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.”

St. John's Priest Accused of Sending Sex Video to "Teen"

Caught in Colorado Sheriff’s Office Online Sting

By Conor Greene

A St. John’s University chaplain has been arrested on charges that he sent a homemade masturbation video over the Internet to an undercover officer in Colorado who was posing as a 13-year-old boy.

Rev. Charles Plock, 63, was arrested last Friday at his apartment in Murray Hall on the St. John’s campus after allegedly sending his webcam video to an undercover detective with the Adams County, Colorado Sheriff’s Office who was posing as a 13-year-old boy.

Plock was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court that evening and is scheduled to make his next appearance on November 10. He faces up to four years in prison on the top charge of attempted dissemination of indecent material to a minor, a felony.

Judge Robert Raciti agreed last week to release Plock on $150,000 bail under the condition that he reports to St. John Vianney Center, a residential psychiatric facility in Downingtown, Pa. The 10% cash needed to secure Plock’s release from custody was reportedly collected by fellow priests at St. John’s, and the school announced this week that it has suspended Plock.

About a dozen people waited outside Queens Criminal Court for Plock and greeted him with shouts of “Shame on you” and “pedophile” as he walked by, according to the Daily News. Citing police sources, the paper reported there is no indication that Plock has abused any St. John’s students.

The criminal complaint against Plock accuses him of attempting to disseminate indecent material to a child beginning on September 2 of this year. Plock unwittingly was drawn into the Adams County Sheriff’s Office sting operation when he initiated a conversation with an undercover officer.

Using a Yahoo screen name, Plock told the “teenager” that he was a 47-year-old catholic priest who taught and counseled college students at a New York City university. When the officer responded that he was 13 years old, Plock allegedly asked if he was gay and provided him with his phone number.

The next day, the officer was using the same undercover persona when Plock again contacted him and invited him to view his webcam. The officer observed “a white male from the chest down exposing his genitals.” The officer responded, “I am 13 and have never gotten to see that.” During this time, Plock’s webcam was turned on and clearly displayed his face to the officer, according to the criminal complaint.

The incident was referred to the NYPD, which subpoenaed Yahoo records for the screen name allegedly used by Plock which show that the IP addresses used to access the account are assigned to St. John’s University’s computer network. The addresses where eventually traced to Hollis Hall, which is where Plock’s office is, and Murray Hall, where he lives. Investigators believe that Plock made the videos in his on campus bathroom.

Students reacted in shock to the charges on The Flashlight, an online publication providing news about St. Johns. “I knew Fr. Charlie from back when I was a student a St. Johns,” wrote user Kathleen. “It is shocking news that is hard to grapple with. He has done so much good in his life for disadvantaged, very poor people. Clearly he needs help. There are many good priests out there and I pray for anyone affected.”

Other students told the Daily News that Plock was known as a cool priest who was willing to sit and talk and share his Marlboro Light cigarettes. “Father Charlie? No Way! He was a pretty all right guy,” freshman Kevin Winters told the paper.

Instead of awaiting his next court appearance in a jail cell, Plock has been ordered to check into St. John Vianney Center. Its Website describes it as a “community of faith that provides a pathway for religious and clergy to take towards healing and hope” by extending “professional treatment and support services as well as education programs which are spiritually based, holistic and sensitive to individual needs.”

The center, which is sponsored by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, is located in a quiet suburban area near several country clubs. It has been treating members of the clergy since 1946.

One Family Fights Back Against Juvenile Diabetes

By Patricia Adams

“As parents we’re always looking to protect our children, but there is no preparing for the day you see your child on the verge of collapse and find out he has this life threatening illness.”

The last thing Linda Gurino ever expected to have to face was a health crisis with one of her children. But when it happened, Gurino says her family’s world and life as they knew it was turned upside down.

There were really no signs or symptoms that would ever have prepared the Gurino family for what they were about to encounter. Anthony and Linda Gurino’s oldest son, 10-year-old Vincent, seemed to be perfectly healthy. But on a family vacation to Shelter Island, the tables turned and they were dragged into what seemed like an inescapable nightmare.

It began when the family was getting off the ferry. Vincent became extremely agitated, repeatedly screaming to his mother that he was thirsty. “His reaction was alarming,” Linda Gurino said, “totally unlike my son’s normal behavior.” The boy spotted a supermarket and went running inside. His mother ran after him and upon entering found him pouring a jug of apple juice down his throat.

According to the Gurinos, Vincent had displayed an unusual thirst for the three weeks before this incident, however he had a bout with the summertime Coxsackie virus, which is known to cause extreme thirst on occasion, and his family physician attributed his thirst to that.

Luckily however, Vincent’s parents decided not to take any chances and rushed their son to a hospital in Greenport near Jamesport on the North Fork of Long Island. It was there that doctors leveled the Gurino family with the news that Vincent’s blood sugar was at a level of 1,000, well above the normal range of between 70 and 120. Doctors at the hospital remained baffled as to how the boy had not lapsed into a coma.

It was there at Greenport that Vincent was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, otherwise known as Juvenile Diabetes. From Greenport they transferred Vincent to Schneider’s Children’s Hospital where the family stayed for three nights. Linda Gurino says that despite the panic that had swept over her family in the past twenty-four hours, she began to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

That light came in the form of her brother-in-law, Angelo Gurino and two family friends he brought with him. “Joe and Maritza Mure are my life savers,” said Linda Gurino.

And it’s no wonder that the Gurino’s would be extremely thankful for their help. Joe Mure is the President of the Brooklyn-Queens Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and his wife Maritza is one of the leading champions of the cause to cure the disease that they are painfully familiar with. The Mure’s 9-year-old son, Michael also has the disease. The Mures stayed for hours teaching the family how to give shots and counseling them on different situations that would arise and how to deal with them.

After a three day stay at Schneider’s, Vincent was ready to go home, with a new regimen that included a high carb diet that was basically undoable for him. “My son had to eat just under 200 grams of carbohydrates a day to feed his insulin,” said Linda Gurino. “He just couldn’t handle it and was vomiting and getting really sick from the food.”

It was then that Maritza Mure took Linda by the hand with Vincent and brought them to the Naomi Berrie Center for Diabetes at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. There, Linda Gurino says, a new world was opened up for Vincent and her whole family. At the Berrie Center there is an entirely different regimen which allows Vincent to take shots whenever he eats, and allows him to eat almost anything he wants to. The center is a pioneer of new technology in the field and is fast gaining world-wide recognition for their developments.

Now that a few months have passed, the Gurino family is starting to settle in to their new routine which includes a new diet for their household. “Before, I never allowed my kids to eat too much meat, especially beef. And drinking diet soda was out of the question,” but now Gurino says they are staples in the family diet, especially in Vincent’s. “The most important thing we can do for our son is to make our house normal under difficult circumstances,” Anthony Gurino explained. “We are all on a low carb diet now that Vincent has to eat that way.”

But looking for a silver lining can sometimes be difficult especially when it comes to scheduling. Linda Gurino gets up every night at 1 am and again at 4 am to check Vincent’s levels. “If they’re high, he needs to get a correction (insulin shot) and if his sugar is low, he needs to get juice and raisins to bring his sugar back up.” The difficult part of that routine is that pumping anyone full of sugar makes it hard to get back to sleep and before you realize it, the 4 am check-up is upon you.”

Despite a curve ball of this proportion being thrown at them, Vincent Gurino and his family have pushed on. They are getting used to the new words in their vocabulary--- blood test strips, glucose meters for home and school, the glucogon gun, sugar tablets, syringes and lancets. And because of a program at the Berrie Center, Vincent will be getting an insulin pump now that will cut down his every day shots to once every three days.

“We still have to log in everything Vincent does in terms of his shots, his food and carbohydrate consumption and his blood sugar readings,” Linda says. “And of course there’s the school participation that is so vital.” She describes what has happened over the course of the last months as an emotional roller coaster unlike any other. “I am basically ashamed about my ignorance of this disease before it hit my family. We all need to be aware of how devastating this is and how much we need help when it hits home.”

That is one thing that Linda says she will be ever grateful for. “I can’t express how I feel about the people that have supported us through this. You kind of expect it from your family, but you never expect it from the people who don’t know you at all.” They are the ones she says that have helped carry herself and her husband and kids through this ordeal.

