By Eric Yun
There was plenty to discuss at the October meeting of the Forest Hills Civic Association. In the past month, neighborhood residents voted in the primaries, and of course, braved the tornados that brought down hundreds of trees and wrecked havoc across central Queens.
Barbara Stuchinski, President of Forest Hills Civic, praised the NYPD and FDNY for their work after the September 16 storm.
Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills) updated the community on the status of receiving federal emergency relief money. Hevesi and other legislators urged the Governor David Paterson to declare an emergency, which he did last Friday. Now, the city and state must wait to see if Federal Emergency Management Assistance agrees with that designation.
Hevesi is hopeful that the city receives public assistance—money that will help restore public properties like downed trees and city sidewalks. There’s a possibility that the federal government could provide individual assistance, but Hevesi cautioned the residents
about being too optimistic about receiving individual assistance.
No matter what happens, Hevesi promised he and other legislators like Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Flushing) and Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) will keep working to bring whatever aid is possible.
Officer Gigi Redzematovic of the 112th Precinct Community Affairs Unit updated the community on crime. Robberies are up, but the majority of those incidents involve children taking iPhones and other electronic devices from their peers. Redzematovic said the police offered etching services to kids to help prevent theft at local schools.
Another popular crime topic was the rise in scammers. “This is the time of the year the scammers come out,” Stuchinski said. With the holidays approaching, people will be looking to steal whatever they can. Stuchinski and Redzematovic urged residents to never give personal information over the phone, and to keep doors and windows firmly closed and locked.
Finally, with the election just weeks away, City Board of Elections representatives gave
residents a final chance to learn the new optical scanning machines. New York switched to the new machines under a federal mandate to have verifiable ballots. The new paper ballot system gives the state an easily verifiable backlog of ballots that can be checked in the case of recounts or fraud.
The biggest concerns with the new voting process from the primaries—small print and lack of privacy—were addressed. All voting centers will have nearsighted and farsighted magnifying glasses to enlarge print and more privacy booths will be provided.
Showing posts with label forest hills civic association. Show all posts
Showing posts with label forest hills civic association. Show all posts
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Bloomberg Visits Forest Hills Civic
 |
| Mayor Bloomberg addresses the large crowd inside Our Lady of Mercy Church as Forest Hills Community and Civic Association President Barbara Stuchinski looks on. |
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and commissioners from a several city agencies joined the Forest Hills Community and Civic Association for a town hall meeting at Our Lady Mercy Roman Catholic Church on Tuesday night.
Mayor Bloomberg opened up the evening speaking about the progress New York City has made. He noted that the local unemployment rate is lower than the national average and city schools are improving. The mayor also stressed the importance of tourism. “Tourism is the second biggest industry next to Wall Street,” he said, adding that it’s important for the city to keep attracting foreign tourists because it is a multi-billion dollar industry.
The mayor also mentioned that crime is down 36 percent citywide since 2001, and gave special mention to the 112th Precinct where crime is down 60 percent over the same period.
After his short speech, Mayor Bloomberg and the commissioners answered questions from residents. There was a heated discussion about immigration and undocumented aliens getting jobs. Bloomberg said immigration is a federal problem, but more needs to be done. “Employers need to know if you’re legal,” he said, but social security and green cards are too easy to counterfeit. Bloomberg also stated immigration is good for small businesses and employment. “I would offer a green card to anyone who opens a small business and employs 10 or more people.”
Another question that elicited some spirited discussion was the proposed mosque near Ground Zero. Bloomberg once again stressed the importance of religious freedom. “The U.S. government should not be involved in who they pray to and where they pray,” Bloomberg said.
Many residents had some concerns about landmarks in Queens. One person eventually stormed out of the meeting because he felt the city was not doing enough to help landmark important Queens’ structures. There was also a strong contingent of residents hoping Mayor Bloomberg could help preserve the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium.
At the end of the night, Mayor Bloomberg thanked Barbara Stuchinski, President of the Forest Hills Community and Civic Association, and presented her with a rosary as a gift.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Two Mayoral Candidates Discuss Visions for City
Bloomberg a No Show at Forest Hills Civic Meeting
By Conor Greene
The two Democratic candidates for mayor, Comptroller Bill Thompson and Councilman Tony Avella, told residents that the city needs a change in leadership in order to protect the interests of average New Yorkers at a civic meeting in Forest Hills Tuesday night.
