Weiner Hails Increased Loans for Small Businesses

The past year’s economic climate has not been kind to small business owners. But struggling owners have found that it is now simpler to get a federal loan in New York City.

A study released by Representative Anthony Weiner (D-Kew Gardens) showed federal small business loans in the city were up 45 percent compared with the prior year. In Queens, the loans were up almost $20 million, a 41 percent increase.

With the exception of Staten Island, every borough saw significant gains in small business lending. Leading the pack was the Bronx, which saw a whopping 62 percent increase in the amount of money received by small businesses, or $9,980,500 in additional funds in 2010. Manhattan businesses experienced the biggest bump in the number of loans received, from 239 loans in 2009 to 376 loans in 2010 –
a 57 percent increase.

Weiner has fought for Queens’ small businesses for years. In the past two years, Weiner has supported the 2009 Recovery Act, which made it easier for banks to offer SBA loans to small business owners, the 2010 Small Business Jobs Act, which strengthened the Recovery Act and provided $12 billion in new tax cuts for small businesses, and the 2010 Small Business Job Act, which provides tax credits for businesses that hires unemployed workers and retains the employees for a full year.

“Small businesses are the backbone of New York City’s economy, and they have borne the brunt of our nation’s recent downturn,” Weiner said. “The increase in loans to small businesses is extremely encouraging, because access to credit is vital to helping these businesses get back on their feet and putting Americans back to work.”

Turner Tours Queens in Bid to Unseat Weiner

By Eric Yun

Congressional candidate Bob Turner toured various areas of Queens and Brooklyn on Tuesday to drum up support for the campaign. Turner is running against Anthony Weiner (D-Kew Gardens) for the US Congressional 9th District seat.

Organized by the New York GOP, Turner and other Republican candidates stopped at various locations in Queens to talk to concerned residents.

At a stop in Middle Village, Turner spoke about the need for change in Washington. Rallying against cuts and extraneous spending, Turner fought back against Weiner’s remarks that he is out of touch.

Weiner recently challenged many of Turner’s policies. According to Weiner, Turner is in support of privatizing social security, weakening public schools, giving tax breaks to companies that outsource American jobs and against the right for women to choose.

“Bob Turner is completely out of touch with the district,” Weiner’s campaign said in a statement. “Anthony Weiner has spent his career fighting for the middle class people of Brooklyn and Queens on issues that matter, issues that Bob Turner is on the wrong side of.”

Turner fought back against the attack. Citing issues such as Weiner’s refusal to debate and ignoring projects in the district, Turner said Weiner is the one out of touch with con- stituents. “Someone is out of touch, and I don’t think it’s me,” Turner said.

Also at the event were Republican State Assembly candidates Anthony Nunziato and Alex Powietrzynski.

Powietrzynski, who is challenging Democrat incumbent Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, said incumbent New York politicians are taking their positions for granted. “Politicians are treating their jobs as a business and not as a public service,” he said. “You’re here to serve us, and we deserve better.”

Nunziato, who is challenging Marge Markey, gave his full support to Turner. Politics is about “real people who look out for their constituents,” Nunziato said. “The Republican
Party is the party of the American people.”

Turner Denies Young Dems Campaign Finance Allegations

By Eric Yun

There are plenty of esoteric rules and regulations governing political campaigns, and it can quickly get hectic for newcomers. Republican candidate for Congress Bob Turner is discovering this fact after allegations arose about improper finance reports to the Federal Election Committee (FEC).

Turner is challenging Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Kew Gardens) in the 9th U.S. Congressional District, which covers parts of Brooklyn and Queens.

The Queens County of Young Democrats (QCYD) pounced on a request for additional information the FEC sent to Turner’s campaign and filed a formal complaint letter outlining alleged missing information from Turner’s campaign finance reports.

Among the complaints from the QCYD, Turner has not reported anything other than rent as campaign expenditures. They questioned why newspaper ads, staff salaries and other expenditures were not listed with the FEC.

“I am worried that Mr. Turner is not in compliance with clear, well-understood campaign finance rules. Knowingly and willfully violating these rules is a crime,” wrote Costa Constantinides, President of QCYD.

Turner’s campaign con- tends these allegations are simply not true, and, according to files from the FEC website, Turner’s campaign does have listed ex- penditures for more than just rent. “All our campaign expenditures have been filed with the FEC and any question by the FEC will be re- sponded to in a timely basis,” said Matt Turner, spokesman for the Turner campaign.

The initial request for additional information from the FEC, according to Turner’s campaign, involved missing addresses on personal checks donated to the campaign. The FEC has given a deadline of October 26 to respond, and Turner said the campaign would comply with that deadline.

“To suggest we’re ignoring the FEC is ridiculous,” said Matt Turner, adding that this is just a smear campaign run by Weiner and the QCYD to escape a debate on real issues.

Storm Cleanup Addressed at Town Hall in Forest Hills

By Eric Yun

Residents with damaged houses and cars from Thursday night’s storm ex- pecting federal or state aid may be disappointed.

“There’s no substitute for insurance,” Lynn Canton, Regional Director of FEMA Region 2, told residents on Tuesday night.

However, if Queens is designated as a disaster area, there may be some funds provided to residents. While most of the funds would be used to rehabilitate public areas such as MacDonald Park in Forest Hills—where the majority of trees were destroyed in the storm—FEMA funds could help cover some costs to uninsured homeowners or costs insurance companies will not cover.

These concerns, and more, were addressed at a town hall meeting held by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn and Queens) in Forest Hills.

There are a number of complicated requirements to gain federal assistance. Most importantly, approximately $25 million in damages needs to be documented.

This is why Weiner urged residents to continue calling 311 and taking pictures to document all the damage. Teams from the Office of Emergency Management were due to survey the area this past Wednesday to see if Queens will qualify.

The biggest concern in the community, however, was the ongoing cleanup efforts. Bob Holden from the Juniper Park Civic Association asked when hanging limbs were going to be removed. With the streets cleared, the limbs still present a clear danger of falling.

Adrian Benepe, New York City Park’s Commissioner, said the department is going to begin clearing dangerous limbs. The first priority was to clear major roadways so the trucks had the space to move closer.

There were also many complaints about utilities being restored. While Time Warner Cable, Verizon and Con Edison have made significant progress restoring services, there are still many homes left without telephones or cable service.

Weiner stressed that the city was doing a good job, but he sympathized with residents who felt the city was not moving fast enough.

Report Misrepresented Woodhaven Storefront Vacancies

By Eric Yun

Woodhaven residents were angered and confused by a recent report from Congressman Anthony Weiner’s office stating that the neighborhood had the highest rate of vacant storefronts in Queens, especially since the numbers were inaccurate.

Weiner (D-Kew Gardens) conducted a study on vacant storefronts as part of a larger initiative to stimulate Queens’ local small businesses. Unfortunately, due to confusion over where Woodhaven ends and where Richmond Hills begins, Woodhaven was branded as the worst neighborhood in the borough. However, only a small section of Woodhaven was counted—the rest of the stores were in Richmond Hill.