The Gurino family is so thankful to all of those who helped them they are now actively raising funds for JDRF. Vincent’s uncle, Angelo Gurino launched a drive to sell paper sneakers at his Ragtime Gourmet Deli in Howard Beach to raise money for the race to cure Juvenile Diabetes.

And since his nephew was diagnosed Gurino has introduced many more sugar free, low carb products to the store. The Gurino Family Trust will present JDRF with a check for $5,000 at the upcoming JDRF Walk for a Cure on October 26 at Flushing Corona Park. In fact the Ragtime walkers for the day already number close to 100.

“When it first happens, the level of anxiety is overwhelming. You never think you’ll get over it,” said Linda Gurino. “But when you realize, after calming down and getting your head that the help you need is there. Whether it comes from medical professionals, total strangers, family or friends, you can learn, you can get through it and thank God, you can save your child.”

Off-Duty Officer Nabs Maspeth Bank Robber

By Conor Greene

A man who attempted to rob a local bank was arrested by an off-duty police officer following a struggled that left the cop injured.

Robert Jabonowski, 36, with no known address walked into the HSBC bank at 65-63 Grand Avenue at about 11:30 a.m. Thursday and pulled out a silver gun before passing a note to a teller demanding money, according to police.

Officer Patrick Plunkett, a member of the NYPD stationed to a Manhattan housing project was inside the bank at the time of the attempted robbery. He identified himself as a police officer and approached Jabonowski from behind. As Plunkett grabbed him, the suspect began to fight back, punching the officer several times in the face.

The 104th Precinct initially received a call of a dispute in the bank and arrived to find the officer and suspect wrestling inside the bank. Officer Juan Gomez arrested Jabonowski, who was charged with first-degree robbery, possession of weapon and stolen property and assaulting a police officer.

Officer Plunkett was slightly injured in the fracas, during which one of his teeth was knocked out, said police.

Austin Street Rezoning on Board Agenda

City Planning Presentation on Wednesday

By Conor Greene

Residents are urged to attend the upcoming meeting of Community Board 6 to learn more about the proposed rezoning of Austin Street and Queens Boulevard.

The Department of City Planning is scheduled to present its plan for a new Forest Hills District to the board at its meeting next Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Kew Gardens Community Center.

Under the plan buildings on the south side of Austin Street would be limited to three stories, or about 40 feet. On the north side, which is closer to Queens Boulevard, building height would be limited to six stories, or about 70 feet.

The changes are aimed at protecting the western end of Austin Street, near Yellowstone Boulevard, from out of character development. The plan - devised over the past two years by the city and local officials - would also limit buildings along Queens Boulevard to 150 feet in height.

The rezoning area is generally bounded by Queens Boulevard to the north, the Long Island Railroad tracks to the south, Ascan Avenue to the east and Yellowstone Boulevard to the west.

The current zoning has been in place since 1961. According to the Department of City Planning, the area was dominated by auto-related uses at the time that have since been replaced with successful retail businesses and restaurants.

“This has transformed the area from a secondary shopping area to a vibrant commercial hub serving both local residents of Forest Hills and neighboring communities, which much of the activity concentrated along 71st Avenue and Austin Street,” the DCP wrote on a project description available online.

In a statement released by the DCP, its commissioner, Amanda Burden, said that Councilwoman Melinda Katz has worked with her agency on “this fine-grained rezoning proposal” over the past few years.

“The proposed zoning will provide much needed controls on new building form and scale to protect and strengthen the Austin Street retail corridor and more appropriately frame and reinforce development patterns on Queens Boulevard," said Burden in a statement.

Overall, the rezoning seeks to “provide predictable streetwalls and heights that reinforce established contexts, provide a transition in scale and density from south (Austin Street) to north (Queens Boulevard) [and] promote a ground floor commercial/retail development along Austin Street and Queens Boulevard.”

Serf Serves up the Bacon, but Howard Beach Goes Hungry

Louis Brandeis, a wise Supreme Court Justice, wrote “Sunlight is the best of disinfectants." Over the past few weeks, we’ve shed some of those rays on some information regarding the mail and excessive spending of our tax monies by Senator Maltese on the rentals and staffing of his district offices. This week we’ll spread a little more sunshine your way so that the light will shine down on yet more of his spending habits.

It’s clear that pork-barrel spending has been on his mind, judging by the mail he sent out trying to smear Joe Addabbo with Christine Quinn’s council slush fund shenanigans. Curiously Serf, no group Joe funded was among any we read about in the daily papers earlier this year.

And just so our big spender, affectionately dubbed Serfplus, thinks we have nothing positive to say about him, we don’t think he’s spent any of his pork on groups not worthy of funding, either. But, and it’s a big BUT –he has NOT distributed his pork grants equitably among groups in the many neighborhoods he represents. Nor has he been fair with distribution in distribution with the actual neighborhoods in his district. The senator clearly has favorites and we think you should know whether or not your community or group is on the “Hit Parade”. The See Through NY website, as does Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s Project Sunlight website, shed some light on the subject of where that money goes and for what purpose.

A glaring example of inequity was evident in Howard Beach last week. Maltese was on hand last week at St. Helen’s school to award $20,000 for a worthy project. Kudos to Serf. But before those of you who were on hand singing the senator’s praises get too excited, perhaps you should look at the bigger picture. Because once you’re armed with all the information surrounding the smiling photo-op at St. Helen’s you’ll be saying, “It’s about time,” instead of “Thank you so much.”

According to data on See Through and Sunlight, Maltese doled out $2,002,000in member items – AKA pork - to groups in and out of his district for State fiscal year 2007-08. In that year only $23,000 went to Howard Beach groups. In State fiscal year 2008-09, he’s doled out $2,440,500 in pork, and again less than $30,000 to groups in Howard Beach. If you’re up to a little perspective on this issue, how about this---total spending in Howard Beach for the last two years—less than 2% of Serfplus’ available funds.

We can’t help but wonder if he looked across the street while he was at St. Helen’s. If he did, he might have noticed the senior center located there on the other side of “God’s Alley.” It’s been right there in his district for years serving seniors. In 2007-08 part of that $2 million was allocated by him to senior groups. Senator Serfplus doled out $481,000 to senior programs in that year. Grand total to senior programs in zip code 11414 shown in the data for that year? Zip, zero, zilch.

How about fiscal year 2008-09? Well, out of that $2.4 million it seems he allocated $547,500 to 22 senior programs. Ten of the programs received amounts ranging between $20,000 and $100,000. Eleven groups received amounts between $5,000 and $18,000. One group, the one located across the street from St. Helen’s, which serves Howard Beach with its growing aging population, got $3,000. That’s $3,000 out of $1,030,500 over two years. Something’s wrong in the equity department. That’s about 0.3% out of two years worth of Serf-plus’s tax money allocated for senior programs. It seems that the biggest contribution Serfplus makes to Howard Beach is his rent payment.

As they say, follow the money. The Senator is a big spender. That shows clearly in his campaign spending. In case you were wondering, his most recent required filing of campaign expenditures shows those TV commercials we were treated to cost at least $483,260, but thankfully those aren’t our tax dollars, they’re the dollars of his supporters. Also of note in that filing was $370,000 in contributions from the NYS Republican Senate Campaign Committee. Guess that’s what paid for the nasty mail we got.

And speaking of nasty, that’s just about the best way to describe some phone calls The Forum received last week from readers who were irate over the Celebrity Look-Alike column which featured Gov. Sarah Palin. I guess you guys like Sarah more than Serf because I haven’t been getting any complaints about bashing the senator. In fact, news on that front has been very supportive.

But getting back to the look-alikes, we can understand why some would find the material offensive but we must insist that it was in no way meant to insult any of our readers or their political views. Maybe those of you who were so upset last week can take a look at the roasting of Democratic VP hopeful Sen. Joe Biden this week. Try to remember it’s only a column designed to aim for a little political or general satire, but never meant to offend.

We’re truly sorry about any upset we caused our loyal readers but remain very grateful that they continue to call and express themselves about their likes and dislikes in The Forum.

