Vagrants are urinating in the street, hassling passers-by for cash — and now they’ve ruined Christmas in The Bronx.

The annual outdoor Christmas tree lighting in the borough’s famed Little Italy section was canceled because the soaring panhandler population forced the sponsors to spend so much on security that there was no cash left for the celebration.

The BID, he said, had to weigh the price of public safety against that of the holiday festivities, which cost about $15,000.

“Every neighborhood should be concerned about the safety and the quality of life of their neighborhood. There’s always been homeless around, but now you’re seeing an increase all over the city,” he said about the sharp rise of aggressive panhandlers.

One business owner, Rosa Paciullo, who for 20 years has owned Tino’s Delicatessen with her husband, Giancarlo, said bums even used the Vincent Ciccarone Playground where the lighting was held as a public toilet.

“My daughter took her daughter to the [Ciccarone] park and a homeless guy peed in front of them. Some of them would come in and ask for money or food. It scared some of the customers away,” she added.

Franz said the BID had to hire added security over the summer to keep the area safe for shoppers and merchants.

The tree lighting had been celebrated in the playground on ­Arthur Avenue for at least four years, and drew hundreds to the shops and restaurants in one of the borough’s main tourist ­attractions.

Other merchants said Friday they were disappointed that the popular outdoor lighting won’t take place — even though an indoor lighting is planned for Thursday at the Arthur Avenue Retail Market, featuring Bronx-born “Sopranos” star Dominic “Junior” Chianese singing and signing autographs.

“I think it’s terrible” the outdoor lighting was canceled, said Michael Teitel, whose father owns Teitel Brothers specialty food importers, an Arthur Avenue institution for a century.

“They started a tradition and they should keep it going. It’s heartbreaking for kids. I got kids. I’m still a kid,” he said.

Diblasio's kinder gentler NYC

Ain't they got some Sicilians nearby that could help???

That ain't gonna go over well with a certain segment of the Bronx's Italian population.

Let's just say that there are reasons that some neighborhoods in that area have an extremely low crime rate.

Why yes. As a matter of fact they do.

#BumLivesMatter

"Little Italy" in The Bronx consists of 8 or 10 Italian delis and pastry shops, absolutely surrounded by ghetto filth.

The only "Italians" left there are hold out shop owners, Albanians, and a few posers.

The day the old ladies from Westchester stop driving in on the weekend to pick up their bread, it's a wrap.

Where is Grumpy Cat saying "Good"?

LOL!!  IF those boogeymen you are referring to were so scary and willing to do something there wouldn't be hoards of panhandlers there to begin with, would there?  

I always love the "well this isn't going to fly with (insert group), expect some retribution!" posts. Shit never, ever, happens.

The glory days of mob controlled areas in The Bronx are long gone.

There is nothing left but posers and old men. And Albanians. And the ever encroaching ghetto.

Trust.

Pffff.



Those days are long gone.  And that section of the Bronx is pretty much turned over.  The only thing left the last time I swung by were the holdouts.  Sadly they too will go and this area will be returned to their natural surroundings.  The hood.
 

Could be.

My knowledge of Bronx neighborhoods goes back about 25 years ago when one of the engineers who worked for me lived there and was part of the "old" demographic. She considered her area to be one of the safest ones anywhere.

Obviously they are not performing to standard these days.

Well, the followers of the prophet usually come through with their violent threats...

If the mob was still present the bums would have been deterred.

The Italian community in the Bronx pulled up,stakes and left years ago and the same is happening in Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge in Brooklyn which were once strongly Italian neighborhoods but are fast  becoming little Mexico.

It's all over for "little Italy" in the Bronx.

Both Little Italy's are neutral territories, they have internal security, or they used to

Which is why they are winning currently.

 

Bensonhurst is more asian and russian than latino these days.  The italian and jewish are in the decline.  Most of my italian friends have moved to staten island or jersey these days.



 

When it comes to controlling neighborhoods, aren't the Russians fairly good about taking out the trash?

Tough to enjoy a festive tree-lighting party with the stench of ammonia hanging heavy in the air.

Some Albanians and serbians, but not too many Russians in the BX, The Russians are in Brighton Beach and coney island...Little Odessa

Racial homogeneity and strong family bonds?

 

Obama....I HOPE you got some CHANGE.

Feed the homeless to the hungry