“When it came out we were really shocked,” said Maria Thomson, executive director of the Woodhaven Business Improvement District (BID). She noted the Woodhaven BID generally has vacancies of 10 percent or lower. “We're really very pleased Weiner is looking after the prospects of small businesses on a federal level, Unfortunately, Woodhaven came out looking like a vacant lot.”

To dispute the numbers, members of the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association (WRBA) drove down Jamaica Avenue with a video camera and counted how many vacant storefronts were in their neighborhood. According to this survey, vacancies in Woodhaven were approximately 8 percent.

Edward Wendell, president of the WRBA, acknowledged that it is sometimes difficult to understand local boundaries. However, “there was no cooperation with locals who could have helped,” he said.

The mistake has Wendell questioning the numbers and methods used for Weiner's report. “I would love to see the raw data,” Wendell said.

Weiner’s office issued a correction this week. “While the streets surveyed where correct, the neighborhood designation for Jamaica Avenue was imprecise,” Weiner said. “Since Woodhaven begins west of 98th Street, and only about 22 percent of the street was in this area, it should have been labeled 'Richmond Hill/Woodhaven.'”

Tough Times Lead to Vacant Storefronts

By Tamara Best

Since the economic downturn began, “for rent” and “for sale” signs have become more common as small business owners close their doors. Jamaica Avenue, one of the main streets for commerce throughout Queens, has been hit especially hard. According to a new study, one in five stores on the avenue—Woodhaven’s commercial hub—are vacant.

The study, conducted by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills), looked at 10 of the busiest streets in different areas of the borough. On average, the borough had a vacancy rate of 12 percent. Areas from the survey included portions of Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park, Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven, Austin Street in Forest Hills and Myrtle Avenue in Glendale. The vacancy rates in Glendale and Forest Hills were among the lowest, at eight percent and seven percent respectively.

“Small businesses are the backbone of New York City’s economy, and they have borne the brunt of our nation’s recent downturn,” Weiner said.

According to the study, a total of 206 storefronts were closed of the 1,716 surveyed, with 73 stores vacant on Jamaica Avenue alone. (See sidebar for statistics on the other areas surveyed). Other neighborhoods surveyed included Rockaway, Astoria, Flushing, Bayside, Jamaica and Sunnyside.

Seth Bornstein, executive director of the Queens Economic Development Center, said that the lack of access to resources can hinder business on major commercial strips.

“With the economy, it affects all parts of business so people are hesitant to start businesses because they can’t get the capital,” he said. “Small businesses need improved access to capital in addition to counseling.”

However, he noted that despite the vacancies, the local economy remains solid.

“The overall economy in Queens is relatively stable,” he said. “There has been growth in immigrant communities and we believe that small business can compete with the proper access.”

Bornstein said that in tough economic times, landlords must also change the way they rent space to tenants.

“Some landlords hold out, thinking they will get top dollar,” he said. “A smart landlord doesn’t keep a space vacant for a year— it’s bad for everybody for when businesses come in and out.”

Bornstein said landlords need to be more realistic about what they can get for their property and focus on finding tenants with good credit and a solid plan to grow their business.

Maria Thomson, executive director of the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation and the Woodhaven Business Improvement District, said that business owners that can afford it should think beyond renting.

“There’s nothing like owning your own building because you don’t have to worry about the rent as much,” she said, adding that the current economic downturn could allow potential owners to buy property at a reduced value. “A lot of people in Woodhaven have sustained themselves that way.”

Thomson said it is also important for local business associations to promote their commercial strip as being vital to economic prosperity during and after the recession.

Weiner said that, “helping small business owners get back on their feet should be our number one priority.”

In an effort to help small businesses recover, Weiner is proposing a five point plan: tax breaks for small businesses that offer health insurance, tax breaks for new hires, greater access to capital small business loans, a five minute grace period for drivers with an expired parking meter and a mobile van to handle permit violations.

Thomson also said that residents purchasing goods in their neighborhood can help more businesses stay open.

“Stay local, the shopping is more personal,” she said. “That way your avenue and your community will flourish.”

Proposed Legislation to Reimburse Veterans

New legislation proposed by Rep. Anthony Weiner called the First Responder Reimbursement Act aims to help public safety workers called up to active duty.

According to a report by Weiner (D-Forest Hills), city police officers, firefighters and municipal workers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have missed more than 912,000 days of work since 2001.

“Dozens of New York families have lost loved ones in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Weiner said. “But all New Yorkers have paid in economic price for this foreign policy folly.”

City taxpayers have shelled out $148 million in salaries for municipal workers deployed overseas, according to the report which analyzed city payroll data.

According to Weiner, when city employees are called up for active duty, they forfeit their regular paychecks for military
paychecks which are often less money.

In an effort to help those employees from experiencing financial hardship, the city has established a program to make up the difference in income. Those called to active duty would refund the city the lesser of the two paychecks, allowing them to keep the higher of the two.

Under the proposed act, the federal government would reimburse state or local governments for losses incurred when a city employee, who works in public safety or as a first responder and serves active duty for more than 30 days.

BY THE NUMBERS
•912,862: days of work missed while on military leave by city employees since 9/11.
•$164,307,597: amount paid to city employees on leave since the war began
•396: number of city employees currently on leave.

Source: Report by Anthony Weiner

Baseball Ticket Fees Add Up

Yankees and Mets fans who buy tickets online hoping to save time are being hit with added fees.

According to Rep. Anthony Weiner (D- Forest Hills), who conducted a study on baseball ticket fees, the Yankees and Mets have some of the highest fees amongst Major League Baseball teams.

Fans are required to pay a series of fees depending on whether they buy their tickets over the phone or online. Convenience fees, which allow customers to choose which venues their buy their tickets from, cost fans between $3.60 to $10.95 for Yankees tickets and between $4.00 and $15.00 for Mets tickets.

Tickets printed at home for each team costs $2.50, in addition to an order processing fee of $3.30 for the Yankees and $5 for the Mets. The only way to avoid the fees is by purchasing tickets at the stadium.

And fans of both teams say they are less than happy about the added costs.

“It definitely curbs my desire to buy tickets,” said Liz Peterson, a Mets fan. “In fact, it generally annoys me so much I rethink tickets I've already decided to buy when I get hit with a $5 fee for calling for tickets, then fees to e-mail tickets, then fees for processing...as if the tickets themselves weren't overpriced enough.”

Yankee fan Jerry McGuire says he’s glad to have the new stadium but is disgusted by management tactics to soak fans for ticket extras.

“If I want to give my tickets to someone for one of my games, I shouldn’t have to pay the team for that privilege,” he said. “They continue to make idiots of us and the worst is we keep going back for more.”

However, the biggest issue with the added fees is the impact on ticket specials. For select games, the Yankees offer a $5 ticket special with fees sometimes adding up to $ 9.40.

“It is reasonable to pay some convenience fees when buying tickets online, but a $9.40 fee on a $5 ticket is ridiculous,” said Weiner. “Why should New York fans pay more in fees than their ticket is worth?”

