Familiar Choices for Voters in 30th District

Crowley and Ognibene Vie for Council Seat

By Conor Greene

Voters in the 30th Council District have two well-known candidates to choose from when they go to the polls on Tuesday: Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Crowley, who has represented the district for the past 10 months, and Republican Thomas Ognibene, who was the area’s councilman from 1991 to 2001.

Since taking office to serve the final year of disgraced former Councilman Dennis Gallagher’s four-year term, Crowley has made healthcare, environment, education and public safety top priorities. “I’m not really getting too distracted by the campaign – my work as a councilmember does not stop and for one minute I can’t let that fall to the side,” she said.

Ognibene said he has run a traditional campaign that has focused on issues that are important to residents using mailings and visits to community groups. He questioned some of Crowley’s claims, including that she was instrumental in pushing through the long-stalled downzoning of parts of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale after taking office. “I think people are beginning to understand that what she says and what she does are two different things.”

Along with the rezoning, Ognibene also questioned the amount of money Crowley brought back to the district. He accused her of inflating the cost of projects – for example, $325,000 was earmarked for upgrades to the bocce courts at Juniper Valley Park – to make it look like she brought back more money. “She made a tremendous amount of claims about bringing back tons of money but we all know it’s inflated,” he charged.

Crowley argued that she has effectively rep- resented the district this year, including bringing back a substantial amount of funding during tough economic times. “The promises I’ve made, I’ve kept and I am bringing back resources in a tough economic year. They trust that I will continue to work hard for them over the next four years,” she said. “I will continue to prioritize education, healthcare and public safety and I hope I have the opportunity to continue what I’ve started over the next four years.”

Ognibene also accused Crowley of focusing on publicity rather than improving the community. “It’s nice to run around and get your picture in the paper, but I call that fluff. If you want to see what Tom Ognibene did, you go out into the community and look,” he said, listing school additions and park projects among his achievements while in office. “These are tangible things I did. There is nothing she has done that is tangible.”

Republican leaders are eying this seat as one they can possibly regain, and Ognibene said the difference between him and Crowley “comes down basically to philosophy... People have to make value judgments about a candidate rather than rely on party affiliation.”

Throughout the campaign, Crowley has sought to portray Ognibene as being out of touch with the community. “The differences are that I know what’s relative today. My opponent has been gone, and I’m not sure he knew what was relevant when he was on council. I don’t see him out there – all I see are his billboards,” she added, referring to several large advertisements for Ognibene located throughout the district.

“She believes in form over substance, and I believe in delivering real services to thecommunity and not misleading the commu- nity,” countered Ognibene. “I want to get elected on what I’ve done while she wants to get elected on what she said... I’m not out of touch – I live in this community, help out on issues including on lawsuits I donated my time to, I’ve been to meetings, I talk to people, pay taxes, so how am I out of touch? It’s a question of who is the best advocate.”

The race was relatively quiet over the past few weeks until this past weekend, when Crowley sent a mailer to voters referencing allegations against Ognibene involving construction bribes while he was in office. Ognibene, who said the allegations against him were ultimately discredited, called the mailer “disturbing” and said that “most people realize that this type of negative campaigning is not effective.”

The decision to raise these allegations, which involved bribes including vacations allegedly provided by building-consultant Ron Lattanzio to Ognibene and Gallagher, who was his former chief of staff, in exchange for help obtaining permits, “deprives Crowley of her Shirley Temple veneer and shows she is in somewhat of a panic,” said Ognibene. “It was discredited a long time ago and proven to be false.”

Crowley defended the mailer, stating that “anything that was in a mailer that I sent out was true.” She accused Ognibene of using “his influence as a councilmember in the wrong way” and said that Lattanzio admitted to bribing Ognibene. “I think that people in the district need to know that,” she said. “While all this was happening, building ran amok in our neighborhood and I’ve spent the last year trying to reform what happened when he was in the City Council.”

The 30th District includes all or parts of Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Glendale, Woodhaven and Richmond Hill.

Politics Unusual: Mayoral Race, Showdowns in 30th and 32nd City Council Districts

By Patricia Adams

In the world of politics it seems that history never fails to repeat. The week before elections inevitably brings the mudslinging, chaotic frenzy known as a campaign. Candidates spar in debates; political mailings clog the mailboxes of registered voters; lawn signs and banners are dragged off and shredded by those on opposing sides, and the final plans are laid down for Election Day.

Endorsements are “displayed” like merit badges while the media searches for a special type of Halloween skeleton—those hanging in the closets of candidates. If you put aside all these campaign “tactics”—which leave a slew of nasty little droppings in their wake— you will see the issues clearly and make informed decisions.

In our readership area, three very important races will be decided on Tuesday night— the mayoral race between Mike Bloomberg and Bill Thompson, the City Council race in the 30th District between Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Crowley and Republican Tom Ognibene and the 32nd Council race between incumbent Republican Eric Ulrich and Democrat Frank Gulluscio.

Let’s start by looking at the mayor’s race. I am tired of hearing about term limits and campaign spending. I’m even more tired of hearing people saying they won’t vote for him just on principles. To those people I say what kind of principle do you have if you are voting for an obviously lesser qualified candidate.

