The New York Jets Of East Rutherford

Doesn’t the legislature have better things to do than ribbing New Jerseyans about how they’re totally not New Yorkers? Then again, it is kind of funny:

The New York Giants and New York Jets may be stripping their famed “NY” insignias from their helmets in the near future if Assemblyman Ivan Lafayette (D-Jackson Heights) get his way.

Lafayette has introduced legislation, currently before the Tourism, Arts and Sports Development Committee, that would prevent any sports franchise that does not play its home games in New York state from including New York or its abbreviation in its name. The legislation also prohibits the sale of team merchandise on which New York is displayed if the team it promotes does not play its home games in New York.

“There are many economic benefits for a sports team to be identified from a particular city or state,” Lafayette said. “Additionally, there are numerous sources of revenue that benefit the state and city where a team actually plays its home games,” he added.

Harassing Third Graders (Charming!)

City females continue to endure persistent street harassment regardless of looks and irrespective of whether they have even hit puberty:

Virtually every female in the city has experienced street harassment, no matter her age, ethnicity, size or the way she’s dressed.

Often it’s just annoying, when it’s a comment in passing or the stereotypical catcalls from construction sites. But there are also times when it becomes offensive, threatening and a form of sexual assault.

“We have girls as young as 8 or 9 years old who say they are afraid to walk by this corner or down that street because they’ve had inappropriate things said to them and they’ve been followed or even touched by these men,” said Mandy Van Deven, director of community organizing for Girls for Gender Equity, a Brooklyn-based education and mentoring program. “This issue consistently comes up every time we ask girls about things they are struggling with.”

Pier 40 Critics Raise Concern About Cancerous Cirque

The bold proposal to develop Pier 40 on Manhattan’s West Side — with plans for a dedicated Cirque du Soliel theater — has been derided by critics as “Vegas on the Hudson,” a cancerous, infectious Vegas on the Hudson:

Because the designs were first released late last year, community opposition has been tough and unified, with critics decrying the idea of a tourist hot-spot that would take the place of community recreation space and spread uncharacteristic development to the adjacent neighborhood.

“Clearly this is a regional tourist destination that would have little connection to the neighborhood and would solely be an attraction to tourists,” the executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, Andrew Berman, said of Related’s proposal. “If you have Vegas on the Hudson next door, the tendency will be to look to develop similar uses in the inland area — and that would be totally unacceptable.”

Cough It Up, Cheapskate!

Before you stiff the delivery guy again, here are some facts and items to consider:

Well, it turns out that we’re less generous at work than we are at home. Reportedly, while the average tip in the evening is from $3-$4, the average amount for a lunch delivery runs around $1-$2. Yep, that’s right, even on larger meals — or group orders that swell to $40 or more — we still only give two stinking bucks. Yeah, a few dig through pockets and wallets for change and give odd amounts, like $1.35 or $1.62, the delivery guys admitted. But it never reached the larger amounts of dinner.

At night, we tend to round off to a dollar amount. Here’s something to think about the next time you charge a meal: Although it’s illegal, a number of restaurants engage in the practice of deducting the credit card processing fee from a delivery guy’s tip (generally 2 to 3 percent of the sale). So, try to make those tips in cash.

Many of the guys told me that they’re paid just $20 for a six- to seven-hour shift (below the legally mandated minimum wage requirement), and average about $45 a night in tips. (Think about that the next time you fork over your change to those college kids at Starbucks who rack it up for just doing their cashier job — as well as getting paid above the minimum wage.) When I asked if they receive better tips during bad weather, Luis, who works in an Italian restaurant in the Village frowned and said, “Some people do tip more for bad weather, but not everyone. I don’t think they understand it’s hard to deliver food in the cold and when it rains. And even worse on bicycle. Nobody likes to go out in the rain or cold. Especially for many hours and carrying bags.”

. . .

They all agree that men are generally more generous than women, and that people who live in elevator buildings tend to tip more than those who live in walk-ups. One fellow said that he walked 10 blocks in the snow, then up three flights of stairs, and will often only get a dollar. Interestingly, they all claimed that they frequently get better tips from those who live within just a few blocks of the restaurant, over those who are further away.

Perhaps we should consider some kind of fair trade designation for the restaurant industry because it’s not only the hole-in-the-wall restaurants who mistreat delivery guys:

Ji D. You, a delivery man for the popular noodle eatery Republic, works 12-hour days, six days a week, and earns roughly $2.40 an hour without receiving overtime.

Though he’s been working this way for more than two years, You, along with seven other deliverymen, decided to take legal action — just as workers at Saigon Grill, Ollie’s Noodle Shop and Grill and Our Place have done recently.

They filed a federal lawsuit yesterday against Republic, alleging wage violations.

. . .

[Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund legal director Kenneth Kimmerling] also alleged Republic kept false records of workers’ hours, underreporting them so it looked like the men were being paid minimum wage. They should earn $4.85 an hour, plus overtime before tips. “It’s not uncommon for anyone who violates minimum wage violation to keep records that are untrue,” Kimmerling added.

You complained of other substandard working conditions, such as having one restroom for roughly 70 employees, and, You said, if workers are caught in the patrons’ restroom, they’re fired.

“We often have no time to eat,” he said through a translator. “The place where we eat or wait for deliveries is in the basement storage room where the air circulation and ventilation is not good. The manager makes us hurry: Go, go, fast, fast.”

Republic declined to comment.

The Price Of Doing Business

And everybody takes a cut:

Preaching not from his usual podium last week, Father Fabian Grifone harked back to a time when the yearly feast of San Gennaro was about family and tradition.

And gambling — “mild gambling,” as he put it, which used to take place in the courtyard of his Church of the Most Precious Blood on Mulberry Street as part of the annual autumnal festivities in Little Italy.

But no more: “The powers that be thought that somebody was getting some of the proceeds of that gambling,” said Father Grifone.

That “somebody,” of course, being the mob: More than a decade ago, several members of the Genovese crime family were convicted on charges of secretly controlling and skimming money from the hallowed fall festival.

City officials have since striven to cleanse San Gennaro of certain less-than-desirable elements: No more gambling. No more booze-slinging street vendors. And, if you believe the current organizers, no more Mafia involvement.

. . .

Organizers used to pay around $180,000 to a reportedly mob-connected electrician who once provided the festival’s lighting — that is, before he was indicted on extortion charges.

Last year, the city reportedly charged $252,000 for less work. A private contractor had to be called in for an additional $90,000. Not a dime was left over for charity.

“Now who the hell are the racketeers?” quipped Father Grifone.