Tentative Deal Saves Kew Gardens Post Office

By Conor Greene

Residents in Kew Gardens are relieved to hear a tentative deal has been struck to keep the neighborhood post office branch open, but they won’t be comfortable until details of the new lease agreement are officially announced.

“We’ve been concerned for the last four years, ever since we discovered the property didn’t belong to the government, and the developer who bought the property intended to put up an apartment house,” said Murray Berger of the Kew Gardens Civic Association.

In 2006, the property owner and United States Postal Service agreed on a five-year lease that included three guaranteed years and an option to extend the lease an additional two years to 2011. But, after hearing the option was picked up, residents didn’t hear any additional updates on the situation in the past few years.

Last week, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills) announced that a tentative deal had been reached that will allow the post office to remain open. “This is a huge victory for Kew Gardens. No community should be forced to live without such a vital service, and I’m pleased that everyone involved in the process understood that,” he said.

However, the congressman’s statement only said that “both the USPS and building owner appear to have come to an agreement that will save the post office.” His office did not respond to a message seeking additional details on this agreement, including how many years the new lease covers.

Weiner and Senator Charles Schumer wrote letters to the Postmaster General in March 2009 asking that postal officials ensure that the Kew Gardens branch, located at 83-30 Austin Street, would stay open. The USPS has not included Kew Gardens on recent lists of branches being considered for closure as part of the agency’s cost-cutting measures.

On Tuesday, Berger said the civic association has only heard that a verbal agreement had been reached on a new lease, but hadn’t learned of the specific details. “We’re trying to be flexible, but there is no other place in the neighborhood for a post office,” he said, adding that it has been “part of the infrastructure of Kew Gardens” for 60 years.

One complicating factor is that the USPS has been paying $167,000 annually to property owner Tulip Management to lease the building, which is the highest rate paid among area post office branches. While the property was downzoned in 2005, residents still worry the owner will seek a variance allowing an apartment building to be constructed on the site, said Berger.

Losing the post office would be detrimental to the community, which includes many senior citizens and many foreign-born residents who need access to passport services. Residents would be forced to trek to Main Street in Briarwood or Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills for postal services, likely leading to longer lines in those neighboring branches. “None are within easy ambling distance for the young and old,” said Berger.

“We’re waiting to hear what the details are,” said Berger, who serves as the civic association’s executive director. “Having lived 86 years, I’m an optimist so I have to assume it will go through, but I would feel a lot better if I knew it was signed... As I’ve been saying, other communities have ‘Save our firehouses’ and we have ‘Save our post office.’”

Maspeth Demands Immediate Steps to Reduce Truck Traffic

Crowley Calls for Change to Through Route Designation

By Conor Greene

Sick and tired of heavy truck traffic along Grand Avenue, elected officials and community leaders came out in force last week to demand that the city take action to prevent large vehicles from using local roads instead of nearby expressways.

The long-awaited Maspeth Truck Bypass Plan is still being studied by the city Department of Transportation, which expects to unveil several route options to the public in September. In the meantime, a group of officials led by Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) is requesting that changes be made to the through-truck routes that currently run along Grand and Flushing avenues into Brooklyn.

Currently, the through route becomes local truck routes once the avenues enter Brooklyn, meaning vehicles can currently exit the Long Island Expressway and cut through Maspeth to reach their destinations. Crowley wants the DOT to change the through route designation to a local route, forcing truckers to stay on the expressway until they reach their destination.

“For far too long the DOT has ignored the traffic problems in Maspeth... and has allowed trucks to use [the neighborhood] as a dumping ground,” said Crowley during last Friday’s press conference at the intersection of Flushing and Grand avenues. “Why is Maspeth the only location in the city where the DOT allows a through route to terminate at a borough boundary?”

Crowley notes it would only require a “simple adjustment” to change the route designation and alleviate the strain on local roads, and says the change could be implemented within days or weeks. “What we’re asking for is something so simple… It’s not fair for people to be using Grand Avenue to get to Brooklyn,” she said.

Joining the councilwoman at the event were officials including Rep. Joseph Crowley, Rep. Anthony Weiner, Senator Joe Addabbo, Assemblywoman Marge Markey, Jim O’ Kane of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, Gary Giordano of Community Board 5, Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, and members of the Juniper Park Civic Association, which has been pushing for the Bypass for years.

A city DOT spokesman wouldn’t say whether the agency will change the route designation, and didn’t provide an update on the status of the bypass plan study. “We are studying the concept of a local truck route as we move ahead with the ongoing Maspeth Bypass study and discussions with the community,” said Scott Gastel in a statement.

Crowley spoke with Queens Commissioner Maura McCarthy before Friday’s rally, but the councilwoman’s office refused to provide details of that conversation.

After more than a decade of waiting for action to reduce the amount of trucks rumbling through the neighborhood’s commercial center, residents and officials say they are running out of patience with the DOT.

Robert Holden of the JPCA said the problem became much worse with the closing of the Staten Island landfill ten years ago, at which time community activist Frank Principe and Maspeth business owner Tony Nunziato began devising the bypass plan. “Here we are in 2010 talking about the same thing,” he lamented. “We’ve done so many studies, yet the DOT is not listening. Our patience has run out – we need something done right now.”

“It has sat on many a desk for too long,” said Nunziato of the bypass plan.

Assemblywoman Marge Markey, who has represented Maspeth since 1998, said the truck traffic negatively impact the local quality of life in numerous ways, including by adding to air pollution, creating hazardous conditions for pedestrians and clogging up roads for local drivers. “In these tough economic times, it is important that we do everything we can to help neighborhood businesses survive,” she said.

When asked why elected officials have yet to be able to get the truck bypass plan implemented, she laid the blame with the city. “It’s just that the DOT is working at a very slow pace. I think it’s a real embarrassment for that agency,” she responded.

Jim O’ Kane of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce said the trucks have a huge impact on the many senior citizens living and shopping in the area. “They are intimidated by this truck traffic while crossing the street,” he said.

After the official press conference ended, members of the JPCA including Holden, Nunziato, Manny Caruana and Lorraine Sciulli called out several of the politicians whom they say only attended for a “photo op” after dragging their feet on the issue for a decade.

“Frankly, I’m surprised a couple of the elected officials dared show their faces,” said Holden, specifically mentioning Markey, Joe Crowley and Anthony Weiner. “Marge Markey never mentioned Tony Nunziato, who thought of the plan. What’s happened since 1999? Zero. She can’t even get trucks off the main street of her own town.”

Lydon Sleeper, chief of staff for Councilwoman Crowley, interjected several times that holding the second conference “is not right.”

“Had they done their jobs for ten years, this would have been done,” said Sciulli. “These elected officials didn’t do their job for ten years.”

Austin Street Businesses Report Mixed Outlook

Parking, Rents, Ticket Agents Remain Top Concerns

By Conor Greene

Small business owners along Austin Street have differing opinions about the state of the nation’s economic recovery. However, one thing is clear – local issues such as parking and rents continue to play a huge role in the success or failure of the neighborhood’s mom and pop stores.