This city faces the most difficult and chal- lenging times we have ever faced. Mike Bloomberg, without doubt, has been facing challenges since he began serving this city after 9/11. There have been some rough spots along the way but at this juncture in the road New York City is doing far better than many other major cities in America. Unemployment is lower, foreclosure rates are lower, crime is lower, schools are better, vital services have been preserved. There have been no layoffs in the NYPD, FDNY or among teachers. These are indisputable statistics. They are based on fact.

We have not always agreed with the mayor and have been quick to point out where we thought he was headed in the wrong direction. But there is a far more important wrong direction to think about here--that one would be following behind Mr. Thompson.

Thompson does not have the experience or the tenacity to run the greatest city in the world in the best of times—the consequence of handing over the city to him in these times is a harrowing prospect. He did not do a great job at the Board of Ed and he’s at best a competent comptroller. He has spent his time on the campaign trail like a human ticker tape, counting Bloomberg’s expenditures and ranting about term limits, while failing to address any concrete plans for sustaining our city.

You don’t have to like Mike Bloomberg. But you do have to recognize what he has done to keep New York running efficiently while on an increasingly turbulent course. There is no one without flaw, political or otherwise. Michael Bloomberg is no exception. But so many things outweigh the negative side of Bloomberg. He is the only candidate in this race with the experience, skill and determination deserving of your vote.

Next up is the Council race in the 30th District which has Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Crowley pitted against former Republican Councilmember Tom Ognibene. Since the challenger has held the seat in the past, this is one contest where a Republican candidate has a shot at regaining the seat.

Crowley’s focus since taking office has been healthcare, the environment, public safety, and education. Her campaign has focused on describing Ognibene as out of touch with the district. In response Ognibene has delivered responses punctuated with criticism for what he says is the lack of tangible progress during Crowley’s tenure.

This race could be fairly close however, we feel that Ognibene should return to his former seat. The district is in need of some conservative “nuts and bolts” policy and service delivery much more likely to be delivered by far more experienced and able Ognibene.

Finally in the 32nd District where Republican incumbent Eric Ulrich faces a challenge from Democrat Frank Gulluscio, we come to the race with our most interesting perspective. You may even recall that during the special election for this seat back in February, we unconventionally endorsed Frank Gulluscio despite the fact that he was eliminated from the ballot because of flaws within his petition process.

But in the seven months since that election, we have watched a very energetic and determined Ulrich take on the role of councilman. Gulluscio has made a focus throughout his campaign on the fact that Ulrich is young, even insinuating immaturity, but we feel that this youth is both refreshing and promising. It is not something voters should be afraid of. No, no, youth is not wasted on Ulrich.

Frank Gulluscio is undeniably a presence in the district he seeks to represent. He knows the area having lived here for more than 30 years and has strong community ties. He has experience as a civic activist, former aide to Joe Addabbo when he was the area councilmember, educator, businessman and most recently District Manager of CB 6. There’s no doubt that Frank is well in- formed and has been around way long enough to know what’s going on.

Ulrich has demonstrated the ability to get things done in this district in the very short time since he was elected. He shows an incredible ability to speak, both publically and on an individual basis to a very diverse community that he serves. Ulrich is informed, quick, always prepared and accommodating to his constituents.

An endorsement in this race was up in the air for quite some time, and the decision was a difficult one. The reason for that is that we are fortunate enough in this district to not have to choose a candidate that is the lesser of two evils. Both men have displayed an earnest interest in representing this district.

But one man has proven, through words and actions and ability, that he is the right choice. That candidate is Eric Ulrich.

Now an Incumbent, Crowley Seeks Full City Council Term

Nov Contests Marks Third Election Since Gallagher Resigned

By Conor Greene

For the third time in less than a year and a half, and the fourth time in her short political career, Elizabeth Crowley is kicking off a campaign for election to the 30th District City Council seat. There is one major difference this time around, however – she is running as an incumbent, allowing her to run on her record over the past nine months in office.

Crowley (D-Middle Village) is no stranger to campaigns as a result of the political turmoil that has gripped the district since former Councilman Dennis Gallagher resigned after pleading guilty to sexual assault last March. Since that time, Crowley lost to Republican Anthony Como during a four-way special election last summer, before winning last November’s rematch.

In an interview with the The Forum this week, Crowley said she never had doubts about running again this November, when she will face former Republican City Councilman Tom Ognibene, who represented the district from 1991 until term limits forced him from office in 2001. “I like the job and there is still so much to do,” said Crowley. “In the first nine months we started a lot, have quite a number of accomplishments, but still have more to do.”

Crowley, who first entered the political fray when she lost to Gallagher in 2001, hails from a well-known political family. Her cousin, Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights), is head of the county Democratic Party, and both her parents served on the City Council at one point as the result of political appointments. While Ognibene expects to benefit from his close relationship to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Crowley touted her ties to organized labor and said a number of key endorsements will be unveiled in the coming weeks. “I don’t think any organized labor union will endorse my opponent,” she said.

While Crowley says the last nine months passed in the blink of an eye, she counted among her accomplishments pushing to have the downzoning of parts of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale through the City Council, although critics say that effort started four years ago when volunteers went door to door surveying each block. “My number one promise was the rezoning, and it sat on people’s desks for over four years before it got the attention it needed and became law. That I can take credit for,” she said.