Please stay tuned as we come down the home election stretch because we’ve been storing up plenty of little bombs to drop on the local as well as the national scene. And if you’re waiting to see who we think should take their seats at the head of the class in November, your wait is almost over. Next week we’ll pick those we see and some of whom we hope will be known as our future elected officials.

Until next week...

This Week's Forum South and West

Bloomberg Pushing Term Limits Amendment

Hearings Scheduled for Oct. 16 and 17, Vote Expected on Oct. 23

By Conor Greene

A one-page bill introduced by Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday calls for permanently allowing elected officials to serve three consecutive four-year terms instead of two. The bill is being pushed through quickly and will likely be the subject of public hearings before the end of the month.

At the same time, Councilman David Weprin (R-Hollis) introduced a bill that would require that any change to term limits be done by a referendum, since residents voted twice to establish term limits. The bill is also sponsored by Councilmembers Bill de Blasio, Eric Gioia (D-Sunnyside) and John Liu (D-Flushing).

In addition, Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside) sponsored a resolution that would force the state legislature “to give the authority to provide in its Charter than any change in its term limits must be submitted to voter referendum.”

“If this Council votes to amend the Term Limits Law without seeking a public referendum, it will go down in history as one of the most blatantly self-serving and autocratic acts of any legislative body in this city’s history,” said Avella, who is running for mayor next year.

Council Speaker Christine Quinn has refused to comment publicly on the bill, telling reporters at City Hall on Tuesday that, “I do not have an announcement to make for you today regarding term limits.” After announcing his intentions to amend the term limits law last week, Bloomberg was in Europe this week meeting with foreign leaders.

The attempt by Bloomberg to overturn the current term limits comes as 13 of 14 City Councilmembers from Queens will be forced out of office due to term limits in 2009. Many have already announced their intentions to run for higher office, including Melinda Katz (D-Forest Hills), who plans to run for comptroller. William Thompson, who currently holds that seat, has indicated that he still plans to move ahead with his mayoral bid, even if term limits are amended.

Katz has not said whether she will abandon her comptroller run and again seek her City Council seat if term limits are extended. However, due to the stricter campaign finance limits for City Council candidates, she would have to return about $400,000 that she has raised for her comptroller bid if she does so.

While Katz has not publicly endorsed a candidate to replace her on the City Council, her spokeswoman told the Daily News that she is friends with “both” candidates, referring to former Assemblyman Michael Cohen and Queens Deputy Borough President Karen Koslowitz, who represented the 29th District on City Council from 1991 to 2001.

Other candidates for that seat include Heidi Chain Harrison, Lynn Schulman, Bob DeLay and Mel Gagarin.

Other term-limited Councilmembers include Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), who is gunning for the state Senate seat currently held by Serf Maltese (R-Glendale), Eric Gioia, who is planning a bid for public advocate, Peter Vallone (D-Astoria), who is eyeing the borough president’s seat and James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows), who is challenging Frank Padavan (R-Queens).

At a civic meeting on Tuesday, Addabbo said that he fundamentally doesn’t agree with the concept of term limits, but said that “what has been created by the people should be changed by the people.” He added that for the City Council to make that decision would be “self-serving and wrong” and is something he won’t support.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg, who doesn’t have a job lined up after his mayoral term ends next year, is working hard to push his bill through the City Council. Public hearings have reportedly already been scheduled for October 16 and 17, and a vote is expected on October 23.

Possibly complicating matters, Assemblyman Hakeem S. Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) was expected to hold a press conference on Wednesday afternoon announcing his plans to introduce a bill that would prevent Bloomberg from extending term limits without first holding a public referendum.

Candidates Speak at Our Neighbors Civic Meeting in Ozone Park

Addabbo, Maltese, Pheffer,Sullivan and Weiner Attended

By Conor Greene

Residents heard from several local candidates at Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park on Tuesday night, including the candidates for state Senate and Assembly.

The town hall style meeting at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church included Senator Serf Maltese (R-Glendale) and his challenger, Councilman Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), along with Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer (D-Rockaway) and challenger Gerald Sullivan (R-Breezy Point). Congressman Anthony Weiner (D-Queens), who is unchallenged in his reelection bid, also spoke at the event.

The format provided each candidate with about seven minutes to address the crowd, followed by a question and answer session with the audience.

Congressman Anthony Weiner

First up was Rep. Weiner, who is running unopposed for reelection this year, but plans on running for mayor in 2009. His focus was on the current state of the economy and the Iraq war. He said it is a time for residents to “come together and think not only about our own needs, but about the greater needs of the community.”

Weiner is calling for a “disengagement from Iraq” so that the nation has the resources to deal with pressing matters back home. “We’ve reached the point where our troops have shown that when given an assignment, they can do just about anything,” he said, noting the successful overthrow of the Saddam Hussein regime.

However, the country has reached the point of a “low-grade civil war,” leaving our future intentions there “unclear.” As a result, there are other interests that “we are less able to deal with because we are there.” He argued that the war has contributed to our current economic woes.

“We need an organized, staged, smart partial withdrawal of our troops,” he said. We should leave enough to maintain security, especially along the Iranian border which would “essentially seal the school yard.” He noted that the Iraq government currently has a $90 million surplus, and argued that 18-year-old Iraqi men “are not standing up for their country because we are.”

Weiner placed blame for the currently financial crisis across the board, including with both lenders who issued shaky mortgage deals, and the consumers who took them on. “Someone should have said no,” he said. “Banks were pushing products that were much too risky.”

He said he doesn’t support a freeze on mortgage foreclosures, and added that some of the blame must lie with the consumers who took the loans on. “I don’t like the idea that personal responsibility has been taken off the table here,” he said.

Weiner predicted that “we are going to be digging out for quite some time,” adding that in hindsight, it is fortunate that the government didn’t privatize social security several years ago, given the recent losses in the stock market.

Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer

Pheffer has served on the state Assembly for 21 years total, and has represented the Ozone Park area since the district lines were redrawn several years ago. She recalled, “The concern was, how was Audrey Pheffer gong to serve us,” since she wasn’t from the neighborhood.Years later, “You didn’t even realize I didn’t live in this neighborhood,” she said, because of the numerous community events she attends.

During her time on the Assembly, Pheffer has served on committees for aging, higher education, government employees, veterans and consumer affairs, which she chairs. She noted that she has seniority within the majority party in the Assembly, which gives her extra pull during budget negotiations.

As chairwoman of the consumer affairs committee, Pheffer said she has been instrumental in enacting important legislation, including bills that made identity theft a crime when the problem first arose years ago, the Do Not Call registry and providing residents with free credit reports. “If I went to each person, there would be something in my committee that has affected your life,” she told the audience.

Other areas of progress during her Assembly career include improving funding for schools, both on the capital and operational sides, ensuring that hospitals and nursing homes don’t close, and making sure that “doctors make the medical decisions, not the insurance companies.”

“I believe we are safer because of the strong laws enacted in Albany,” she said. “It has been a wonderful, wonderful run, and there are many more things that have to be done. It’s going to be a very difficult year.” She vowed to “make those necessary budget cuts” in hopes of not affecting resident’s quality of life.

Republican Challenger Gerald Sullivan

Gerald Sullivan of Breezy Point declared that not only is the nation in a financial crisis, “we are also in a crisis in New York State.”

He noted that Governor David Paterson called the Assembly back into session to cut 5%from the budget. “They weren’t even able to cut one percent,” he said. “We are going to have to cut back ourselves – all we’re asking is for government to do the same.” He said the final assembly cut amounted to just .3%.

Admitting that his mindset might upset some voters, Sullivan declared that “nothing should be safe when it comes to tax cuts over the next few months.” He argued that the toll to Rockaway is an unfair tax on people traveling within the borough. “They should have enacted legislation to eliminate that toll years ago, but they didn’t,” he said.

He said the “most important thing” is to support the middle class, “the people who get up everyday and go to work.” He also called for more choice as to what school parents send their children to and said a larger tax break should be given to families sending their children to private schools.

When asked how he expects to push through legislation as a minority member of the Assembly, Sullivan pointed out that Pheffer voted with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver 98.6% of the time. “When you talk about majority, you’re talking about one man,’ he said. “There would be a voice for the people who disagree with Sheldon Silver. Right now there isn’t.”