The two men used the forum at the Forest Hills Community and Civic Association meeting to tell residents about their experience in public service and their plans if elected mayor. The race’s frontrunner, incumbent Michael Bloomberg, declined the civic group’s invitation to attend due to scheduling issues but said he would try to attend a meeting in the fall, according to FHCCA President Barbara Stuchinski.
Councilman Avella Calls for Change
Avella was first to speak, and Stuchinski introduced the Bayside councilman as a “great guy” who for “many, many years has always been involved in the communities” and is” “not looking for personal esteem. He really is a person to be admired.”
Avella, who declined to run for a third term on City Council after term limits were amended last year, said he started out as a “civic activist… helping to address local problems” in northern Queens. He was chief of staff to a number of elected officials before being elected to the City Council in 2002. “Being a community activist means knowing with the community expects, needs, and desires,” he said. “We’ve lost control over our own city government.”
One of the top priorities is stopping overdevelopment and taking neighborhoods back from politically-connected developers, said Avella. “It’s about time we start paying attention to the unique character and charm of every single neighborhood.” Ensuring that the zoning matches the area’s character will help prevent overdevelopment, he argued. Instead of city planning officials and the real estate industry controlling the agenda, Avella wants residents to have a say over their neighborhood. “Nobody knows their block better than the people who live there,” he said.
On education, Avella said that it was clear in 2002 that the Department of Education had to be revamped. However, “Michael Bloomberg made a major mistake” by not reaching out to stakeholders such as parents and teachers. Instead, he hired Chancellor Joel Klein, who is “running it like a business… I’m not saying you throw money at the DOE, but you cannot equate the all mighty dollar with advances in education.”
He noted that while the Bloomberg administration has recently touted gains made in statewide testing, nationwide tests show “absolutely no improvement in the eight years Michael Bloomberg has had control... All we do is teach to the test – we’re not educating kids, we’re just teaching them to adjust.” One of the first things Avella would do if elected is fire Klein, who he called a “disaster.”
Avella hammered home one of his main messages: that the city needs a “philosophical change” in the way residents and government interact. “If we want to have a better city, we all need to be involved… I don’t have all the answers – I want to listen to you,” he said.
He has also taken steps to “restore people’s faith in elected officials,” including voting against the pay raise that the City Council voted to give itself, and rejected the “lulu” politicians receive for chairing committees. In addition, he “fought like hell” against the mayor’s successful push to overturn term limits, and declined to seek reelection to his Council seat. “Whether you like term limits or not, what he did was an absolute disgrace,” he said. “The only way to overcome the terrible blow [to voters] is to vote them out of office.”
He also said that despite the wide disparity between the candidates fundraising, money shouldn’t determine who is elected. “In the end it shouldn’t be about money – it’s about people,” he said. “I’m not selling my soul. My donations are coming from people like you.”
When asked about potential funding cuts to libraries, community boards and the FDNY, Avella said it comes down to priorities. He wants to provide community boards with more power instead of reducing their funding and wants libraries open seven days a week, instead of cutting hours as is being threatened under the proposed budget. To do this, he would eliminate wasteful spending in other areas, including education. “The waste is unbelievable,” he said of city agencies.
“If you don’t want change, elected Mike Bloomberg… elect my Democratic opponent, because you are going to get the same nonsense,” said Avella, who promised “major reforms” if elected.
Comptroller Thompson Makes His Case
Thompson began by providing insight into his background, beginning with his childhood in Bedford-Stuyvesant. His mother was a city school teacher and his father was a former senator and judge. “I grew up in a household that believed in community service,” he said. “It is important to help the community you live in.”
He recalled his own 2001 run for comptroller, which was his first run at elected office. “I wasn’t supposed to win,” he said, as his opponent was chair of the City Council finance committee and greatly outspent Thompson. “In the end, I was able to put together people all across the city who believed in what I did.”
Thompson also made an effort to inform the crowd about the work he has done as city comptroller. He said that it became clear the MTA was operating using “two sets” of books during recent budget negotiations. “That’s the work I did,” he said of exposing that situation. “I knew they were lying… and went in and looked at the books.”
On term limits, Thompson stressed that it was always his intention to run for mayor and says the matter should have been brought back to the people for another referendum. “We know in the end he didn’t,” said Thompson, referring to Bloomberg.