In addition, Crowley bragged that after years of Republican leadership in the district, which also includes parts of Ridgewood, Woodhaven and Richmond Hill, she was able to “bring back more discretionary and capital dollars that this community has ever had from a councilmember.” She is now looking forward to seeing projects such as the rebuilding of St. Saviour’s Church and renovations to local libraries come to fruition.

Another huge victory for Crowley was the successful push by her and other officials to prevent 16 fire companies from being eliminated, including Engine 271, which serves a portion of the district in the Ridgewood area. “I was quite relieved when we were able to keep all 16 fire companies open, and I don’t think that would have happened if we didn’t make as much noise as we did,” she said. “I was particularly happy to see that.”

Crowley is also looking forward to seeing her first piece of legislation brought up for a hearing next month, although the new law was the result of tragic circumstances. The Robert Ogle Law would increase the penalties for leaving an unattended car idling and is named after the Middle Village teenager who was fatally struck along with a friend by an alleged drunken driver earlier this year. The driver had stolen the unattended vehicle from a nearby deli just minutes before causing the tragedy on 80th Street. “It sometimes takes years and years [to push new laws] but we’ve been nudging the legislative department on this,” said Crowley.

So far, Crowley has stayed relatively quiet on the campaign front, instead focusing on her council duties. “I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to work on citywide issues such as healthcare and education and be able to get good results, while never forgetting about what’s going on here in my backyard,” she said, adding that time constraints are by far the job’s biggest challenge. “It’s making sure that you are everywhere. You are one person, so you are limited by your schedule, and [despite] working around the clock, there are still so many more people you want to meet with,” she said.

Immediately after being sworn into office, Crowley was confronted with a major issue that divided her constituents – the city’s plan to build a 1,100-seat high school on the former Restaurant Depot site in Maspeth. While she voted against the project, she was unable to garner enough support from her colleagues to block the plan. However, she says that convincing the city to provide priority zoning for the local community was still a major accomplishment.

“The [city] spent two years working on that project, and the mayor wanted it in his capital budget, and months into my administration I went up against a whole administration that wanted to put a school open to every student in the City of New York in Maspeth,” said Crowley. “I won and was able to get priority zoning like no other councilmember was able to get. I stuck to my guns.”

Crowley placed a lot of the blame for that situation on Gallagher, who served as Ognibene’s chief of staff before winning the council seat in 2001. “I know that for two years before I was there, a lot of things happened… So when my opponent says all these good things about his chief of staff… that’s part of the reason the community suffered a lot in those two years,” she said.

Other than that jab at Gallagher, Crowley declined to criticize Ognibene. “I wish him well and look forward to the next couple weeks of campaigning. I hope he remains a gentleman and we can have a peaceful dialogue about what’s important,” she said.

Over the next five weeks, Crowley expects to continue to share her message and vision for the district with voters, while at the same time the Republican Party works to regain a seat it once held. “I feel great,” she said. “I have more support than ever before. If the election was today, I think I win by a landslide.”

Council Candidates Discuss Education Views

Barbs Later Exchanged Over Crowley’s Early Exit

By Conor Greene

The two candidates for the 30th District City Council seat – Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Crowley and Republican challenger Thomas Ognibene – discussed their views on education at a forum hosted by Community Education Council 24.

Residents in attendance on Tuesday night at PS 49 in Middle Village heard mostly about Ognibene’s views, as Crowley left early and missed the question-and-answer portion of the session. Instead, her chief of staff, Lydon Sleeper filled in for her to respond to questions on topics such as parental input and overcrowding.

Both candidates were first given a chance to introduce themselves and present their general stance on education. Crowley began by asserting that “there is no greater issue now facing the city” and touted her experience as a former educator and endorsements by the United Federation of Teachers and the Council of School Supervisors, which represents local principals.

“I have an investment like many parents here tonight” as the mother of two school-age children. She vowed to “make sure our children have the best tools” available and said education has been a “main focus” for her since taking office nine months ago. Of the $5 million she funded for local capital projects, a “large chunk” went towards schools. “I’m going to continue what I started,” she added.

Ognibene reminded the audience that he represented the district from 1991 to 2001, when he was forced from office due to term limits. “Not much seems to have changed” since he left office, as the community still “has to confront the same challenges” including overcrowding, which he said is “again a significant issue and really has to be addressed.”

The Middle Village Republican focused much of his comments on parental input, which was one of the major aspects of the recent debate over mayoral control. “The parents were supposed to have a lot more input into the educational process,” he said. “Parents don’t have that kind of input.”

He also recalled serving as principal for a day at PS 87 in 2001, shortly before leaving office. The school doesn’t have enough bathrooms or a proper gym and parents have been pleading with the city Department of Education for an expansion since the school expanded to a PS/IS facility nearly a decade ago. “It struck me as unusual,” said Ognibene, adding that he was “stunned” to learn the addition project never occurred.

“If I were councilman, that’s the first thing I would address because that’s really unfair to the children of PS 87,” he vowed. “I thought it was something we had accomplished” during the tenure of his predecessor, disgraced former Councilman Dennis Gallagher. By that point, Crowley (D-Middle Village) had left to go to other local meetings. Ognibene decided to stay to answer audience and board members’ questions, with Sleeper filling in for Crowley.