Sullivan touted his experience running two small businesses as the background needed to deal with the current economic situation. He said the key was “using sound economics to run a business.”

State Senator Serf Maltese

Maltese, who has served on the state Senate for nearly 20 years, used the majority of his allotted time to discuss his personal background.

He said he comes from a “working family” which instilled in him “the value of hard work.” He told the crowd that he was educated in the area before serving two years in the Army, a year of which he fought in Korea.

He also discussed a series of jobs he held before his election to the Senate, including time in the District Attorney’s office, and his role in forming the Conservative Party of New York State in 1962. “We felt the conservatives didn’t have a choice and a vote,” he said.

Since his election in 1989, Maltese has taken on law cases on a pro bono basis, but has not accepted “a nickel” for any law work.

He called education “certainly one of my main priorities,” adding that he tries to visit all 47 schools within the district every two years. He said he is proud of$460,000 member item he secured to provide at least one Smart Board to each school. “I feel that the organizations closest to the people should have input where your tax dollars go.”

Recognizing that the 15th Senate district is overwhelmingly Democratic, Maltese said that the best candidate should be elected. “I encourage [Democrats] to speak up and express their concerns to me,” he said.

Councilman Joseph Addabbo

The evening’s final speaker was Councilman Addabbo, who started out by expressing his love for Ozone Park. He told the audience that his father had moved five times within a one-mile radius, staying within the neighborhood. “If it is good enough for my father, it’s good enough for me,” he said.

A centerpiece of Addabbo’s campaign has been ensuring that families can stay in the neighborhood, which depends greatly on maintaining the quality of the schools and keeping property values strong. “I want families to stay here. I want extended families to stay here,” he said. To do that, you have to “pay attention to local issues,” he argued. “It’s the local issues [including graffiti and street maintenance] that keep people here.”

Addabbo said that his experience working on one of the toughest budgets in the city’s history following 9/11 has given him the knowledge to tackle the current financial mess. “We have to make some serious, tough decisions,” he said. “We had to cut good programs because we couldn’t afford them.”

Six years later, the City Council has been able to reduce the tax rate, he noted. “That is the experience I think we need right now in Albany.” He also blasted the state Senate for increasing spending when they “had no money to pay for it… More than ever, now you need fiscal responsibility in Albany,” he told the audience.He said his plan includes going after insurance and Medicaid fraud, the latter of which costs the state $5 billion a year.

Addabbo said he is in favor of a freeze on foreclosures, given the impact they have had on the Ozone Park area. By doing so, homeowners would have one year to work out a payment plan with their lenders “so a person doesn’t wake up in jeopardy of losing their home.”

He argued that surrounding property owners are affected by foreclosures in their neighborhood. “Your area property values go down and crime goes up,” he said. That could lead to a “flight problem out of Ozone Park, and we don’t want that.”

In one of the few jabs Addabbo took at Maltese, he vowed to be present in the district as much as possible. “The days of only being present during an election year are over,” he declared.

He later ducked a question about his position on same sex marriage, telling a resident that he doesn’t have a “definitive stance” on it without being able to study any proposed legislation.

When asked about recent reports revealing how much various Senators, including Maltese, have spent on office and staffing costs, Addabbo said he would have two offices within the district, but vowed to employ an appropriate amount of staff. “It starts with me too – I have to watch my spending," he said.

Addabbo Calls for State to Support Small Businesses

Takes Issue with Tax Breaks to Large Corporations

By Conor Greene

With the economy clearly the main issue for voters, Councilman Joseph Addabbo is making funding for small businesses a major issue in his race for the State Senate.

The main target of Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) is a state program providing hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks to companies, including major corporations, which he says needs to be reformed. The tax breaks, provided under a program called ICIP, don’t come with requirements that the company create quality jobs that pay decent wages and provide benefits.

Addabbo, who is challenging longtime Senator Serf Maltese (R-Glendale), held press conferences recently in Ridgewood and Maspeth to focus on issues he has with the program. To highlight the program’s inequities, he recently joined business owner Howard Mishler of Ay-Host Paper Company outside a Hess gas station which receives$13,761 in ICIP subsidies.

“My business is suffering because of outsourcing and a bad economy, but a big international corporation like Hess gets close to $14,000 to stay in the neighborhood,” said Mishler. “I have been here for thirty-eight years, employ local people and give back to my community. Gas is nearly $5 at the pump and the oil companies are busy lining their pockets at my expense. Our tax dollars and representatives should be working for us, and they’re not.”

Addabbo noted that a recent report by the Center for Urban Future found that while the 15th senate district is home to almost half of the Queens businesses receiving ICIP money, the area still includes three of the lowest performing zip codes for economic growth: Ridgewood, Middle Village and Woodhaven.

In contrast, neighborhoods in south Queens, including areas Addabbo represents as a councilman, have seen employment increases of 80%.

According to the Center for an Urban Future report, Middle Village has seen an 8% decline in employment, while Ridgewood has been hit twice as hard, with a 16% decline in employment. While some areas in the northern portion of the district have seen strong economic growth, such as 15% in Maspeth, it still pales in comparison to the southern portion of the council district represented by Addabbo, which includes Ozone Park (80%), South Richmond Hill (49%) and Howard Beach (20%).

“I’m proud that my council district has seen record growth, but I’m concerned about our neighbors to the north,” said Addabbo. “It’s appalling that the state continues to offer incentives to corporate entities while family owned businesses close their doors. We need to end corporate tax breaks for companies which outsource jobs and detract from our tax base. In these tough financial times we cannot afford to lose millions of dollars in revenue.”

While the state legislature approved a bill reforming the ICIP program in June at the urging of Mayor Michael Bloomberg, it failed to address the underlying problems of ICIP by continuing to permit corporations to receive subsidies, the Addabbo campaign argues. The candidate cited a report by the Manhattan Borough President that found that 75% of companies receiving ICIP funding would have proceeded with their projects regardless of the subsidization.

Addabbo continued with the economic theme last Friday at a press conference outside the Comfort Inn on Maurice Avenue in Maspeth. Joined by members of several union groups, he bashed the program for providing funding to numerous hotels that employ nonunion workers. The Comfort Inn receives $237,644 in ICIP tax breaks according to Addabbo, who noted that 92% of Queens hotels enrolled in the program are non-union.

“Currently, there is no oversight of the ICIP program to ensure job creation, nor des the legislation require that companies pay employees a living wage or provide benefits,” said Addabbo. “We need to both grow the economy and lower the cost of living by providing good jobs that offer health benefits, fair pay and pensions. Albany is essentially bankrolling these projects, many of which are of questionable value, on the backs of working families.”

Addabbo argued that the hotel industry exemplifies many of the problems with the ICIP program, including its lack of discretion and lack of job quality requirements. “Because ICIP is an as-of-right program, with no discretion for local elected officials, there is now no opportunity to decide if a given project is worth subsidizing,” the Addabbo campaign noted.

Maspeth resident Laura Tapia, who is a RWDSU organizer, said that Addabbo is needed in Albany to support workers with living wages. “When elected officials like Serf Maltese vote against raising the minimum wage [in 2004], he hurts all workers,” she said. “And when elected officials like Serf Maltese don’t mandate that businesses receiving subsidies from programs like ICIP pay living wages and benefits, it hurts all workers.”

The ICIP program cost the city $512 million in taxes it otherwise would have collected in 2008 alone, according to the Addabbo campaign. That is more than double the $190 million that the program provided in tax breaks in 2002.

The Maltese campaign did not respond to a message seeking comment on the Senator’s views on ICIP and small business.

Kew Gardens Man Killed in Afghanistan

Leaves Behind Wife, Three Children

By Conor Greene

A Kew Gardens man serving in Afghanistan with the New York Army National Guard was killed when his vehicle rolled over last week.

Specialist Jason von Zerneck died on October 2 in Qara Bagh Karze while taking part in a logistical convoy, according to the Department of Defense.The 33-year-old leaves behind a wife and three children and is also survived by his parents.

Von Zerneck was assigned to B Troop, 2nd Squadron 101st Cavalry based in Jamestown. The unit was responsible for training the Afghan National Army in eastern Afghanistan.