After the City Council voted to allow officials to seek a third four-year term, Thompson continued with his mayoral bid “after looking at the things going on around us” such as the plan to close and consolidate local senior centers. “They pulled that back because of the election,” said Thompson, predicting that Bloomberg will continue with that plan if he is reelected.
He also criticized Bloomberg for charging homeless families rent to stay in city run shelters, which makes it harder for them to save enough to secure permanent housing. He also noted that water rates have risen 13% this year and a staggering 58% in the past four years. “You’re being overcharged,” he said. It’s almost a backdoor property tax.”
Another example of the city’s attempt to “squeeze more and more each year” out of middle class New Yorkers was the proposal to put tolls on the free East and Harlem river bridges. He said that 60% of those affected by this plan are Brooklyn and Queens residents. “Middle class New Yorkers… are going to be pushed out of this city,” he warned.
Despite the disparity between his fundraising efforts – which have netted about $6 million so far, compared with Bloomberg’s seemingly bottomless self-financed campaign war chest – Thompson said he “believes” he has a real shot at victory in November. He referred to a recent poll that showed that only 40% of respondents want Bloomberg to serve a third term.
“They realize that Michael Bloomberg is not there for the people of the city… He is there for a few of his wealthy friends.” He noted that Bloomberg opposed tax increases for the wealthy and says his opponent is spending upwards of $100 million “to try to convince you that he’s a different person than he’s been for the past eight years… After eight years, we know who Michael Bloomberg is. During these tough times, we can’t afford to have him back again as mayor.”
Other issues Thompson touched on included diversifying the city’s economy to reduce the dependant on Wall Street. One way to do that is to fully reinstate the tax credits formerly provided to the film industry. The city and state tax credit directly and indirectly led to 100,000 jobs, however many companies left the city after the credits dried up last year. While some money has been put back into that fund, it is set to expire in 2011.
Thompson said he believes in mayoral control of schools, but with some changes, including giving parents involvement and strengthening the powers of local Community Education Councils. He also wants an independent agency to assess how the city is doing in areas such as drop out and graduation rates and test scores. “They’re playing with the numbers,” he alleged. He called the DOE “the most fiscally irresponsible agency in the world.” Under a contract between the DOE and a vendor that Thompson recently rejected, the city was going to be “overpaying on almost everything by 10%,” he said.
By Conor Greene
The two Democratic candidates for mayor, Comptroller Bill Thompson and Councilman Tony Avella, told residents that the city needs a change in leadership in order to protect the interests of average New Yorkers at a civic meeting in Forest Hills Tuesday night.
The two men used the forum at the Forest Hills Community and Civic Association meeting to tell residents about their experience in public service and their plans if elected mayor. The race’s frontrunner, incumbent Michael Bloomberg, declined the civic group’s invitation to attend due to scheduling issues but said he would try to attend a meeting in the fall, according to FHCCA President Barbara Stuchinski.
Councilman Avella Calls for Change
Avella was first to speak, and Stuchinski introduced the Bayside councilman as a “great guy” who for “many, many years has always been involved in the communities” and is” “not looking for personal esteem. He really is a person to be admired.”
Avella, who declined to run for a third term on City Council after term limits were amended last year, said he started out as a “civic activist… helping to address local problems” in northern Queens. He was chief of staff to a number of elected officials before being elected to the City Council in 2002. “Being a community activist means knowing with the community expects, needs, and desires,” he said. “We’ve lost control over our own city government.”
One of the top priorities is stopping overdevelopment and taking neighborhoods back from politically-connected developers, said Avella. “It’s about time we start paying attention to the unique character and charm of every single neighborhood.” Ensuring that the zoning matches the area’s character will help prevent overdevelopment, he argued. Instead of city planning officials and the real estate industry controlling the agenda, Avella wants residents to have a say over their neighborhood. “Nobody knows their block better than the people who live there,” he said.
On education, Avella said that it was clear in 2002 that the Department of Education had to be revamped. However, “Michael Bloomberg made a major mistake” by not reaching out to stakeholders such as parents and teachers. Instead, he hired Chancellor Joel Klein, who is “running it like a business… I’m not saying you throw money at the DOE, but you cannot equate the all mighty dollar with advances in education.”
He noted that while the Bloomberg administration has recently touted gains made in statewide testing, nationwide tests show “absolutely no improvement in the eight years Michael Bloomberg has had control... All we do is teach to the test – we’re not educating kids, we’re just teaching them to adjust.” One of the first things Avella would do if elected is fire Klein, who he called a “disaster.”