During an informal tour of stores on Monday led by Rep. Anthony Weiner, merchants provided mixed reactions to the current economic climate along one of the borough’s most popular shopping strips. While some, such as Marie Sinanian of jewelry store Stoa, say business is as bad as it has ever been, others, such as Marc Pine of Instant Replay secondhand store, say the economy has actually helped his business.

However, most agree that while the jobs bill currently being debated in Washington would help small businesses, it is often local issues such as parking, foot traffic and rent prices that make or break local mom and pop style stores.

Sinanian, who has owned Stoa for 43 years in the area, including the past 15 on Austin Street, said business has been “awful, just awful,” adding that it is worse than last year. “Is there any way you people can tell some property owners to do something with lowering the rents?” she wondered, hitting on a common theme heard along the strip.

Sinanian also said that overzealous traffic agents cause some customers to vow to never return to Austin Street after receiving parking tickets. In one case, a woman bought a $65 item, only to find a $35 ticket on her windshield.

“There really is a sense among most shop owners along Austin Street that their only connection to city government is the traffic police,” said Weiner, comparing the unit to a SWAT team.

A few doors down, the owner of Dmitry Italian Silk Ties said he was recently forced to close his Manhattan location as a result of the economy, but chose to keep his Austin Street location open. “Obviously, there has been a little bit of a slowdown, [so] we’re trying to adjust,” he said.

While online sales have helped fill the gap, Dmitry said that the $1,000 tax credit that the $15 billion jobs bill would provide wouldn’t be enough to allow him to hire another employee. In addition, he said a row of empty storefronts that have been vacant due to a high asking price have reduced the amount of foot traffic that eaches his business.

The economy has had the opposite impact on Instant Replay, where owner Marc Pine says people have turned to second hand items to save money. In addition, many people are selling antiques and other valuables they normally would hold onto. While foot traffic has stayed pretty consistent, some new businesses seemed to be doomed by high rent prices, added Pine.

New York Diamond Boutique opened its doors just two years ago, prompting manager Michael Jaye to joke, “we like challenges, that’s for sure.” Still, by making customer service and quality merchandise top priorities, the store “is holding its own” and is even looking for a new employee, said Jaye. “Ever since Christmas, we’ve seen a greater influx of people coming through the door and being serious about shopping.”

Still, Jaye echoed other complaints about parking, and suggested that Austin Street become a one-way stretch to accommodate diagonal parking. Weiner said that would be tough to do because of the lack of parallel roads to accommodate the diverted traffic.

During the tour, Weiner spoke about the jobs bill, which the Senate has yet to pass. “I don’t think you are going to have a moment when the skies part” and the economy is fixed, he said. Instead, “little by little, bit by bit, people being more confident about the future of the economy” will lead to jobs creation. “What’s going to drive hiring is business coming back, but if they’re right on the bubble it gives them a push,” he said of the $1,000 tax credit the proposed bill would provide businesses for hiring.

On the topic of sky-high rents, Weiner said that ideally, “the wisdom of the marketplace” would solve these problems without government intervention. Still, “it’s very frustrating as a resident” to have storefronts sit vacant for months while the landlord holds out. “The further away the landlord [lives], the more difficult it seems to be to persuade him to take a deal that might not be perfect. Holding out for the perfect deal means creating a very bad economic environment for our stores.”

Seller Beware: Wide Range in Prices Offered for Gold

Sellers Must Shop Around Before Parting with Jewelry

By Conor Greene

With the economy down and the price of gold up, many residents are turning to their old and broken jewelry for a source of some quick cash. However, if you’re not careful and don’t take certain steps, there is a good chance of being ripped off in the process.

In light of this trend, a local elected official is warning would-be gold sellers about one particular scam, in which a company called Cash4Gold often pays between just 11 percent and 29 percent of the current market price for gold. Local pawn shops are only marginally better, generally offering between 35 percent and 70 percent of the value.

On a recent afternoon, The Forum took a first hand look at the market residents face in order to get a better idea of how close local pawnshops and jewelry stores come to offering full market value for an assortment of old gold bracelets and pendants. To do this, a reporter took the items to Marlowe Jewelers in Howard Beach, where owner Dennis Croce determined that the jewelry was worth about $1,995.

While the reporter knew exactly how much the items were worth, he set out to six local buyers, playing dumb in order to see what kind of offers would be made. First up was Gold Rush, located at 105-14 Crossbay Boulevard in Ozone Park, just south of Liberty Avenue. After checking each piece of gold, the clerk offered just $1,125 for the jewelry. Likely based upon the expression on the reporter’s face, he quickly said he could make a much better price and punched some numbers into the calculator before offering $1,350.

Next up was Village Cash for Gold at 80-10 Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven. The clerk immediately boasted that he doesn’t “play around” and makes fair offers. He came pretty close to the gold’s actual value, offering $1,700. However, the clerk looked like he expected a deal to be made, and it took a minor amount of insisting that the offer needed to be mulled over before the clerk handed the gold back to the reporter.

A few blocks down at Metropolitan Pawnbrokers, 92-16A Jamaica Avenue, the reporter encountered what would ultimately turn out to be the fairest offer of the day. The clerk, who was one of just two who asked where the male reporter had gotten the women’s jewelry, urged him to shop around and then come back with the highest offer, and said the gold was worth at least $1,900. He also advised not to tell other buyers what offers had been made prior in order to get the best price possible.

The fourth store visited was The Gold Standard on Austin Street in Forest Hills, where the clerk first offered $1,500 before upping the price to $1,650 – at least in the ballpark of the gold’s value. However, the reporter noticed that the scale there only read 85.5 pennyweight, while the jewelry actually weighted 86.7 pennyweight.

From there, The Forum headed to Ridgewood, stopping first at Gemelli Jeweler’s Fresh Pond Road store. Despite being a jewelry store that carries many expensive items, the girl behind the counter there offered just $1,385 before saying she could pay $1,400 at most. The last stop was Liberty Pawn Brokers on Weirfield Street, which offered $1,400.

The Forum’s look at the local gold buying industry comes after Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills) released a study showing that Cash4Gold, which advertises on late-night television, is preying on cash-strapped New Yorkers through deceptive marketing, low payment policies and misleading return policies. Residents mail the gold in an envelope, and the company assesses it and sends a check in return.

According to Weiner’s study, Cash4Gold intentionally low-balls offers to customers and then, if a customer complains, increases the offer. Customer service agents are reported to receive a commission for keeping the payout low, the congressman added. As a result, Weiner has asked the Federal Trade commission to investigate the misleading practices and plans to introduce the GOLD Act, which would seek protect consumers.

“It’s time for the government to take a stand against predatory companies like Cash4Gold,” said Weiner. “There’s no reason to allow Cash4Gold to continue their policy of kicking struggling consumers while they are already down… Cash4Gold is using these tough times as a golden opportunity to fleece customers. These deceptive practices must end.”

On the local level, there are simple steps sellers should take to ensure they receive a fair deal, according to Marlowe Jeweler’s Croce, who says his store has seen more people getting rid of old jewelry in recent years. “It seems to me like every time there is a spike in gold on the up side, you get a rush of people,” he said. “I guess people are definitely following that trend, we get a lot more people paying attention to the price than a few years ago.”