“All members of the of the New York National Guard will morn the loss of this solider who died defending his country and seeking to help the people of Afghanistan,” said Major General Joseph Taluto. Von Zerneck was promoted to Specialist posthumously.

His father told NY1 news that his son died doing what he felt was the right thing. “He came to love his brothers, his comrades, the fighting 69th,” said Richard von Zerneck. “He spoke with such glowing terms of them. The e-mails we got from him in Afghanistan, he sounded happy. He sounded that he felt he was doing the right thing.”

His mother, Barbara, told the Daily News that she fell to the floor when she saw Army officers come to her door on Monday. “I knew what it was,” she said. “He loved his family… He was hopeful that he would be coming home in January.”

The die-hard Yankees and Rangers fan was a graduate of Bronx Science High School and served with the New York National Guard since 2006. He was a compliance officer with Bank of America. Before his unit shipped out in January,Von Zerneck told the New York Times that the hardest part of the deployment was leaving behind his family.

“My wife is going to be a single mother for a whole year,” he said, adding that many New Yorkers don’t realize how many city residents are serving overseas. “Some of the soldiers in this unit come from the poorest neighborhoods. These are the people who are putting their lives on the line for the city and the country and sometimes that is forgotten.”

The family has requested a private funeral.

“We mourn this loss with his family and we will do everything possible to help them through this tragedy,” said Major General Taluto. “We are united, though, in our admiration for Specialist von Zerneck’s dedication to his mission, to his brothers and sisters in arms, and to the people of New York and the United States of America.”

Von Zerneck is the seventh member of the New York Army National Guard to die in Afghanistan since the 27th Brigade Combat Team deployed there in April. He is also the third member of the 1st Battalion 69th Infantry to die in Afghanistan. There are currently 1,500 members of the New York Army National Guard serving in Afghanistan and about 500 in Iraq.

Sergeant Andrew Seabrooks of South Ozone Park was killed on June 21 when his Humvee was struck by an improvised explosive device near Kandahar. First Lt. Daniel Farkas, a police officer assigned to the 112th Precinct in Forest Hills, died on July 4 at Camp Phoenix in a non-hostile incident that is still under investigation.

This Week's Forum West and South

Juniper Civic Pushes for Rezoning

Candidates Speak at Monthly Meeting

By Conor Greene

The need to move forward with an effort to downzone parts of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale, along with the upcoming City Council and State Senate elections highlighted this month’s meeting of the Juniper Park Civic Association.

Civic President Robert Holden began the meeting last Thursday in Our Lady of Hope in Middle Village by urging residents to choose carefully during the upcoming elections in November. Citing the Elmhurst gas tanks property as an example, he argued that residents should elect officials who will be proactive in working with the community.

“We had two to three months left before that was going to be a Home Depot,” he said of the Grand Avenue property, which the city is converting into a park. “In three months, we were able to stop the Home Depot and convince Keyspan to give it to the city for one dollar, and now we’re going to have a park,” said Holden. “We expect our elected officials to stand with us and be proactive.

Holden reminded the audience that the civic began the effort of having the area downzoned in October 2005, when 75 members went door-to-door surveying the existing types of development. “We were promised that by 2006 it was going to become law,” said Holden. “It’s now going to be October 2008, and we’re still waiting. Where are our elected officials?”

He questioned whether Councilman Anthony Como, who was not in attendance, has met with Department of City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden regarding the stalled down-zoning.

“The only thing we are waiting for is Amanda Burden to get in her city car and come over here and give [the rezoning] her blessing. Instead, we can’t get her out here, and the [construction] fences are going up, destroying the character of the neighborhood… I want to see a photo of Como with Amanda Burden, not of him giving out another award,” said Holden.

According to Como’s office, the councilman has met with officials from the mayor’s office regarding the down-zoning. During a recent meeting with reporters, he expressed confidence it would move forward.

The Department of City Planning said on Tuesday it is continuing to “gather information from the community on development trends to complete our analysis and refine our preliminary draft rezoning recommendations.

According to spokeswoman Jennifer Torres, the department “is committed to completing the draft recommendations and will be meeting with elected officials in the coming weeks.” She noted that “the study process for this area did not formally begin until September 2006.”

Councilman Joe Addabbo: Senate Candidate

Councilman Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), who is challenging Senator Serf Maltese (R-Glendale) for his position on the State Senate, discussed issues including overdevelopment and property taxes with the crowd.


Addabbo said he personally attempted to contact Burden about the stalled down-zoning, even though he doesn’t currently represent the area. He said he has received numerous questions about this from residents as he has campaigned in the area, and contacted DCP in hopes of gaining some answers.

“I hear a lot about overdevelopment,” he said. “It’s often that there’s no answers flowing back to the community, and that’s no good.” Despite his attempts to reach out to City Planning, “we have no information… at this point” regarding the status of the down-zoning, said Addabbo. “We need to make it known that we have very concerned residents here.”

A resident then asked Addabbo about the threat that the city’s property tax rate will increase by seven percent next year, and suggested that the city instead eliminate the $400 rebate and keep the property tax flat.

“Before we even talk of tax increases on any level – either the city or the state – we need to cut government first,” said Addabbo. “We haven’t done it… We can’t raise property taxes at this point in my opinion.” He added that certain cuts can be made to the city and state budgets that won’t affect the quality of services residents receive. “We can make cuts that won’t affect your lives, but at the same time we can’t be freezing senior’s meals to save a few pennies,” said Addabbo.

Council Candidate Elizabeth Crowley

Elizabeth Crowley, a Democrat from Glendale who is challenging Councilman Anthony Como (R-Middle Village) this fall, was invited to address the crowd. She vowed to “fight against any tax increase” and touted overdevelopment as one of the area’s biggest issues.

“I’ve seen the changes – I grew up here,” said Crowley, who holds a Master’s degree in city planning. “We don’t have the infrastructure in place. I know how important it is to put in place this downzoning.” She accused Burden of “avoiding this area” and said the neighborhood “is in danger.”

“I guarantee you that as the City Council representative from the area, I will get the commissioner to come out here and get the downzoning passed,” promised Crowley. She also vowed to continue to fight against the Cross Harbor Tunnel proposal, which would have brought 16,000 trucks a day into Maspeth.

Crowley urged residents to support her in the upcoming election, noting that she lost out to Como by less than a half a percentage point, with less than ten percent of registered voters going to the polls. “It really gives no indication as to what’s going to happen in November,” she said of the special election, which was held in June to replace former Councilman Dennis Gallagher.

Tony Nunziato for State Assembly

Maspeth resident Tony Nunziato, who is a JPCA member, discussed his candidacy to replace Democrat Marge Markey of Maspeth on the State Assembly.

“I want to put my name on the most dysfunctional government in the country,” he told the audience. “I want to make it better.”

Nunziato, who owns a florist business on Grand Avenue, touted previous accomplishments as a community activist including fighting for the Elmhurst gas tanks park, opposing the Cross Harbor Tunnel proposal, working for the preservation of St. Saviour’s church and helping to secure additional funding for the Phelps Dodge property cleanup near the Newtown Creek.

“It was all for the good of the neighborhood,” said Nunziato.

Holden said later that the civic associationhas not yet formerly endorsed any candidates in the November election. He said that Crowley and Addabbo were invited to speak since they attended the meeting. “Once again, Maltese and Como elected not to [attend the meeting], which more than demonstrates their lack of support for the JPCA and our membership,” he said.

Other Items Discussed

Other items discussed at the civic meeting included trains carrying garbage that cause a horrible stench, reduced parking because of the Q45 bus extension to Atlas Park mall and the civic’s victory over an illegal development project in Maspeth.

Holden informed the residents that the civic is collecting signatures for a petition in regard to trains carrying garbage sitting for hours in the middle of the neighborhood. The problem came to a head over the summer when a train sat idling in Middle Village for several hours. The car carrying stinking garbage was uncovered, causing the odor to linger in the air until the train left the area.

He also said the civic has received complaints from several business owners regarding parking near the intersection of 80th Street and Eliot Avenue. According to Holden, a line of metered parking spaces along 80th Street was removed after the MTA decided to reroute the Q45 bus to Atlas Park shopping center in Glendale.