Avella hammered home one of his main messages: that the city needs a “philosophical change” in the way residents and government interact. “If we want to have a better city, we all need to be involved… I don’t have all the answers – I want to listen to you,” he said.
He has also taken steps to “restore people’s faith in elected officials,” including voting against the pay raise that the City Council voted to give itself, and rejected the “lulu” politicians receive for chairing committees. In addition, he “fought like hell” against the mayor’s successful push to overturn term limits, and declined to seek reelection to his Council seat. “Whether you like term limits or not, what he did was an absolute disgrace,” he said. “The only way to overcome the terrible blow [to voters] is to vote them out of office.”
He also said that despite the wide disparity between the candidates fundraising, money shouldn’t determine who is elected. “In the end it shouldn’t be about money – it’s about people,” he said. “I’m not selling my soul. My donations are coming from people like you.”
When asked about potential funding cuts to libraries, community boards and the FDNY, Avella said it comes down to priorities. He wants to provide community boards with more power instead of reducing their funding and wants libraries open seven days a week, instead of cutting hours as is being threatened under the proposed budget. To do this, he would eliminate wasteful spending in other areas, including education. “The waste is unbelievable,” he said of city agencies.
“If you don’t want change, elected Mike Bloomberg… elect my Democratic opponent, because you are going to get the same nonsense,” said Avella, who promised “major reforms” if elected.
Comptroller Thompson Makes His Case
Thompson began by providing insight into his background, beginning with his childhood in Bedford-Stuyvesant. His mother was a city school teacher and his father was a former senator and judge. “I grew up in a household that believed in community service,” he said. “It is important to help the community you live in.”
He recalled his own 2001 run for comptroller, which was his first run at elected office. “I wasn’t supposed to win,” he said, as his opponent was chair of the City Council finance committee and greatly outspent Thompson. “In the end, I was able to put together people all across the city who believed in what I did.”
Thompson also made an effort to inform the crowd about the work he has done as city comptroller. He said that it became clear the MTA was operating using “two sets” of books during recent budget negotiations. “That’s the work I did,” he said of exposing that situation. “I knew they were lying… and went in and looked at the books.”
On term limits, Thompson stressed that it was always his intention to run for mayor and says the matter should have been brought back to the people for another referendum. “We know in the end he didn’t,” said Thompson, referring to Bloomberg.
After the City Council voted to allow officials to seek a third four-year term, Thompson continued with his mayoral bid “after looking at the things going on around us” such as the plan to close and consolidate local senior centers. “They pulled that back because of the election,” said Thompson, predicting that Bloomberg will continue with that plan if he is reelected.
He also criticized Bloomberg for charging homeless families rent to stay in city run shelters, which makes it harder for them to save enough to secure permanent housing. He also noted that water rates have risen 13% this year and a staggering 58% in the past four years. “You’re being overcharged,” he said. It’s almost a backdoor property tax.”
Another example of the city’s attempt to “squeeze more and more each year” out of middle class New Yorkers was the proposal to put tolls on the free East and Harlem river bridges. He said that 60% of those affected by this plan are Brooklyn and Queens residents. “Middle class New Yorkers… are going to be pushed out of this city,” he warned.
Despite the disparity between his fundraising efforts – which have netted about $6 million so far, compared with Bloomberg’s seemingly bottomless self-financed campaign war chest – Thompson said he “believes” he has a real shot at victory in November. He referred to a recent poll that showed that only 40% of respondents want Bloomberg to serve a third term.
“They realize that Michael Bloomberg is not there for the people of the city… He is there for a few of his wealthy friends.” He noted that Bloomberg opposed tax increases for the wealthy and says his opponent is spending upwards of $100 million “to try to convince you that he’s a different person than he’s been for the past eight years… After eight years, we know who Michael Bloomberg is. During these tough times, we can’t afford to have him back again as mayor.”
Other issues Thompson touched on included diversifying the city’s economy to reduce the dependant on Wall Street. One way to do that is to fully reinstate the tax credits formerly provided to the film industry. The city and state tax credit directly and indirectly led to 100,000 jobs, however many companies left the city after the credits dried up last year. While some money has been put back into that fund, it is set to expire in 2011.