During the question-and-answer portion, the biggest difference that emerged between the candidates is their efforts to identify potential sites for new schools, which Ognibene said was a priority during his two terms in office. “The most important thing facing us then and facing us now is findingspace to build new schools,” adding that he had staffers dedicated to searching the district for appropriate sites. “We didn’t rely on the SCA [School Construction Authority]. We were more aggressive.”

When Sleeper mentioned that a site near Grover Cleveland High School is being looked at as a potential school site, Council President Nick Comaianni interjected that it was actually him that had identified that site. He asked Sleeper, “What have you found?” to which the chief of staff responded, “None so far, but we’re open to suggestions.”

When asked about PS 87, Sleeper said Crowley “started fighting for PS 87 immediately” after taking office. “We understand how ignored that school has been,” adding that the councilmember wrote letters and had SCA officials tour the facilities with her. “We’re fighting very hard to make sure that expansion happens,” said Sleeper.

Throughout the evening, Ognibene stressed that he would have an advantage in terms of getting a response from city agencies due to his relationship with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is supporting his campaign. Ozone Park resident David Quintana asked Ognibene why he is aligning himself with the mayor, who “has failed us over the past eight years.”

Ognibene responded that he feels Bloomberg is “head and shoulders” above his opponent, William Thompson. However, he stressed that he and the mayor have disagreed on many things, and he isn’t afraid to let the mayor know when that’s the case. “Once he’s elected there are going to be things I’ll be able to work with him on,” he said.

Finally, board member Brian Rafferty asked whether they feel Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has the best interests of District 24 in mind. Sleeper said he doesn’t know Crowley’s exact stance on this issue and declined to answer. Ognibene said he doesn’t think Klein is an “evil man” but said overall, “the answer is no.” While he doesn’t think that Klein should be fired, he added, “I believe I can get that message across” if elected.

On Wednesday, Ognibene criticized Crowley for leaving early and accused her of scheduling other meetings to avoid having to answer questions from board members and residents. “This is typical. She made the appointment to go to these other meetings after she had confirmed this educational panel, and that’s offensive to me,” said Ognibene. “To use a decent, non political organization such as the Sons of Italy as an excuse, that was very, very offensive.”

In response, Crowley’s press secretary, Meredith Burak, said the CEC meeting was one of five stops the councilmember made that evening that had been scheduled for months. Instead, Burak argued that it was inappropriate for the CEC to even hold a candidates forum. “The bottom line is the forum never should have been held,” she said, adding that this is the only race the CEC is focusing on, even though that district includes parts of six separate council districts.

Burak accused Comaianni of having a “vendetta” against Crowley. “This was based solely on political purposes and had nothing to do with education. Politics should not be brought into the mix, and by bringing politics into this arena, Nick Comaianni is jeopardizing his position because he is abusing his power.”

Crowley expressed her concerns in a letter to the DOE. In response, a department official wrote, “Prompted by our inquiry, our legal office reviewed the matter and advises that holding such a candidates forum as part of CEC’s regularly scheduled calendar meeting is not an appropriate exercise of the CEC’s statutory powers and duties.”

Comaianni wasn’t available for comment on Wednesday morning. However, during the CEC meeting he alluded to the fact that the DOE didn’t want the forum to take place and said the board decided to go ahead with it anyway so that parents would have a chance to hear directly from the candidates on education issues.

Ognibene Launches City Council Campaign

Challenging Crowley for 30th District Seat

By Conor Greene

Middle Village attorney Thomas Ognibene kicked off his City Council campaign last week with a fundraiser featuring Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and wasted little time in recent days criticizing his opponent’s performance during her first nine months in office.

Ognibene, who represented the 30th District from 1991 until term limits forced him from office in 2001, is challenging Democrat incumbent Elizabeth Crowley this November for a four-year term representing parts of Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Glendale, Richmond Hill and Woodhaven. Crowley won the right to serve the final year of former Councilman Dennis Gallagher’s term when she defeated Anthony Como last year.

In an interview Wednesday morning with The Forum, Ognibene said his fundraiser last Thursday in Middle Village “was very successful.” He was particularly pleased that “even though there is some friction within the Republican party, both factions showed up to support me.” He has also been quick to tout the benefits his connections to Mayor Bloomberg would bring to the district.

Ognibene, who unsuccessfully ran in last summer’s special election won by Como to replace Gallagher, said he was prompted to give it another shot because of the direction the district is headed in. “When I pick up the newspaper now it seems that the problems are growing and are not being addressed. We do not have aggressive leadership in this community, especially from our elected officials,” he said, adding that Crowley is “content to just give lip service and send out press releases.”

In contrast, Ognibene said his philosophy when dealing with constituents was to “look at what the problem was, what the law was and what all our options politically and legally were” before deciding on a course of action. “It was a very proactive service. The current councilmember, I have to be honest, talks about a lot of things she did, but I don’t see it reflected in the council finance records or capital budget. I’m worried that what she says and what she does are two different things.”

One example of this, according to Ognibene, is when Crowley took credit for pushing through the downzoning of parts of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale. “She took credit for the whole thing, which is disgraceful,” he said. “When I confronted her on it, she said she sped it up by making a phone call. You and I know that’s nonsense and that people worked for four years to get this done but she wants to believe that as a councilmember elect she made a phone call and things happened.

