The Bronx News Network, in conjunction with BronxTalk, the cable television talk show hosted by Gary Axelbank on BRONXNET on Aug. 31, held a debate between Fernando Cabrera and Yudelka Tapia, candidates in the 14th District City Council race.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz refused to sign off on The Related Companies' proposal to transform the borough's largest indoor public space into a shopping mall.

He did the right thing.

The Bloomberg administration and its chosen developers expect communities to give carte blanche to projects even when they include massive chunks of prime public real estate and hand over considerable taxpayer subsidies to private companies. And they expect officials like Diaz to sign on the dotted line before negotiating Community Benefits agreements.

Adolfo Carrion, Diaz's predecessor, went along, but with this action Diaz has set a different tone early in his new administration, as we urged him to do in a July editorial.

The borough president's vote is advisory and the City Planning Commission, the majority of whom are mayoral appointees, is virtually certain to ignore it. But Related's proposal will then head to the City Council.

While the Council rarely bucks the mayor on development issues, Diaz's move puts pressure on the borough's Council delegation, especially Council Members Maria Baez, whose district the facility is in, and Oliver Koppell, who has taken a keen interest in the Armory even though it's just outside his district.

If the Bronx delegation votes "no," then Council members from other boroughs will almost certainly defer to its decision.

The Norwood News' 2009 primary voter's guide. Take a look at the candidates in the area's two competitive City Council races: the 11th and 14th Districts. Find out how and where to vote. And see who's running in the citywide races.

It's 7:25 a.m. on a recent Thursday, and Yudelka Tapia is standing outside the 183rd Street subway stop on the 4 train, greeting sleepy commuters with a wide smile and a ready handshake. "Hello, how are you? Nice to meet you," she says to one man in quick, accented English. To another: "Buenos días. ¿Cómo está, señor?"

It's Sunday church time on Morris Avenue. Fernando Cabrera's rising voice is filling with the Holy Spirit. Turning to the left, his profile to the congregation, the Bronx pastor is riffing and ranting like a Baptist preacher man. "Amens" and "hallelujahs" mix into the monologue like commas. He punctuates funny stories with loud, Chris Rock-like flourishes. He's part pastor, part showman.

Jose Rivera, the Bronx assemblyman, remembers the first time he met Council Member Maria Baez. The year was 1982, and Rivera, having just been elected to the Assembly for the first time, was taking inventory in his district office, when he received a rude awakening. "Twenty women, black, white, Hispanic, they stormed in," he recounted recently.

It's 7:25 a.m. on a recent Thursday, and Yudelka Tapia is standing outside the 183rd Street subway stop on the 4 train, greeting sleepy commuters with a wide smile and a ready handshake. "Hello, how are you? Nice to meet you," she says to one man in quick, accented English. To another: "Buenos días. ¿Cómo está, señor?"

It's Sunday church time on Morris Avenue. Fernando Cabrera's rising voice is filling with the Holy Spirit. Turning to the left, his profile to the congregation, the Bronx pastor is riffing and ranting like a Baptist preacher man. "Amens" and "hallelujahs" mix into the monologue like commas. He punctuates funny stories with loud, Chris Rock-like flourishes. He's part pastor, part showman.

Jose Rivera, the Bronx assemblyman, remembers the first time he met Council Member Maria Baez. The year was 1982, and Rivera, having just been elected to the Assembly for the first time, was taking inventory in his district office, when he received a rude awakening. "Twenty women, black, white, Hispanic, they stormed in," he recounted recently.