Thompson said he believes in mayoral control of schools, but with some changes, including giving parents involvement and strengthening the powers of local Community Education Councils. He also wants an independent agency to assess how the city is doing in areas such as drop out and graduation rates and test scores. “They’re playing with the numbers,” he alleged. He called the DOE “the most fiscally irresponsible agency in the world.” Under a contract between the DOE and a vendor that Thompson recently rejected, the city was going to be “overpaying on almost everything by 10%,” he said.
Candidates Don't Get Their Say at Forest Hills Civic
Two of the candidates vying to represent Forest Hills, Rego Park and Kew Gardens on the City Council were given a chance to speak at Tuesday night’s Forest Hills Community and Civic Association meeting, but two others in attendance weren’t happy they didn’t get the same chance to address voters.
After mayoral candidates Tony Avella and Bill Thompson addressed the crowd at length, FHCCA President Barbara Stuchinski offered City Council candidate Mel Gagarin several minutes to discuss his campaign. The 27-year-old grew up in the neighborhood and told the residents that “it’s time for a new generation of leadership” in the city.
After Gagarin spoke, Stuchinski invited candidate Karen Koslowitz, who is director of Queens community board, to speak about the role the boards play in city government. She spoke for several minutes about ways the boards, which she called the “city halls of your community” help residents. She said that the proposed cut of $35,000 of the board’s $200,000 annual operating budget would “decimate the boards.”
However, Koslowitz then touched on other issues including senior citizen services and the elimination of child care programs. She also touted accomplishments she achieved while serving on the City Council from 1992 to 2001, including safety improvements along Queens Boulevard and the efforts to shut down a strip club on Austin Street. “I’m running for City Council because I like to make a difference in people’s lives,” she said.
At one point, Stuchinski recognized that candidates Heidi Harrison Chain and Michael Cohen were also in the audience. However, after Koslowitz spoke, a resident brought up issues concerning construction of the Metropolitan Avenue school. After that issue was discussed, Stuchinski adjourned the meeting.
Shortly after, Chain said she thinks it is “a little bizarre” that the two candidates were not asked to speak. Cohen said he thought he was attending a community meeting and wasn’t aware that two of the candidates would speak. He said that he is willing to give Stuchinski the benefit of the doubt that she didn’t realize Koslowitz was going to give a full-fledged “political speech.”
However, once Koslowitz addressed the crowd in that fashion, Cohen said Stuchinski should have made sure all candidates in attendance were invited to speak. “Once it happened, there should have been some type of fairness [and] equal time,” said Cohen, adding that he is “disappointed” in how the situation played out.
On Wednesday, Stuchinski was less than apologetic for not providing Cohen and Chain a few minutes to speak. She said that Gagarin had not been invited to the civic’s recent candidates forum, so she thought it was only fair to give him a chance to introduce himself to voters. She said she thought Koslowitz was only going to speak about the community boards and not about her City Council Campaign.
“You know, when you are losing, you should learn to be gracious. Those two are being so belligerent and nasty” she said of Cohen and Chain. “I called on Karen not realizing she was going to go into campaign mode, so what was I suppose to do, hit her in the knee caps to get her off the stage?”
Stuchinski argued that the candidates “definitely had ample opportunity at the first panel to discuss” various issues. “These two seem to have this chip on their shoulder, and that’s not the way to win votes. Act like an adult, learn to be gracious and learn to roll with the punches.”
After mayoral candidates Tony Avella and Bill Thompson addressed the crowd at length, FHCCA President Barbara Stuchinski offered City Council candidate Mel Gagarin several minutes to discuss his campaign. The 27-year-old grew up in the neighborhood and told the residents that “it’s time for a new generation of leadership” in the city.
After Gagarin spoke, Stuchinski invited candidate Karen Koslowitz, who is director of Queens community board, to speak about the role the boards play in city government. She spoke for several minutes about ways the boards, which she called the “city halls of your community” help residents. She said that the proposed cut of $35,000 of the board’s $200,000 annual operating budget would “decimate the boards.”
However, Koslowitz then touched on other issues including senior citizen services and the elimination of child care programs. She also touted accomplishments she achieved while serving on the City Council from 1992 to 2001, including safety improvements along Queens Boulevard and the efforts to shut down a strip club on Austin Street. “I’m running for City Council because I like to make a difference in people’s lives,” she said.