“It doesn’t seem like anyone is doing anything aggressively,” added Ognibene. “The philosophy of my opponent is that if something good happens you take credit for it and if something bad happens you blame someone else, and you can’t lead that way.”

Ognibene acknowledged that his campaign’s relationship with the mayor has its benefits but could also turn off voters who aren’t supporting Bloomberg’s bid for a third term. “My feeling is, in the past I’ve argued with the mayor on issues I thought were of importance,” he said. “I think Michael Bloomberg and his record is head and shoulders above anything offered by the Democratic party. People can make the same value judgments as I have, but I hope that people go beyond just the mayoral race and look at my record, and whether they feel this community is going in the right direction.”

In Ognibene’s opinion, “ninety-eight percent of things that affect people’s everyday lives are in the control of the City Council, so you better have somebody that has the experience and willingness to defend the community. Otherwise, we will face some serious setbacks over the next four years. I live here, so I don’t want to see that happen.”

Ognibene, Civics to City Over Maspeth School Proposal

By Conor Greene

Middle Village attorney Thomas Ognibene has joined up with two local civic groups to file a lawsuit against the School Construction Authority to prevent the city from immediately moving forward with its Maspeth high school project.

Thomas Ognibene, who is running for City Council in November, announced on Monday that he has joined up with civic groups Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together and the Juniper Park Civic Association to file the lawsuit. The civic group’s participation was necessary, he said, in order to give the lawsuit standing – something he expects the SCA to challenge instead of addressing the “substantive issues.”

“The primary goal is to ensure that kids don’t wind up going to school in a highly-toxic environment,” said Ognibene of the lawsuit’s intent. “Unfortunately, the City Council should have stopped this – that’s why we have a City Council.” He accused the DOE of providing the City Council with a “false and misleading report” and said the public was left with no alternative other than filing the lawsuit.

The City Council voted 38 to 10 in April to approve the Department of Education’s plan for a 1,100 seat high school on the former Restaurant Depot site at 74th Street and 57th Avenue. The vote came despite overwhelming opposition from Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), who voted against the plan, and local residents. The civic groups charge that it wasn’t until after that vote that the full extent of the site’s contamination was revealed to the public. Last month the city paid $16,250,000 for the site, which was recently listed for $15 million.

Ognibene called the DOE’s plan “a perfect issue for the City Council to have done a more thorough job” and said he would have would have demanded “at least a phase three” environmental impact statement. “I would have gone to my colleagues and been more forceful in ensuring the kids are protected,” he said. “Unfortunately, I’m not the councilmember and have to rely on going to the courts.”

Robert Holden, president of the JPCA, said that the SCA is acting “as a private company that is not accountable” to the public. “Mayor Bloomberg needs to understand that mayoral control of schools doesn't mean he has the authority to cut corners, ignore public input and endanger the lives of our children,” he wrote in an e-mail. “Hopefully this lawsuit will demonstrate… that our community will fight and not just rollover and be forced to take projects that are detrimental to the well-being of our neighborhood.

Last month, Ognibene (R-Middle Village) announced he would challenge Crowley this November to represent the 30th district, a seat he held from 1992 until 2001, when he was forced out of office due to term limits. Crowley spoke briefly at Monday’s COMET meeting and had left before Ognibene arrived to announce the lawsuit. On Tuesday, Crowley’s press secretary said the councilwoman doesn’t have a comment on the lawsuit.

During her remarks on Monday, Crowley said that the DOE had been working on the Maspeth school proposal for nearly two years before she took office. “It was Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott, Chancellor Joel Klein and the SCA that really felt they could do as they saw fit,” she said. “As frustrating as it was dealing with the DOE, at least we got some concessions… We’re lucky the school isn’t twice the size it was proposed to be and not for the entire city.”

Through her negotiations with the city, Crowley was able to get the DOE to agree to zone the school so that students in District 24, which stretches from Long Island City east to Corona and south to Ridgewood, first priority. Students from the adjacent districts would then get priority, followed by students from throughout the borough.

The lawsuit will seek to force the city to complete a more thorough environmental review, according to Ognibene. A judge would then determine whether the site is appropriate for a school and if additional remediation is needed. He noted that there are 19 city schools that required additional cleanup after they were constructed, which he said costs ten times more than it does to remediate fully after the fact.

“We don’t want that. We want a thorough vetting of the property and a thorough environmental search,” said Ognibene. “The EIS they did was a cursory one that is not sufficient to protect the children… They never should have been allowed to get away with it.”

At the meeting, COMET member Michael Fordunski of Maspeth spoke out against the idea of filing a lawsuit, which he called a “total waste of time” and tax dollars. “There’s no perfect location for a school… We need a high school in this area,” he said, adding that he believes the site will be satisfactorily cleaned up by the time the building opens.

In response, Ognibene argued that you can’t “put a price on the safety of a child” and that “doing it right the first time saves money… Nobody wants to send kids to a high school with high levels of toxicity.” He said that the lawsuit seeks a preliminary stop order to prevent the city from moving ahead with work at that site. It would then be up to the judge to determine if any further course of action is needed.

