died for.

Let us abhor discrimination in our country on the grounds of ethnicity, religion, gender and political orientation and work for a united, peaceful and progressive Nigeria where few men and women will no longer have the pleasure and privilege to deprive the majority of our common wealth.

As you observe this very important spiritual exercise, I will also join you in prayers to God for the strength you need to go through this season and for the forgiveness of the sins we all have committed against God and humanity.

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Buhari calls for prayers as Christians begin Lent