He says the typical sellers are either older folks who need the money to squeeze by in these tough times, or younger people who don’t necessarily need the money but just want to get rid of old jewelry while the price of gold is still high. “Some older people tell me they can use the money to pay bills,” said Croce. “The older people are more sentimental, but have to pay the bills, while the younger generation, once they’re tired of it they don’t care [about holding onto old jewelry].”

Croce’s advice is to simply shop around and only go to reputable stores that are licensed. While there is no law regulating how much a store has to offer, there are other regulations that licensed brokers must follow. “If you don’t feel comfortable with the place, don’t use them,” he added.

Other tips include getting an offer without revealing the amount other stores suggested, and to try to sell plain gold that doesn’t include stones in order to get a clearer idea of what the jewelry is worth. “Shopping is the most important thing. If they shop around, they are usually going to come back to me, since I give them a fair number,” said Croce.

Family's Request for 9/11 Benefits Stonewalled by Federal Government

Richard Pearlman's Family Fights to Correct Injustice

By Conor Greene

On 9/11, Richard Pearlman, an 18-year-old member of the Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps, died while assisting fellow New Yorkers at the World Trade Center. He had been delivering legal papers to One Police Plaza when he heard the call for all first responders and was taken to the scene in an NYPD squad car. Despite his heroic efforts, which were chronicled in a photo in Newsweek magazine, his mother is still fighting for benefits due to her under a federal program.

“It’s a smack in the face,” said his mother, Dorie Pearlman. “Any information they asked for, I supplied them. It’s my government and they turned their back on me... I’m not just doing it in the name of my son, I’m doing it in the name of all the EMS workers who seemed to be shoved under the carpet.”

Years after her son was the youngest victim in the World Trade Center, a neighbor told Dorie, 54, about the Department of Justice’s Public Safety Officer Program, which was created in 1976 to provide benefits to families of Americans who are killed in the line of duty while protecting fellow citizens. She applied in March 2008 but was told the time limit had expired. She requested an extension and filed again the following month only to be informed in August 2009 that her application was denied.

In their denial, the feds claimed that Richard wasn’t certified to perform first responder services, even though he was certified by the Red Cross and was at the scene as a member of the ambulance corps, which is certified by the state Department of Health. "This isn't some fly by night organization," said Dorie. Much of her frustration is because it isn't even clear why her application was denied. "Various legal terms I don't understand," she said. "When I called they just referred me to a section of the law."

She approached several area politicians for help, including Rep. Anthony Weiner, who she ran into in September when the ambulance corps dedicated a wall at its headquarters in her son’s honor. In 2001, Weiner (D-Forest Hills) passed legislation that increased payments made by the federal government from $100,000 to $250,000 to help the families of first responders.

“On 9/11, my constituent joined hundred of other heroic first responders who selflessly rushed into the World Trade Center to save lives,” wrote Weiner in a letter to Hope Yankas, director of the program at the Justice Department. “Mr. Pearlman answered the call to help his fellow New Yorkers and made the ultimate sacrifice in the process. His mother should not be denied the benefits due to her.”

Weiner joined Richard's parents at the FHVAC headquarters on Monday to call attention to their plight. “Many in the neighborhood know the story of Richard,” said Weiner. “Clearly, this family is eligible under the law... It’s as simple as that – volunteers are included if supported by groups” such as the FHVAC.

However, Richard’s case is “unusual” since he was “a volunteer, urged to be there by law enforcement” after the call for first responders went out over the radio at One Police Plaza, said Weiner. Even so, the benefit program “is intended for people exactly like your son” and their families, he added.

“The money isn’t important - it’s justice. If I can’t get justice in his name, and for all the EMS workers, what good is the Justice Department? I’ll be the same person no matter what I get. I’m a mother who lost her son,” added Dorie. She recalls “waiting by the phone day and night.” His body was eventually found on Easter Sunday, 2002. In all, eight EMS workers died on 9/11.

While she harbors no resentment towards the police and fire department, she feels like EMS workers aren’t getting the same treatment. “If it were a police officer or firefighter, it would be no problem... I begrudge them nothing - they lost like everyone else. But it is the EMS workers getting shoved under the table,” she said.

Richard joined the FHVAC when he was 14 years old because it was the only department with a youth program, taking the bus to its Metropolitan Avenue headquarters from Howard Beach. “Day and night he was here - it didn’t matter what the weather was,” said his father, Barry, 57. He said his son been accepted to LaGuardia Community College at the time of his death and was licensed in first aid and CPR.

“He gave his life to help strangers. He never told them he couldn’t help because he was out of his jurisdiction...“This was his life - the ambulance corps and the Boy Scouts [in Middle Village] was my son’s life,” said Dorie. “He literally died for them, died to help people.”

Weiner hopes that some political and public pressure on the Justice Department will result in the feds releasing the benefit to the Pearlmans. “To me, this seems like an open and shut case, but up to now it’s been shut,” he said. “We’re hopeful that with an additional push, this benefit that is due to your family will finally arrive.”

No Social Security Cost of Living Increase for 2010 and 2011

By Conor Greene

The federal Social Security Administration has made it official: for the first time since 1975, seniors will not receive a cost of living adjustment in 2010 because consumer prices have fallen over the past year.

Local seniors and elected officials rallied in recent weeks following reports that the federal budget didn’t include funding for cost of liv- ing adjustments for the next two years. This will be the first year without an automatic adjustment since it went into effect in 1975, despite outcry from Social Security recipients and elected officials including Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills) and State Senator Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach).

“To say that the costs for seniors will not go up for two years is to pretend that the laws of economic gravity don’t apply to older people,” said Weiner. “Rent is up. Food prices are up. The purpose of the COLA is to help seniors keep up. The Social Security Administra- tion seems to have forgotten that mission.”

Addabbo said he is “very discouraged” by the announcement, which came last Thursday, and said he called on Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue “to scrap the agency’s plan to cut off costs of living for two years despite rising costs.

“I believe it is important to raise awareness of this critical issue, since the official freeze on Social Security payments for the next two years really puts New York City seniors under a heavy burden, particularly in the weak economy,” said Addabbo, a member of the Senate’s Committee on Aging.

In a statement, Commissioner Astrue noted that Social Security recipients received a 5.8 percent cost of living adjustment last year after consumer prices spiked, largely as a result of higher gas prices. That marked the largest increase since 1982, according to Astrue, who voiced support for President Obama’s proposal for the administration to provide another $250 recovery payment for the 57 million Americans who receive Social Security.

"Even as we seek to bring about recovery, we must act on behalf of those hardest hit by this recession," Obama said in a statement. "This additional assistance will be especially important in the coming months, as countless seniors and others have seen their retirement accounts and home values decline as a result of this economic crisis."