A DOE spokesman said he is unable to comment on pending litigation. However, last month the DOE accused “some community members who strongly oppose” the project of “purposefully exaggerating the soil’s toxicity in order to stoke public fears and derail the project.” The department added that “Parents in Maspeth and District 24 should know that the Maspeth High School will be completely safe for students and staff.”

Ognibene to Challenge Crowley in November

By Conor Greene

It’s not even summer yet, but this fall’s City Council race in the 30th District just got more interesting with Thomas Ognibene’s decision to challenge incumbent Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley in a bid to regain his former job.

“The last time I ran, I think the biggest problem was we had two viable candidates at loggerheads,” said Ognibene, referring to fellow Republican Anthony Como’s victory in last summer’s special election to replace Dennis Gallagher. Crowley finished second in that race, followed by Ognibene, who said that a lone Republican on the ballot “clearly would have won the election and would have carried that into the general election.”

Ognibene, a Middle Village resident with a local practice, said the events leading up to his decision to run began when the Queens Republican Party leaders asked him if he would consider running for mayor on the Republican ticket if the party decided to not endorse Mayor Bloomberg. Ognibene was the Conservative Party’s candidate for mayor in 2005 and had discussed the possibility of challenging Bloomberg again this year.

However, the path was cleared for Ognibene to run for his old City Council seat, which he held from 1992 until term limits forced him out of office in 2001, when Como recently told him “he was going in another direction” and would not be challenging Crowley his fall. Around the same time, the Queens GOP decided it would in fact support Bloomberg.

The result, according to Ognibene, is a Queens Republican Party that is devoid of internal strife for the first time in recent memory. “This probably is the first time for the Republican Party in this county that everyone is aligned behind one guy,” he said. “During my final meeting with Mayor Bloomberg, he said, ‘Tom, I would love to have you support me, and I would love to support you.’”

Como was unable to be reached before press time because he was traveling, but a source said he is being considered for an appointment by the Bloomberg administration to a position in the Department of Housing. An announcement is expected once the standard vetting process is completed.

Ognibene sat out last November’s election, when Crowley (D-Middle Village) defeated Como by 12% out of 33,000 votes cast in the district, which includes Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale and parts of Ridgewood, Woodhaven and Richmond Hill. The win allowed the Democratic Party to regain one of three seats that were held by Republicans at the time. (The GOP has since gained one seat back with the election of Ozone Park resident Eric Ulrich in the 32nd District).

Crowley said on Tuesday that her focus now is solely on representing the district. Still, she left no doubt that she will definitely seek re-election. “Yeah. I love my job. I want to have a full term. I would be honored to represent the people for a full four-year term,” she said.

With a full slate of issues to deal with, including the proposed Maspeth high school and the swine flu outbreak, Crowley is “not concentrating on reelection right now... I’m a fulltime councilwoman, and when it comes time for campaigning I hope my job will speak for itself, the good work I’ve done. When the people of the district come out to vote I think they will re-elect me as their Councilmember.”

It is likely Ognibene, who represented the district from 1992 until term limits forced him out in 2001, will tout his experience and his relationship with Bloomberg. “The most important thing is that the people living in this community need aggressive leadership. I know from my ten years experience where to go, where to look [to solve problems].”

Ognibene declined to comment on how he thinks the district has been represented since November. “I just feel it’s a short period of time and it’s hard for me to judge,” he said of Crowley’s time in office. “I think it really is up to the people to make that judgment so I’m not going to comment on that. I will run and people can then make a decision.”

One message he will push is the benefits his relationship with Mayor Bloomberg would provide for district residents. “The person who has the advantage as a councilmember is the person who can work closely with the mayor, that is the single most important thing,” said Ognibene. “No matter what powers the City Council has, they really do not measure up to the ability of the mayor to do things in a community that are positive, and to keep things from happening that are not positive. I feel I can bring that to the community.”

In terms of pertinent issues for the district, Ognibene mentioned the problems last summer caused by trains transporting garbage that were idling near residential areas and Christ the King High School. “I think you have to pay special attention clearly to the issue with what I call the garbage train,” he said, noting that action in federal court will likely be necessary. “Then there are the usual issues: school control, improving schools, the economic issues and trying to ameliorate the impact of the economic downturn.”

Crowley Beats Como for City Council Seat

WINS BY 12% IN 30th DISTRICT

By Conor Greene

In a rematch of the summer’s special election, Elizabeth Crowley rode the wave of Democratic support on Tuesday night to a victory over freshman City Councilman Anthony Como.

Crowley, of Glendale defeated Como (R-Middle Village) 18,592 to 14,603 this week after narrowly losing to him in the June special election. The win allows Democrats to reclaim one of three City Council seats currently held by Republicans. It also marks the first time a Democrat has represented the 30th Council district since it was created in 1991.

At her campaign celebration Tuesday night in the Woodhaven House, Crowley chalked the win up to more than just the success of Barack Obama at the top of the ticket, given her 12 percent margin of victory. “This was a true representation of the district,” she said, referring to the more than 30,000 residents from Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale and Ridgewood who cast votes.

In a reversal from the special election, when she hired The Parkside Group to run her campaign, Crowley focused more this time around on direct contact with voters. While her campaign advisors minimized her contact with the media over the summer, she made herself much more visible and accessible to reporters and residents during this campaign.