At one point, Stuchinski recognized that candidates Heidi Harrison Chain and Michael Cohen were also in the audience. However, after Koslowitz spoke, a resident brought up issues concerning construction of the Metropolitan Avenue school. After that issue was discussed, Stuchinski adjourned the meeting.
Shortly after, Chain said she thinks it is “a little bizarre” that the two candidates were not asked to speak. Cohen said he thought he was attending a community meeting and wasn’t aware that two of the candidates would speak. He said that he is willing to give Stuchinski the benefit of the doubt that she didn’t realize Koslowitz was going to give a full-fledged “political speech.”
However, once Koslowitz addressed the crowd in that fashion, Cohen said Stuchinski should have made sure all candidates in attendance were invited to speak. “Once it happened, there should have been some type of fairness [and] equal time,” said Cohen, adding that he is “disappointed” in how the situation played out.
On Wednesday, Stuchinski was less than apologetic for not providing Cohen and Chain a few minutes to speak. She said that Gagarin had not been invited to the civic’s recent candidates forum, so she thought it was only fair to give him a chance to introduce himself to voters. She said she thought Koslowitz was only going to speak about the community boards and not about her City Council Campaign.
“You know, when you are losing, you should learn to be gracious. Those two are being so belligerent and nasty” she said of Cohen and Chain. “I called on Karen not realizing she was going to go into campaign mode, so what was I suppose to do, hit her in the knee caps to get her off the stage?”
Stuchinski argued that the candidates “definitely had ample opportunity at the first panel to discuss” various issues. “These two seem to have this chip on their shoulder, and that’s not the way to win votes. Act like an adult, learn to be gracious and learn to roll with the punches.”
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Addabbo, Maltese Address Voters in Forest Hills
By Conor Greene
Candidates in two local state senate races discussed issues including the economy and education with residents at Tuesday’s meeting of the Forest Hills Community and Civic Association.
Attending the event at the American Legion hall on Metropolitan Avenue were Senator Serf Maltese (R-Glendale)and his challenger in the 15th district, Councilman Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach). Also on hand were the candidates in the 16th district, Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Flushing) and challenger Peter Koo (R-Flushing).
The format for the event included questions posed by civic members that were answered by all four candidates in a rotating order. The questions mostly centered on the state of the economy, and education – particularly funding of city schools. Due to this newspaper’s readership area, only the comments by Addabbo and Maltese are reflected in this article.
Mayoral Control of Schools
The first question came from Kathryn Thome, a mother of two children and a member of the District 28 Community Education Council. She asked about the candidate’s views on mayoral control of schools, including whether it has helped schools within Forest Hills.
Maltese said that the decision several years ago to require this legislation to come back before the senate next year “was one of the best things we ever did” in Albany.
“The parents are unhappy, the teachers are unhappy, and the administrators are unhappy,” he said. “The problem is, some recommendations were made [regarding mayoral control] by people who were not familiar with the New York City school system.”
He added that while testing can place “an undue burden on the kids,” it is also “part of our lives” and “something we have to deal with.” He added that the system must allow for greater input from parents. “The parents have to have substantial input and the fact is, right now they don’t,” he said.
Addabbo said he visits the schools within his city council district on a regular basis, and would continue to do the same if elected to the senate. Each school receives a capital funding allocation every other year, he added.
“It is so important for the schools to get to know me and me to know them and their unique needs,” he said. “Education is that important… We need to keep families here so that kids can go to school close to their parents.”
He said that overall, the decision to bring control of city schools under the auspices of the Department of Education was a “major decision” that provides more “transparency and accountability” to the system. However, he argued, it is lacking “continuity” as the plan keeps on changing.
“If mayoral control is going to be done right, it needs continuity.” The major issue, said Addabbo, is lack of input from parents and teachers. “We need input…[and] to hear from the administrators, the parents,” he said.
State Funding for City School
The next question came from JR Nocerino, who asked what can be done about the imbalance in the amount sent to Albany in taxes and the amount received back for school funding.
Maltese boasted his record on school funding, which he said includes helping restore $646 million in the 2007 state budget for education after it was cut by former Governor Eliot Spitzer. Faced with the same situation this year, Maltese helped restore $616 million for schools.
“The fact is, over the last ten years, we have increased funding for city schools by ninety percent,” said Maltese. The city currently receives $8,530 per student, which is more than Nassau County. “We need to see that reflected in better schools,” he said. “I know they need smaller class sizes. If you don’t have a good school, you are going to move out.”