Civic member Manny Caruana reported that the city has forced notorious developer Tommy Huang to remove portions of a house illegally built on Mazeau Street, including the fourth floor. New plans submitted to the city now call for a reduced project featuring a two-family house, instead of a four-family unit originally proposed.

In addition, the contractor building a second house at the site promised to limit work hours to between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays, with no weekend work. “This is a major victory” that came as a result of the pressure applied on the developer and city by the civic members.

Aqueduct VLT Decision Coming Soon

By Samantha Geary

The question of who will operate the 4,500 Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) at Aqueduct Race Track in Ozone Park is coming closer to being answered. Leaders in Albany are meeting in Manhattan on Friday morning and it is understood that the VLT decision will be on the agenda.

Local elected and community leaders are anxious that the State choose the best option for the community and not just make a short term decision to take more money up-front at the expense of the local community for the next 30-40 years.

The three bidders are Capital Play, a combination of experienced racing operators and the Connecticut based Mohegan Sun, SL Green, a Manhattan-based REIT and Delaware North, a Buffalo-based company which operates the concessions at ball-parks around the country.

Of the three bidders, Capital Play has been the most active in the community. Several months ago they even joined the Queens Chamber of Commerce and are active members.

They have presented a comprehensive plan for a “world-class entertainment destination venue” which will be an economic generator for Southwest Queens and a creator of several thousand jobs. They have committed to creating those jobs for local residents and to being an active partner in the community.

Capital Play’s proposal is for a phased construction which would include a world-class casino branded with the Mohegan Sun name, name-brand restaurants, a first-class food court, shopping and entertainment venues and a hotel with convention space. Mohegan Sun has presented very strong testimonial support from local business and governments in both Connecticut and at Pocono Downs in Pennsylvania as well as a proven record of good treatment of its employees.

SL Green has presented a plan for the Hard Rock Casino at Aqueduct. While it is rumored that they copied the Capital Play plan, according to some in the local community, their plan is not nearly as well thought out as that of Capital Play.

Delaware North has presented a plan for a much more down market VLT facility which is rumored to be dependent on the local community playing the slots. In comparison, Capital Play (and SL Green to a lesser extent) plans to attract people passing through nearby JFK Airport and from the greater New York and Long Island communities by creating a world class destination and entertainment venue at Aqueduct.

In what has been interpreted as a cynical move, Delaware North has offered more money as an up-front license fee to the State but as a result will spend substantially less in Queens in developing its plan for the VLT’s.

Local community and elected officials are said to be very unhappy with the Delaware North plan which is by far the least acceptable of the three bidders. It is also expected that the Delaware North “slots in a box” plan will create more gambling and addiction problems in the local community.

Community Rallies to Halt Parties at MV Cafe

Prior Event Led to Problems in the Neighborhood

By Conor Greene

A Metropolitan Avenue restaurant has agreed to stop hosting parties run by outside promoters after receiving complaints from residents, elected officials, the police precinct and community board.

Metronome Café, which opened earlier this year at 79-28 Metropolitan Avenue, drew the ire of nearby residents after hosting a late night party several weeks ago which attracted scores of patrons, including some teenagers. Numerous partygoers spilled onto the streets at 4 a.m. on September 20, disrupting the peace of many neighbors.

Residents began filing complaints with the 104th Precinct, Councilman Anthony Como, Community Board 5 and local civic organizations including the Juniper Park Civic Association and Middle Village Property Owners Association.

At that point, it was revealed that the restaurant was slated to be rented out last Friday night to a promoter for an event called “Modelz & Bottlez,” which was being advertised online and through fliers featuring a woman in a bikini top pouring champagne on her chest. The flier states that while everybody must have identification, “exceptions will be made [for underage individuals] but u will have to pay extra.”

Women are urged to “not bother” attending if they “plan on wearing jeans [and] sneakers.” Instead, the promoter clarifies, “I want to see lingire (sic) models swimsuit models runway models.”

The restaurant, which was previously a billiard hall, does not have a liquor license, according to CB 5, which has informed the State Liquor Authority of the situation. A separate establishment called Uvarara is listed as the same address and has a wine and beer license, but that is not applicable to events at Metronome.

After learning of last Friday’s party, Councilman Como (R-Middle Village) contacted restaurant owner Rick Chen, who agreed to cancel the event. However, Como’s staff was still able to purchase tickets for the event later that day. At that point, the councilman alerted the 104th Precinct, FDNY and the Buildings Department.

“Nobody is saying you can’t have a bar or restaurant on the avenue – we’re not against that because small business is something we need to promote, but what we want is the type of businesses that work with the community,” said Como. “Not one who is promoting a teen night and asking the young ladies to dress up in schoolgirl outfits.”

The 104th Precinct was also alerted to the event by Robert Holden, president of the JPCA. Officers from the precinct’s Community Affairs unit met with both Chen and the party promoter and warned them that there would be consequences if they moved forward with the event. According to a notice posted online, the event was moved to the Office Lounge in Richmond Hill after the precinct intervened.

Holden said it is important to prevent businesses that will detract from the quality of life from opening in the area. “We don’t want these kind of parties because certainly no good can come from it,” he said. “If one gets a foothold in the neighborhood, others will come in and bring drunkenness, noise, drugs and violence to the area.”

On Tuesday, Ethan Chen, whose brother Rick owns Metronome, stressed that the establishment wouldn’t host any of these types of parties in the future. He said the events were booked through an outside sales person, and the first few were smaller birthday parties. He said the trouble started during the September 19 event, which lead to the residents’ complaints.

“The first couple were okay, but then a lot of trouble started,” said Chen. “After that, we stopped the party, and are never going to do their parties again… It’s a nice neighborhood, so we don’t want to deal with people like that and want the public to know that we are issuing an apology.”

Rick Chen agreed to meet with officers from Patrol Borough Queens North at an upcoming meeting regarding bar and nightclub safety, according to the precinct.

Como added that he is willing to work with the Metronome owners to help their business grow, but not at the detriment of the neighborhood. “It’s a beautiful block, and we’re not going to help him destroy the neighborhood,” he said.

Holden credited the precinct with addressing the issue before it grew into a larger problem, and noted that this occurred near the former Red Zone bar, which was the scene of a shooting several years ago. “I commend the 104 for taking a proactive approach to head this off,” he said. “They know about the problems in that vicinity

Crime Issues Include Street Robberies and Problems in Juniper Park

COP 104 Updates Resident at Juniper Civic Meeting

By Conor Greene

This month’s meeting of the Community Organizations of the 104th Precinct provided residents with an update on local crime trends, including a rash of street robberies and problems with rowdy groups of teenagers in Juniper Valley Park.

The meeting took place last Thursday in Our Lady of Hope Church in Middle Village as part of the Juniper Park Civic Association’s meeting.

Street Robberies and Problems in the Park

Community Affairs Officer Tommy Bell reported that there has been a rash of larceny, including several “student on student” crimes involving cell phones such as the popular Sidekick model. “They are walking around not paying attention to their surroundings and people are running up and grabbing them,” said Bell.

He said the precinct has made “a lot of arrests” in these incidents, but “is still battling” the trend. He urged parents to remind their teenagers to be aware while walking around using cell phones and other electronics.

As with the rest of the city, the precinct has seen a number of incidents of identity theft. Officer Bell reminded residents to shred all financial documents and other items that include personal information. He also stressed the importance of not giving out credit card or social security numbers online or over the phone.

The precinct has responded to complaints in the area around Juniper Valley Park and has “issued numerous summonses,” said Officer Bell. On one recent day, seven summonses were issued within a few hours, he added. “We hear you. If it continues, let us know,” he told the residents. “Best believe, we are out there.”

No Answer at the Precinct

Resident Patrick Trinchese followed up on a complaint he made at previous meetings: the lack of officers available to answer the phone at the precinct stationhouse. He said that there are often times he tries to call for non-emergency reasons that need a more immediate response than dialing 311 generates.

In response to his complaint, an officer provided him a precinct phone number at a town hall meeting a month ago. “Within three days, the number was disconnected,” Trinchese informed Officer Bell. The main number for the precinct “just rings off the hook,” he added.