“I think the campaign in June was very rushed,” she said. “With this one, I had more time during the summer to contact voters, and think I was able to get my message across to more people.”

An educator who holds a master’s degree in urban planning, Crowley made supporting local schools and addressing quality of life issues, such as traffic concerns, the focus of her campaign. When asked what her City Council agenda will include, Crowley responded simply, “overdevelopment, education and making sure our district is well funded and doesn’t get cut when the mayor bridges the budget gap.”

Crowley credited support she received from the Juniper Park Civic Association with helping her stay even with Como in conservative areas such as Middle Village, where he was counting on a large advantage. “It was good that I went to their meeting before the election, where there were over 200 people I was able to communicate with,” she said, referring to a candidates night last week that Como didn’t attend.

While the civic didn’t formally endorse a candidate, its president, Robert Holden and some members threw their support behind Crowley. “It definitely helped [in that I was able to come close to Como in such a conservative area,” she said of that support. “In Middle Village we nearly had the same amount of votes, and that was probably due to the help of the civic. That should be his base, but it wasn’t.”

In stark contrast to the atmosphere at Woodhaven House, the mood was somber in Como’s Myrtle Avenue campaign headquarters, which he shared with Senator Serf Maltese (R-Glendale). Maltese lost on Tuesday to Councilman Joseph Addabbo after nearly twenty years in Albany (see related story) in a highly contested race.

As results came trickling in from individual polling places, supporters of the Republican ticket appeared resigned that the GOP’s rough night would trickle down to the local level. Maltese and Como arrived at the headquarters after 10 p.m. to deliver the bad news. “Anthony and I have been partners for a long time,” Maltese told the crowd. “Unfortunately, this time we weren’t partners in victory.”

Maltese and Como both blamed their defeats on the huge surge in Democratic voters who went to the polls this year, many for the first time. In council and senate districts that have about twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans, the political climate was simply too much to overcome, said Maltese.

“The circumstances were such that, despite our best efforts, it was not something we could achieve and accomplish,” he said, adding that he felt that this was the “best campaign” he and his staff had ever run. “Nothing was going to be easy in this campaign because of the presidential race.”

Como’s comments mirrored those of Maltese, whom he calls his political mentor. He noted that there were a number of paper ballots to be counted, but conceded that they generally go the same way as the machine votes. “We worked very hard and I had a great staff,” he said.

In the wake of the election, Como was not ready to say what he will do moving forward. After running two campaigns over the past five months, he is now looking forward to “getting his life back in order” and said practicing law again is an option. Prior to running for election, he served as an aide to Maltese, a Board of Elections commissioner and in the district attorney’s office. “I look forward to what the future may hold for me,” he said.

The council seat was held by Thomas Ognibene from 1991 to 2001 and by Dennis Gallagher from 2001 until this summer, when he resigned after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 52-year-old woman. It was those circumstances, combined with the political climate, that opened up the seat to Democrats. This marked Crowley’s third run at City Council, having lost to Gallagher in her 2001 bid to succeed Ognibene.

For Crowley, the hard work now begins, with her main focus on making sure the district receives its fair share of city funding. “The people spoke and need somebody who is going to work hard and bring back the resources,” she said. “The truth of the matter is, he [Como] did not bring back to the district what Councilman Gallagher was able to bring back, the funding was substantially lower, and we can’t have that.”

Como Discusses Issues Over Breakfast

Schools, Rezoning, Historic District Among Topics Covered

By Conor Greene

Councilman Anthony Como discussed a range of issues affecting the 30th District during an informal meeting with several local reporters last week at his Middle Village office.

The discussion included complaints of overcrowding at PS 153, the stalled effort to downzone 350 blocks in Glendale, Middle
Village and Maspeth, the proposal to landmark several blocks in Ridgewood and a plan to convert under utilized space at PS 91 into a public park.

PS 153 Overcrowding

The opening of the school year has brought with it complaints about overcrowding at PS 153 in Maspeth. According to Como, the problem is a result of overdevelopment in the neighborhood, in particular the common practice of replacing a single-family home with a multi-unit building.

“When we talk about overburdening our infrastructure, this is it,” said Como. The school is currently attempting to serve
about 1,400 children, about 300 above capacity, said Como. His chief of staff, James McClelland, said there is “no doubt it is over-crowded,” but noted that there is a “discrepancy” as to how many students are currently attending the school.

The obvious solution would be to redraw the boundaries dictating who attends the school, but the councilman admitted that he “doesn’t know how feasible that is going to be,” as it would have ramifications on other area schools. He will have a better idea of possible solutions after meeting with the city Department of Education.

McClelland said that PS 153 serves students within a two-and-a-half mile radius, while most city schools have much smaller boundaries. “It may be possible [to redraw the lines], but a ripple effect might require a comprehensive rezoning of District 24,” he said.

Stalled Rezoning Effort

Como met with representatives from Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office regarding the stalled effort to downzone much of Glendale, Maspeth and Middle Village.

“It is something that probably should have happened a long time ago,” said Como, adding that residents should be frustrated with the lack of progress. “They assured us it would move forward… Everyone’s in favor of it.”