Addabbo recalled the days on city council following 9/11 when the city was facing a huge deficit. Even so, “our rally cry was education first,” he said, adding that the “primary reason” he decided to challenge Maltese was due to the funding formula, which he called “unconsciously unfair.”
He noted that it was a court ordered de-cision that led to changes in the way the state funds city schools. As a result of that decision, there is $300 million to be spent in city schools. “I can’t wait to get my hands on that $300 million, or at least part of it,” he said, adding that the formula has left schools in “jeopardy for too long.”
Maintaining Vital Services
Barbara Stuchinski, president of the FHCCA, asked the candidates how they would maintain programs that serve seniors, families and the unemployed during the current economic crisis.
Addabbo said that his experience on city council working on the 2002 budget has provided him the background needed to work through these tough times. “We cut government – that’s the first step,” he said. Once you get to the point when you are cutting essential services, you begin to look at the revenue side.
While the council was forced to raise property taxes, it has since reduced the city property tax rate. “There’s a lot of waste out there,” he said, citing $5 billion a year in
Medicaid fraud along with insurance fraud as two areas that need attention. He also said that the state should stop providing funding to large corporations, since as much as 75% have said they don’t need the money. “If they don’t need it, let’s save it,” he said.
Maltese expressed concern with “what is going on in senior centers,” including the plan to deliver frozen meals to homebound residents once a week instead of a daily hot meal. He said that the Ridgewood Multi-service Center just had $60,000 cut from its budget without warning, but due to his seniority on the senate, he was able to restore that funding.
He was also able to restore $75,000 out of $130,000 cut from the Forest Park Senior Center. In addition, he is able to fund 230 groups each year because of his position on the senate.“This isn’t just those centers,” said Maltese. “It is because I have been there as a full-time senator.”
Economy is Main Issue
The final prepared question of the evening came from Heidi Chain, president of the 112th Precinct Community Council.
She asked the candidates what they think is the biggest issue facing the community, and what they can do to help. Not surprisingly, all four agreed that the economy is the most important issue right now.
“It affects us as property owners, tenants, seniors and our children,” said Addabbo. “We have to be very careful in the path we go right now.” He cited foreclosures as one specific consequence of the situation and called for the senate to pass a bill placing a moratorium on foreclosure proceedings. He said that foreclosures “generally affect the entire community,” leading to a decrease in property values and a rise in crime.
Addabbo added that in these times, agencies such as the MTA should not be raising bus and train fares. “You don’t balance you budget on the backs of your riders,” he said, adding that he has launched a campaign to prevent the MTA from again raising fares without first looking at ways to reduce spending.
“We’re already hit at home. We don’t need to be hit again at the train station,” he said. “I’m not confident right now that our state government has a plan for the budget.”
Maltese said his main issue is the economy “and the creation of jobs” in the community. He touted legislation he helped pass that provided tax credits and breaks, small business loans and technology grants.
He called layoffs “a failure of government” and said that legislators need to work across party lines to get the economy back on track. He also called for more taxing of cigarette and gasoline sales by Native Americans as a way to increase the revenue stream.
Closing Remarks
The candidates were given a chance to discuss specifically what they would do to help the Forest Hills area during their closing statements.
Addabbo noted that he had a law practice on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills for ten years before he was elected to office. As a result, he is aware of traffic issues in the area, and vowed to not turn his back on local issues if elected to the senate.
“Even if I’m a state senator, I can’t avoid the city issues,” he said. “I see all the small businesses, and I want to protect them. Forest Hills has a wonderful shopping district… Traffic, small businesses, local schools – that’s why people stay in the community.”
He said he would continue to run his 24-hour hotline, which allows residents to get in touch with a live operator to report any emergencies. “Problems don’t happen on Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” he said. “That’s how you serve the community... I do think we have a problem in the state senate.”
Maltese said he maintains offices in Glendale and Howard Beach to better serve his constituents, and has staff available on weekends by appointment.
He has been working recently with Councilman Anthony Como (R-Middle Village) on Department of Transportation issues, and has recently hosted several town hall meetings. He noted that he has been endorsed by the National Small Business Federation.
“A problem that may be small on the state level is big when it’s a quality of life issue,” he said. “The fact is I know what it’s like to be in the senate and deliver for my constituents.”
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