Officer Bell explained that there is a person assigned to the switchboard around the clock. “You may call and think nobody is answering the phone, but they may be on the phone with someone else,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are some people you can’t get off the phone.”

Trinchese later cited several specific examples of calls to the precinct going unanswered, including an instance where a vehicle with an expired inspection
was parked in a no standing zone on 77th Street for several days.

“After multiple calls to the precinct with the phone ringing 20 to 25 times, there was no answer,” he said. After three days, the vehicle was ticketed for the expired inspection and was moved the following day.

“Occurrences like this slowly degrade the neighborhood by allowing people to exploit our facilities,” said Trinchese. “The response from the 104th Precinct to Middle Village residents’ quality of life is drastically dropping and needs to be addressed.”

Another resident related a story of successfully calling the precinct three weeks ago to report a theft in progress. He saw somebody stealing the rims off a car parked near his house, and his call to the precinct led to the apprehension of the suspects in Brooklyn, he said.

“That’s what we need – the eyes and the ears of the community to help catch these people,” said Officer Bell.He noted that there are undercover detectives assigned to these types of crimes.

Officer Bell stressed to residents that they should always call 911 to report emergencies and crimes in progress.

Concerns Over Homeless Camp

Officer Bell said the precinct would look into a resident’s complaint of a homeless camp that has been established near the Long Island Expressway off Borden Avenue in Maspeth.

A “large, large group” has set up mattresses and are urinating and defecating in a grassy area that can’t be seen from the service road, the resident said.

The resident reported the situation to the city after four of the homeless men, who were drunk, tried to fight a man working outside her home, she said. “I don’t know if it’s really safe,” she told Officer Bell, adding that her 311 report was cited as having action taken, despite the fact that the problem persists.

The officer told her that the precinct had previously received reports of homeless people gathering in a nearby park. “We moved them out previously, but it sounds like they are trying to set up shop again,” he said. Officers would be sent over to the area to check the situation out, he said.

Graffiti and Abandoned Cars

As is usually the case, a resident complained about the amount of graffiti in the area. Officer Bell called it a “constant problem” in the 104th Precinct, which often leads the city in vandalism-related arrests. “Unfortunately, we often lead the city in complaints as well,” he said, adding that the precinct has an officer assigned specifically to coordinating graffiti prevention and cleanup efforts. “It is something we are constantly battling,” said Officer Bell.

Civic executive board member Christina Wilkinson asked about having abandoned cars removed from in front of private houses. She said that a car has been parked in front of her mother’s house for months without being moved. She reported it to 311, and ten minutes later the complaint was logged as having been addressed. “It’s still sitting there,” she said.

Officer Bell said the precinct gets numerous calls reporting abandoned cars and must send an officer over to investigate. He said that cars can only be parked in the same place on the street for up to seven days. After that, the officer has the option of issuing a ticket or having the vehicle towed. “It doesn’t mean the car is automatically going to be towed,” he said. “That’s optional.”

Tony Nunziato said that Department of Transportation Queens Commissioner Maura McCarthy recently said at a meeting that after seven days, residents can notify the local precinct of an abandoned car. It then takes another seven days for the precinct to determine that the vehicle has actually been left for that long. It can then be towed.

According to Nunziato, McCarthy said that if a “moral majority” exists among residents, she would consider bringing back two day parking limits. However, residents noted that would lead to problems when residents go on vacation and in other cases.

Elmhurst Gas Tanks Park Taking Shape

SITE WAS ORIGINALLY SLATED FOR BIG BOX STORE

By Conor Greene

The city is slowly shaping the former gas tanks property in Elmhurst into a six-acre park, providing residents with green space on a site that was originally eyed for a Home Depot.

Phase one of the project is scheduled to be completed this fall and includes new fill, landscaping and plantings. According to the city Parks Department, the footprint for the park has been established and landscaping, including 365 trees and shrubs, is complete.

The second phase is slated to continue next fall and will include a comfort station, maintenance house and a fenced-in playground featuring two separate play areas for younger and older children. A walking path around the park’s perimeter will also be installed during phase two, which will go out for bid in the spring.

The final product will be a “passive” park situated between Grand Avenue and the Long Island Expressway. It will not include any areas for soccer or baseball, but the Parks Department plans to install a small artificial turf field. The park will also include water sprinklers so that children can cool off in warm weather and a Vietnam War memorial. The rear of the property will include crabapple trees, reminiscent of the orchards that used to exist in the area.

The city aims to plant another 100 trees and shrubs on the site, and although the plantings won’t block the view of the expressway, they will help reduce the noise. Former property owner KeySpan cleared the property of contaminated soil, leaving it relatively flat, so the city created hills on both ends of the property to give it a little character.

The property was formerly used by KeySpan to house large gas storage tanks there. When new technology rendered the storage tanks obsolete, the property sat idle and the tanks were dismantled in 1996. In 2002, the company unveiled plans to market the property, which would have paved the way for construction of either a big box store like Home Depot or a large shopping mall.

At that point, the Juniper Park Civic Association organized a strong opposition to the development plans. With the help of local elected officials including former Councilman Dennis Gallagher, the group convinced KeySpan to sell the land to the city for one dollar. In 2005, the land was formally transferred to the city, paving the way for the nearly $10 million park project.

Robert Holden, president of the JPCA, said this week that “seeing this space become a park is the most satisfying aspect” of his role as a civic leader. “It’s tremendously satisfying to see the fruits of a hard-fought struggle to save this space for the community,” he said. “I’m proud of the way that the [JPCA] put all of its talents, resources and energy into the fight when everyone was saying it was impossible to win.”

However, there is one aspect of the project that Holden and the civic does not agree with: the decision by Parks to install synthetic turf on the property. “There are too many health questions still unanswered concerning artificial turf,” he said. “The synthetic surface is contrary to the ‘green movement’ and should not be considered for this park.”

Politics Unusual: Bailout Proposal Leaves Egg on Faces; More Negative Campaigning, Will Bloomberg Eat His Words?

Anyone who says politics is boring certainly has a few words to take back after this week. In fact, so much has gone on this past week that suffice it to say, it would have been one of my last wishes to have been a fly on the walls of more political offices than I could shake a stick at.

Many say “all politics is local” but this week, I’m compelled to start at the top. About this time last week, the guy who’s supposedly running the show here in the good ole’ US of A, (and pretty badly if you’re following any of the opinion polls on his job performance), finally figured out that our economy is just a horrible mess. I’m quite sure the flies on his walls would have preferred landing on cow manure for the day than to have been privy to some of George W’s “wise” words of the day…Can’t you just hear it now: “Where’s that kid who stuck his finger in the dike?”, “How many zeroes in a trillion?”, and “Gee, those guys on Wall Street are my buds, can’t we fix this?”

What did they come up with? Well, in a nutshell, Mr. Leader of the right-wing and his Treasury guy trotted out of the West Wing and ran a very, very left-wing proposal over to Congress. The flies over there worked overtime to catch the buzz of what was being said. Not much of it was pretty and even the ultralibs told the Texan “whoa, boy, this needs some changes, if you want us to support it.”

The boys and girls in Congress spent the weekend keeping the flies on high alert. Deal or no deal? How many from each party have to stand up and face the wrath of the home town crowd by voting “yes”? How many get to slide by voting “no”. “We have a deal.” “Oops, not.”

Perhaps Sen. McCain should have paid more attention to the “buzz of the flies” and found out that the vote did not go through before putting his campaign on hold and announcing that he took care of things. By the way, that announcement was made on national television. We don’t really know what was in McCain’s head when he supplied this fodder for the political talking heads around the country. Maybe he still believes the “fundamentals of our economy are sound.” Or frighteningly, maybe he was briefed by Sarah Palin. But really, if she got it wrong it’s not her fault. She’s much too concerned with other things of more importance. After all she’s out every morning checking on Russia. By the way the flies in the room with she and Katie Couric had to be revived from almost laughing themselves to death. We put in a call to Katie to ask what she thought of the interview but she told us she’d have to get back to us and asked for our e-mail address.

All kidding aside, it might do John McCain well if he were to drop Palin and try to get Tina Fey to fill in for her. It would definitely help his Nielson ratings never mind his falling poll numbers.