The White House estimated that cost at $13 billion, and Obama doesn’t want the payments to come from Social Security trust funds, since the program is projected to pay out more in benefits than it collects in taxes over the next two years. However, Addabbo was critical of that plan, especially in light of recent federal bailouts of large corporations and industries. “If President Barack Obama can bail out banks, insurance giant AIG and the auto industry, he should do better than his recent call on Congress to approve a second round of $250 stimulus or recovery payments for over 50 million Social Security recipients,” he said.

Addabbo noted that tenants in rent controlled apartments face a six percent increase, while the cost of many items in New York City has also risen, including Medicare prescription drug plans (up seven percent monthly), food prices (one percent) and mass transit (ten percent). “Our seniors need a regional cost of living adjustment. It is not a luxury, but a necessity. Seniors should not have to choose between eating, paying their rent or getting their medication,” he said.

Weiner recently said there is a notion that the Social Security Administration’s “books are being cooked a little” since it was determined months ago that there would be no adjustment, even though the increase is supposed to be calculated each October. Ever more alarming, said Weiner, is that next year’s increase has also been eliminated, more than a year in advance.

In a statement issued last Thursday, he called on the SSA to “immediately open up their books and explain to the American people why seniors will not be receiving a cost of living adjustment...” The first bill Weiner introduced after being elected to Congress would provide a regional cost of living adjustment “to ensure seniors in Brooklyn, New York are not forced to survive on the same benefits as seniors in Brooklyn, Iowa.” If the COLA Fairness Act is enacted, New York seniors would receive an additional two percent in benefits over a five-year period.

Seniors Vow to Fight for Cost of Living Increase

By Conor Greene

Spurred by rumors that the Social Security Administration will not provide a cost of liv- ing increase in 2010, local officials and community leaders have launched a petition drive urging the federal government to provide seniors with this much-needed boost.

Concerns that there won’t be a cost of living increase next year stem from the presidential budget unveiled this year, which didn’t include funds to provide the annual boost meant to off-set rising prices, according to Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills). An announcement is expected in the coming weeks, and this would mark the first time in three decades that an increase wasn’t pro- vided.

In response, Weiner gathered at the Howard Beach Senior Center on Monday with Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer (D-Ozone Park) and Democratic District Leader Frank Gulluscio to announce the petition effort. “The price of many things has gone down, but many more [costs] are going up,” said Weiner, including health care, housing and food.

Particularly concerning, said Weiner, is that while the cost of living increase is supposed to be calculated each October using current prices, it was determined that it would remain flat months ago. Even more alarming, he said, is that next year’s increase has also been eliminated, more than a year in advance. That has led to the “notion that maybe the books are being cooked a little,” said Weiner. The focus now is “making sure this is on the up and up.”

To pressure the Social Security Administration to provide a cost of living increase, Gulluscio is spearheading the petition effort, which began in earnest at Monday’s event. He is calling for a “true COLA” that prevents seniors from having to choose between milk and medicine. “It’s a shame we have to deal with this during a recession,” he added.

While the cost of many non-necessities such as electronics have dropped as a result of the recession, Weiner noted that drops in cost haven’t applied to necessities. “The fact is, most seniors are not buying cell phones, they’re buying things they need – housing, food, medicine, [and] those things are going up,” he said. The COLA should be calculated using the “breadbasket of things seniors use” with regional differences taken into account, added the representative.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that the Social Security program has a huge surplus that is currently used to bring down the national debt. In addition, any increases in Medicare will come from a senior’s social security check, despite the lack of COLA increase. “On one hand they’re saying costs aren’t going up” while at the same time claiming that Medicare costs are rising, said Weiner.

Howard Beach senior Robert Drake said the lack of increase comes at a time when the city is “nickel and diming” its residents at every turn. “They even raised the price of parking your car. How can they say there is no COLA?” he asked. “Is that considered in COLA? No. If they don’t [provide an increase] then we will just have to struggle through it.”

Another local senior, Grade DiPippa, took exception with the federal government using the Social Security fund to help close the deficit. “That’s wrong,” she said.

Gulluscio vowed to continue the fight until the federal government changes course. “We will not take zero as an answer. There are no excuses for this situation,” he said. “This is not about politics - this is about real people making decisions.”

This year’s COLA increase was 5.8 percent for the more than 50 million individuals receiving Social Security. While the recession has kept inflation in check in some areas, seniors have still been hit hard with some growing costs including a six percent increase in rent-controlled apartments, a 1.4 percent rise in food prices, a seven percent average monthly increase in premiums for the Medicare prescription drug plans and a 10 percent increase in bus and subway fare for seniors.

Newtown Creek Considered for Superfund Status

Would Initiate Federal Cleanup of Toxic Waterway

By Conor Greene

The Environmental Protection Agency is considering the heavily polluted Newtown Creek for Superfund status, which would allow federal authorities to move forward with a long-awaited cleanup of the waterway, which runs between Brooklyn and Queens.

The EPA announced last week that officials have nominated the 3.8-mile stretch of creek, which separates Greenpoint and Maspeth and is considered the most polluted waterway in the city, for its National Priorities List. Doing so would allow the EPA to build on the extensive sampling of the creek that has already been completed.

“Newtown Creek is one of the most grossly contaminated waterways in the country,” said Acting Regional Administrator George Pavlou. “By listing the creek, EPA can focus on doing the extensive sampling needed to figure out the best way to address the contamination and see the work through.”

Designating the Newtown Creek as a Superfund site would allow the EPA to use taxpayer money to fund a cleanup, and to charge individuals responsible for causing the pollution as well as current property owners. The site’s contamination includes a 30-million gallon oil spill discovered by a Coast Guard helicopter in 1978 that has been found across 55 acres, including beneath area homes and businesses.

The spill, which is three times larger than the Exxon Valdez incident, has been lamed on the area’s industrial past, which at one time saw more than 50 industrial facilities along the banks, and on a 1950 industrial explosion. Currently, ExxonMobil and several other companies are working with the federal government on programs to remediate portions of the spill.

News that the creek is being considered for Superfund status was welcomed by two of the area’s representatives in Congress, Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills) and Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn), who have fought for years to direct federal resources to clean the area up. In a press release, Weiner noted that the area surrounding the Newtown Creek is home to more than 446,000 residents and a number of schools, parks and hospitals.

“I am pleased to see that while the oil companies lag in their cleanup responsibilities and put the health and safety of Newtown Creek’s residents at further risk, the EPA has decided to take action and hold these companies responsible for their negligence,” said Weiner. “Newtown Creek is the single most polluted waterway in New York City, a legacy left by more than a century of heavy industrial activity.”

In the mid-1800s, the area adjacent to the creek was one of the busiest hubs of industrial activity in the city, with dozens of oil refineries, petrochemical plants, fertilizer and glue factories, sawmills and lumber and coal yards. In the early 1990s, the state determined that Newtown Creek was not meeting water quality standards under the Clean Water Act.

Since then, the EPA has worked to collect data from the entire length of the creek that has been used to determine the actual extent of the pollution. Various sediment and surface water samples taken along the creek have revealed the presence of pesticides, metals, PCBs and volatile organic compounds, which are potentially harmful contaminations that can easily evaporate into the air.