Fortunately, the area appears to have avoided any widespread flooding – often cited as one of the biggest effects of overdevelopment - during several heavy rainstorms over the summer. Como reported that his office “hasn’t been inundated with calls” and said he is meeting with the city Department of Environmental Protection regarding flooding within the district.

The rezoning effort, which includes 350 blocks, was spearheaded several years ago by residents of Maspeth and Middle Village. The volunteers, including many members of the Juniper Park Civic Association, went door-to-door, surveying thousands of properties. When they completed the process in October 2005, Queens Director of City Planning asked the civic group to wait for city certification until Glendale residents completed surveying that area.

Much to the JPCA’s frustration, the downzoning effort has since languished while the Department of City Planning has focused on projects elsewhere. At a JPCA meeting in June, a representative from City Planning said that an environmental assessment must still be completed, and said the effort should resume in September.

Ridgewood Historic District

Como said he supports a proposal to designate several blocks of homes in Ridgewood known as the Mathew flats. The proposal, which would protect 91 buildings from demolition or major alterations, is currently before the city Landmarks Preservation Commission.

If the commission landmarks the area, which is between Forest and Fairview avenues and Linden and Woodbine streets, the proposal would go to the City Council for final approval. Como expects it to be approved once that happens. “I don’t see it being an issue,” he said. “I think it’s tremendous and am definitely in favor.”

The homes were built between 1908 and 1911 by Gustave X Mathews, with each building containing six units. The building style, which was a radical departure from the notorious tenement houses on the Lower East Side, was displayed at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.

A one-block section of Ridgewood on Stockholm Street between Onderdonk and Woodward avenues was designated by the city in 2000. Como said he is also interested in pursuing landmark status for the carousel in Forest Park and sections of Richmond Hill and Woodhaven.

PS 91 Playground Conversion

As part of the mayor’s “Schoolyards to Playgrounds” initiative, the outdoor space at PS 91 in Glendale is being converted into a public space open to all residents. However, according to Como, some residents living near the Central Avenue school are concerned about the proposal.

As a result of calls from a few residents on the block, Como met with officials from the city Parks Department, Department of Education, the PTA, Community Board 5 and the school principal. He said the concerns centered on issues such as the hours the park would be open, and aspects of the layout and design such as where the benches would be located. Once the concerns are resolved, Como said the project “would be a great asset for the community,” especially since the city would “come and put money into” the area.

Under the mayor’s plan, 290 schoolyards would be opened to the public between 8 a.m. and sundown and on weekends. The mayor plans on funding a total of about $111 million towards the project over the next eight years. The areas would be maintained by the DOE with assistance from non-profit organizations.

“The real issue is not that people on the block don’t want it fixed them what was going on,” said Como. “The parties are still talking, and there still are issues that have to be resolved.”

Como, a Republican who is being challenged this November for his City Council seat by Glendale Democrat Elizabeth Crowley, said he urges residents to stop by or call his Metropolitan Avenue office with any concerns. “I’m my own worst constituent,” he joked, noting that his office recently successfully pushed a local bank to clean graffiti from its fence. “I try to be proactive.”

Above: Nearly 100 homes in Ridgewood known as the “Mathews flats” are being considered by the city for landmark status.
Left: The city’s plan to convert open space at PS 91 into a public park has concerned some Glendale residents.

Gallagher Spent Leftover Campaign Money During Final Months in Office

By Conor Greene

While former City Councilman Dennis Gallagher’s final few months in office were relatively quiet, the Middle Village Republican was busy spending money left in his campaign fund on donations to local groups and pricey meals at a local restaurant.

Although Gallagher’s legal troubles began last summer, he continued to raise money with a committee formed with the state Board of Elections for a potential run at higher office, even though his political career was essentially already sunk by the criminal charges.

After being charged with rape last August, Gallagher pled guilty in March to sexually assaulting a 52-year-old woman in his campaign office last summer. He resigned from his position on the City Council on April 18. As part of the plea agreement, Gallagher admitted he had “forcibly touched” the woman without her consent in his Metropolitan Avenue campaign office. The guilty plea spared him from registering as a sex offender and serving jail time.

During the final four months of his tenure representing the 30th Council District, Gallagher kept a low profile. However, he was busy spending $22,000 that was left in his “Gallagher New York” account on file with the state Board of Elections. A review of his campaign finance disclosure filed with the state for the for January to July shows him doling out money to some of his favorite groups, including two donations totaling $6,000 to the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council.

The disclosure also shows that Gallagher shelled out nearly $3,000 for five meals at O’Neill’s bar and restaurant on 53rd Drive in Maspeth. Those totals included $435 for dinner on March 3, a $382 dinner on March 28 and a $359 lunch on April 4. Finally, on April 18 – his last day on the City Council – Gallagher spent $200 for lunch and $1,512 for dinner.

A spokesperson at the state Board of Elections said that under election laws, the money is not allowed “to be converted for personal use” but can be spent at restaurants if it comes in the course of performing duties as a public official
or candidate.

Gallagher continued to raise money through the end of 2007 under a committee formed on the state level, but hasn’t filed any paperwork with the city regarding a future run for office, according to the city Campaign Finance Board. An audit of his campaign spending from his last run for City Council was completed this year and resulted in no penalties.

Gallagher was unable to be reached for comment regarding the expense report.