And now finally back to the political scene we love the most…the real local beat. There are some poll numbers going around here that certainly have the flies in our area with their wings at attention. Locals in the 15th State Senate District where Joe and Serf are vying for victory got some polling calls towards the end of last week. They were of the “push” poll variety.

So, what is a push poll? Fundamentally, what is labeled as a push poll is just disguised as a poll but really isn’t a poll at all. It is the early political celebration of Halloween, where telemarketers masquerade as pollsters. In a typical push poll, an interviewer, costumed as a verbal executioner, feeds damaging innuendo to the unsuspecting voter at the other end of the line, and in many cases, false and damaging “information” about a candidate under the guise of taking a poll. They want to see how this 'information' affects voter preferences. In fact, the intent is to shape opinion by pushing the voters away from one candidate and toward the opposing candidate. Purpose? Influencing voters. There is no intent to conduct research.

Why, you may be asking, is this important? The flies on Senator Upside Down’s campaign office walls got an earful. Seems like last Wednesday, the Sienna Poll – a reputable really information gathering polling outfit – released some numbers showing the race between Joe and Serf to be neck and neck—not particularly good news for a twenty year incumbent. Aha! Time to do a “push” poll. To those who got the calls last week, don’t expect to see the results published like Siena’s. You see by law, pollsters must disclose the questions when they release poll data.

There were even more flies buzzing around and those lucky enough to land on the walls of Mayor Mike Mega-bucks got quite an earful. He and the other mega-bucks guy, Ron Lauder, who funded the campaigns to get voters to support term limits – twice – apparently did a deal. Mayor Mega-bucks, be reminded of your own words, "My experience in business has been, whenever we've had somebody who was irreplaceable, their successor invariably did a better job, and I think change is good.” Well we agree with you Mike, change is good.

Speaking of the Mayor’s words, maybe the flies should drop by and remind him of some of his other utterances. As far as his support for Serf, whose main campaign focus is trashing Addabbo for the tax increase back in 2002, we think Mike must have forgotten what he said when asked if it was fair to criticize Council members, like Joe, who voted for the 2002 increase. According to the flies, Mikey said, “For doing what? Paying our firefighters and police officers and improving our schools? I don’t understand what you think they did wrong.” Neither do we Mike, so maybe we should take a poll among the flies who have heard all and remember all, why you’re supporting Serf? Did you make a deal with him, too?

Until next week...

Five Charged with Selling Guns to Undercover Cops

Sting Operation Nets 38 Illegal Weapons

Five men, including two from Queens, have been charged with selling dozens of weapons including sawed-off shotguns to undercover police officers over the past year.

Ali Kabeer, 25, and Ali Hassan, 42, both of Queens and Thomas Suarez, 26, along with Brooklyn residents Thomas Suarez, 26, Scott Kwaak, 21, and Clinton Kwaak, 24, were charged last Wednesday following a thirteen month investigation.The suspects were charged last week on a 63-count indictment variously charging them with criminal sale of a firearm and conspiracy.

If convicted, Suarez and Scott Kwaak each face up to 25 years in prison, Kabeer faces up to 15 years and Hassan and Clinton Kwaak each face up to seven years. Four of the men were taken into custody last week and arraigned in Queens Criminal Court. The fifth, Kabeer, has been located in Florida and will be extradited to New York, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

“The defendants are accused of attempting to see the streets of New York with dozens of illegal weapons that would have posed a serious public safety threat if their plan had been carried out,” said Brown.

The investigation, dubbed Operation Tommy Gun, began in July 2007 when detectives with the NYPD’s Firearms Investigation Unit received information that the defendants were selling illegal guns on the black market. Detectives then set up a sting operation that included a series of telephone conversations followed by face-to-fact street deals.

The men are charged, either individually or jointly, with selling a total of 38 weapons – many of which had their serial numbers removed – to undercover officers at locations in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan between July 2007 and August 21 of this year.

The sales to undercover officers included one meeting in July 2007 in which Kabeer and Suarez sold a defaced Tec 22 9mm; the sale of a sawed-off defaced .22-caliber rifle by Suarez in January; and an August meeting in which Scott Kwaak sold an officer a .45-caliber assault rifle for $2,400.

The men also allegedly sold the officers a 9mm pistol with a silencer, a .32-caliber revolver, other handguns of various calibers and 12-gauge sawed-off shotguns. The guns were all sent to the NYPD ballistics laboratory, which confirmed that they were operable.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the 38 guns seized are among 3,000 taken off city streets so far this year by the department. “The fact that they are out of criminal hands is one of the reasons why New York City remains the safest big city in the country,” he said.

According to the district attorney, Kabeer has home addresses on 108th Street, Chestnut Street, Liberty Avenue and 128th Street, while the other suspect from Queens, Hassan, lives on 102nd Road in Ozone Park.

Wishing a Sweet Year to All!

By Steve Tiszenkel

Walk up 108th Street in Forest Hills from Queens Boulevard to the LIE and you'll see a neighborhood change before your eyes. Starting from the exhaust-clogged hustle and bustle of the Boulevard of Death, you pass grand prewar apartment complexes with white-railed balconies and sprawling lawns, then lower-key brick residences that eschew ornamentation, before you get to “Bukharian Broadway,” the Central Asian shopping mecca where a lone Mexican takeout joint stands out for holding limited Uzbek appeal. Finally, as the shopping peters out, you get to some decreasingly grand apartment blocks capped off by the long-controversial Forest Hills Houses projects, before one of Queens' most-desired neighborhoods is cut off suddenly at the expressway overpass. On the other side of the divide is working-class, heavily Hispanic Corona, where many of the residents on the south side of the LIE dare not tread.

You'll see a lot of differences on that walk. But you'll also see one major similarity. From Queens Boulevard to the LIE more than a mile later, synagogue after synagogue after synagogue appears on the landscape. From old-school Ashkenazi to new-school Bukharian, Google Maps counts no fewer than five centers of Jewish worship along the relatively short stretch. That’s an average of one every 4.6 blocks, and that doesn’t even count the prominent Y—the Young Men’s Hebrew Association, that is, not the Village People kind.

108th Street may be Forest Hills’ Jewish axis, but it’s hardly the only place local Jews flocked this week to ask God to forgive their transgressions for another year. Throughout the neighborhood every imaginable subgroup of Jews is represented. There are houses of worship Conservative, Reform and Orthodox—that’s both regular Orthodox and Modern Orthodox, thank you very much—for the plain-vanilla Jews who have been here for the better part of a century and for Georgian Jews who poured in after the fall of the Soviet Union. All in all, there are better than a dozen synagogues in Forest Hills alone. Add in adjacent Rego Park, Kew Gardens and Kew Gardens Hills and, well, that’s a lot of minyans.

Forest Hills has been a Jewish population center for years. In the first half of the 20th century, European immigrants and their children made their way from the tenements of the Lower East Side to greener pastures, where the new subway line could whisk them away to their city jobs and back to their more-idyllic life in the Borough of Homes. Even as prestigious Forest Hills Gardens banned them, they settled just outside its limits, in the ranch houses and six-story apartment buildings that sprung up with the influx. They opened shops and supermarkets, restaurants and, of course, synagogues.

Their children grew up and, as children are won't to do, moved away—many to the suburbs north and east of Queens, where they found houses were bigger and better and their new-found wealth was more easily flaunted. This phenomenon wasn’t unique to Forest Hills, but another one was: over the years, Israelis, Iranians, Russians, Uzbeks and more flooded in to replace them. According to a 2007 article in The Jewish Week, more than 100,000 Jews from all over the world make their home in Forest Hills today. It isn’t a city, but if it were, it would be one of the biggest outside Israel.

This is the week that Jews everywhere celebrate a new year—it’s 5769, which by my count is at least a few thousand up on the secular world. They dip apples in honey in the hope that a sweet year is to come, and more of them will do it in Forest Hills than pretty much anywhere else. But truth be told, in Forest Hills, Jewish life is always pretty sweet.

The writer, Steve Tiszenkel is the host of the Website, Queens Central. Log on to queenscentral.com to read more about Forest Hills and surrounding neighborhoods.