Now that the site has been nominated to the National Priorities List, a 60-day public comment period has begun. If the area is designated a Superfund site, a four-step process will be initiated to clean up the area. The site would first undergo immediate stabilization to stop any immediate threats to the community, before the EPA performs a comprehensive investigation of the site and analyzes clean up options. The EPA would then develop a plan to clean up the site, which would be carried out by the agency or by responsible parties the federal government could force to do the work.

“The contamination in and around Newtown Creek is of catastrophic proportions and Greenpoint residents have suffered the consequences for too long,” said Velazquez. “Inclusion in the EPA’s National Priorities List may help determine the best approach for cleaning up the creek. As the process continues, I look forward to examining the data as well as working with federal, state and city officials to identify a comprehensive plan to reclaim the pride of Brooklyn’s waterfront and protect New Yorkers.”

'Cell Phones for Soliders' Program Seeks Donations

Council Member Elizabeth S. Crowley launched a drive to collect old cell phones to be recycled into prepaid calling cards for U.S. troops stationed overseas, as part of the nationwide “Cell Phones For Soldiers” program. Cell Phones for Soldiers sends phones to ReCellular in exchange for funds to purchase calling cards. One recycled cell phone provides an hour of talk time for soldiers abroad.

“According to statistics from the Pentagon, roughly 200,000 U.S. troops are deployed overseas,” said Council Member Elizabeth Crowley. “Cell Phones for Soldiers is a great way to help connect American heroes abroad with their families back home. Over the next two months we hope to collect 1,000 cell phones which will allow soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan to talk with loved ones in the United States. Hundreds of millions of Americans dispose of their old cell phones every year. Instead of throwing them away, I hope people will donate them to this great cause.”

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by teenage siblings, Robbie and Brittany Berquist, from Norwell, Mass., with $21 of their own money. Since then, the registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised millions of dollars in donations and distributed more than 500,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas. Every week, Cell Phones for Soldiers ships about 6,500 to 7,000 calling cards to service members in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait.

“Cell Phones for Soldiers is a great program because it supports the soldiers oversees and abroad in combat connect with family back home,” said Ronny Burdier, a resident of Glendale and CPO who served in the war in Afghanistan from May 2007 to August 2008. “The program seeks out family and moral support from back home and that is important. It’s great program for this community and as a soldier, I encourage people to support it.”

Those who wish to donate their cell phones, bring them to the Office of Council Member Elizabeth Crowley at 64-77 Dry Harbor Road, Middle Village, NY or the Office of Congressman Anthony Weiner at 80-02 Kew Gardens Road, Room 5000, Kew Gardens, NY 11415. For more information, visit cellphonesforsoldiers.com.

Push for Action in Wake of Rockaway Drownings

By Conor Greene

Six people have already drowned off the Rockaway coast this summer and officials say the worst conditions will arrive in the coming weeks when hurricane season takes full effect.

The latest incident came last Friday when Jose-Luis Olivares, 36, of Ozone Park died while trying to save his eight-year-old daughter from the waters off Jacob Riis Park. His daughter, Stephanie, made it back to shore safely. Lifeguards were off-duty for about an hour before the 7 p.m. drowning, which was the second in three days off the Rockaway coast. On June 12, 40-year-old Hayward Patterson of Jamaica disappeared while swimming in the water off the 15th Street Beach in Far Rockaway; his body has not been recovered.

The number of deaths this year has already doubled the total amount from the past two years, leading several elected officials to push for steps to help prevent more drownings. City Councilman James Sanders, Jr. (D-Laurelton) held an emergency meeting Monday night with Parks Department officials, community leaders and residents, where he said several “out of the box” ideas were discussed.

"Six deaths are too many... This year is just out of control," Sanders told The Forum. "With that in mind, we have to think out of the box on this one. We explored many things [Monday] including getting a boat or Jet Ski to patrol the waters." He noted that the closest Coast Guard station is now in Sandy Hook since the Rockaway one was closed. "Why not put a Jet Ski in the water or at least have them available on land so we can get to people quicker?"

Other suggestions included reopening safer beaches where the riptides are not as strong, staggering hours when beaches are open and encouraging people to visit public pools on hot days. "There are beaches that are closed in the Rockaways [that] absolutely need to be opened. The beaches that are open are not necessarily the safest ones," said Sanders.

The councilman noted that several of the victims traveled to the Rockaways from other parts of the borough and city and might not be familiar with the area's strong currents or sharp drop-offs. "One of the big secrets we have here is the big drop off in the water... Unless you know how to swim in ten feet of water you should not go past your hips."

In response to the spike in deaths, a Parks spokeswoman said the city has more than 300 lifeguards at Rockaway Beach and 50 Urban Park Service staff patrolling the area. Three of the drownings this year have occurred at city beaches, along with two at Jacob Riis Park, which is patrolled by the National Parks Service, and one at a private beach. Lifeguards were off duty during all of the incidents.

"Rockaway, unlike some of the other beaches around New York City is a true ocean beach and the ocean is a powerful and unpredictable force of nature and you have to expect it and be careful when you're going into the waters," Liam Kavanaugh, First Deputy Parks Commissioner, told NY1. "We urge the public, as tempting as it may be, particularly on hot days such as this, that they should not go in the ocean where there is no lifeguard around."

Sanders said the Parks Department - whose lifeguards have come under fire for safety violations - is paying attention to the issue but he wants to see real steps taken in the near future. "I want to see more action... The typical things are not working. Under those conditions, let's go with outside thinking."

On the federal level, Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills) is calling on the Army Corps of Engineers to expand a $4 million study of the Rockaway Beaches to include safety measures to help prevent the riptides, which are caused by currents of water between sandbars and the coastline. In a letter to the Army Corps Lt. General Van Antwerp, he argued that the study "won't be complete if it doesn't closely examine the serious safety concerns for swimmers and recommendations for structural changes to prevent drownings."

The study, which focuses on fighting beach erosion, is scheduled to be completed by 2011 and construction of the 100-year storm protection plan for the Rockaways could begin in 2012, according to Weiner. "The ocean currents may at times be very strong, but the Army Corps can help us turn the tides of the awful tragedies that have hit the Rockaways and make our beaches better and more importantly safer."

While the ocean waters off the Rockaways have long been known for the strong riptides, Sanders said the city has looked into whether the conditions have worsened. "We looked into that. I wanted to know if there was something going on in the waters... The Parks Department assured me that is not the case," he said.

The first drowning came on June 12, followed by the death of a 19-year-old Bronx boy off Beach 27th Street on July 31. The first four days of August claimed two more victims - a 21-year-old who drowned after going into the water to help his friend and a 56-year-old Brooklyn man who died in Breezy Point despite efforts to revive him.

"The waters will absolutely get worse. From this point forward the conversation is about how we turn this around and stop the senseless deaths in our community," added Sanders.

Health Care Debate Begins Quietly on Local Level

Weiner Visits Senior Centers to Tout his Plan

By Conor Greene

The debate over President Obama’s health care plan is gearing up on the national level, highlighted by town hall meetings across the country. At the same time, the discussion on the local level has been much quieter - with the exception of Rep. Anthony Weiner, who pushed his version of the plan during two recent stops at neighborhood senior centers.

Weiner (D-Forest Hills) dropped by the Austin Street Self-Help Center last Thursday for what marked the first public forum in the city on health care reform. That event, which was not widely publicized ahead of time, and a similar one on Monday in Howard Beach, did not attract emotional protests witnessed at public meetings elsewhere in the country.

At the Howard Beach Senior Center, Weiner pushed his “single-payer system” plan, under which all hospitals, doctors and other health care provides would bill a single entity for their services, eliminating administrative waste that currently exists. During a recent speech on the floor of Congress, Weiner argued that his amendment “would be less expensive… and would ultimately cover more people in a way they understand.”

Before a pre-lunch crowd of nearly 100 local seniors, Weiner argued that with 47 million Americans currently uninsured, the current system is already paying those costs in a less effective way. “We do in the form of high taxes,” he said. “Something has to give.” A plan is needed that will help “contain costs” but still “makes sure people can choose to go to their own doctors,” added Weiner.

In contrast to President Obama’s plan, which Weiner said makes some “very minor changes” to Medicare, the congressman’s single-payer amendment will come to the floor for a vote following the summer recess, according to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. “I think the President is making a mistake… I think we’re missing a big opportunity,” said Weiner, adding that the “insurance industry hates” his single-payer version.

Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) said that “it’s a disgrace” that so many Americans don’t have health coverage. “Some of them are right here in this community” including many young adults who are having trouble finding work, he added. He credited Rep. Weiner for holding public discussions on national health care, despite the prospect of attracting protestors. “It’s wonderful we’re having this dialogue,” said Ulrich.

While a single officer from the 106th Precinct stood guard outside the senior center, there was no sign of any protests. Inside, Weiner faced some tough questions from the audience, including about long-term care, dental, assisted living and how the plan would apply to illegal immigrants. Of course, two of the main questions were about how the plan would be funded, and how long it would take to implement.

“The problem is, right now there are winners, and the winners are the insurance companies,” argued Weiner. He told one resident that we already are paying to cover the uninsured through the form of higher taxes. “But you are paying inefficiently” through emergency room visits and a lack of preventative care. “We’re going to wind up at the end of the day in my view paying less,” said Weiner. “Right now we’re paying for it – it’s not new things we’re paying for.”

One resident asked whether she would see the bill passed during her lifetime. Weiner responded that “two of the most powerful forces in Washington” – inertia and the insurance industry – “don’t want this to happen.”

After the discussion, which ended with the singing of “God Bless America,” Weiner said a large part of the effort is explaining the proposal to residents to clarify some of the myths, including that seniors wouldn’t be eligible to stay on their current plans. “It’s completely unfounded and one of the yarns that is being spun by the opponents of the plan to scare people… Most Americans want to hear the nuts and blots of the plan. I’m trying to sell them because I have a different plan than President Obama that I think is better.”

A spokeswoman for Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-St. Albans) said he is hosting a series of smaller gatherings with constituents throughout this southeast Queens district and will hold a teleconference to make sure all residents can take part in the discussion. A small meeting was held this past Monday at his office, and more will be announced in the near future, said his spokeswoman Candace Sandy.

Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) is not planning any meetings specifically about health care reform, but has been discussing the issue during general sessions with constituents, according to his communications director Angela Barranco. “I think he’s having all sorts of meetings where he will be talking health care,” she said, noting that there are a host of other issues constituents want to discuss, including the economy. “We didn’t specifically exclude it, we just didn’t chose to highlight it only,” added Barranco.

Officials Quickly React to Possible Post Office Closings

Howard Beach, Ridgewood Among Locations Eyed

By Conor Greene

After announcing that 53 post office stations across the city were being considered for closure, including branches in Howard Beach and Ridgewood, the United States Postal Service has reduced that list to 14 locations in the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens.

Faced with a sharp drop-off in business, in part due to e-mail, the USPS initially announced that nearly 700 branches nationwide were being studied for possible closure. Under that plan, 16 Queens post office branches were in jeopardy, including Station B on 159th Avenue in Howard Beach and the Fresh Pond Road branch in Ridgewood.

Other area offices that were being considered under the plan included Astoria, Long Island City, East Elmhurst, College Point, Jackson Heights and Corona. Word of the potential closures quickly spread to local officials who vowed to fight back against the plan.

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills) blasted the USPS for basing its analysis on the number of other post offices within a five-mile radius and for failing to discuss the closure plan with local community leaders. The USPS now says that no final decisions regarding closures will be made before October and the public will be given the chance to weigh in on the plan before then.

“New York is a city of neighborhoods and at the center of each community is a post office,” said Weiner. “The USPS is mailing it in if they think we will stand by while they shut us out of essential services New Yorkers rely on." After the USPS announced the scaled back plan, Weiner added: “The way the USPS has released information in dribs and drabs, it’s no wonder that they have been losing business. If their intention was to raise alarms, what they’ve really done is raise questions about their management.”

The plan to close Station B, which would have forced customers to use the branch at Cross Bay Boulevard and 160th Avenue, was blasted by Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) and Community Board 10 Chairwoman Betty Braton.

“The post office near Coleman Square… is a vital lifeline for our area. Without this post office, residents would have to travel a great distance to access postal services,” the councilman said in a statement. “The lack of adequate transportation in the area, combined with the significant distance to the nearest alternative post office… would place an undue burden on residents.”

Braton recalled a similar fight to keep Station B open nearly a decade ago, and urged local residents to use that branch to justify its continued operation. “Station B serves a need for people in Howard Beach for whom it is difficult to get to Cross Bay Boulevard,” said Braton. “A number of years ago the Postal Service tried to close Station B. At that time the effort was stopped because the community rallied together to ensure that Station B was used [enough] to stay open. It looks like once again we need to make a conscious effort to ensure that all of us are using it.”

In Ridgewood, having two branches is necessary in order to serve the demands of the community, which includes a large immigrant population that uses the UPSP, said Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano. “I think that considering the size of the Ridgewood population, having two post offices is probably necessary, since you’re talking about considerably more than 60,000 people living here,” he said. “To have two branches doesn’t seem like a waste. Myrtle is always packed and I’m told that Fresh Pond Road, for a portion of the day, is very busy.”

Despite a 2-cent increase in the price of stamps and cost saving measures including staff cuts, the USPS is facing a loss of as much as $7 billion this fiscal year. In response to declining revenues, Postmaster General John Potter has asked Congress for approval to reduce deliveries from six days a week to five.

The Postal Service was added to the Government Accountability Office’s list of troubled agencies, which determined, “Every major postal policy, from employee pay to days of delivery, to the closing of postal facilities must be on the table. Without major changes, the day will soon come when the Postal Service will be unable to pay its bills.”

Last year, the number of pieces of mail delivered fell 9.5 billion to 203 billion items. That number is expected to drop by another 28 billion items this year. While the list of branches eyed for possible closure has been reduced, USPS officials said as many as 300 more locations could be added.