Council Candidates Discuss Education Views

Barbs Later Exchanged Over Crowley’s Early Exit

By Conor Greene

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Debate Over Mayoral Control Continues

Vote on Extending Law Nears

By Conor Greene

With the state law granting the mayor full control over city schools set to expire, the debate over the system is underway in Albany and in town hall meetings, including one hosted by Senator Joseph Addabbo last week in Middle Village.

A 2002 vote by the state legislature established the school governance system known as mayoral control, which allowed Mayor Bloomberg to abolish the local board of educations and hire a chancellor to run the public school system. However, due to a sunset provision, the law expires on June 30 unless lawmakers renew it.

“This is an opportunity to make this process a better process,” said Senator Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) at last Wednesday’s town hall session, which was also attended by Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott, who oversees the city’s Education Department for the Bloomberg Administration. “The legislature shouldn’t vote without input” from residents and other stakeholders, added Addabbo.

Walcott called himself a “firm believer in mayoral control” and said there have been “significant improvements in the system” since it was established seven years ago. He cited areas such as test scores and the number of seats created through new construction as examples of progress made since Mayor Bloomberg was granted full authority. “The bottom line for me is accountability, transparency and parental involvement.”

However, many of the parents, teachers and officials who spoke later in the meeting argued that mayoral control has stifled their voices, making it hard to seek out answers from administrators and has left local superintendents with little power.

Jo Ann Berger, who has three children in PS 153 in Maspeth, said parents have been relegated to “leaving voicemails and never getting a call back” when they seek information from administrators. “There is little to no response to parents… There is no place a parent can to go” due to the elimination of local offices, she added.

Berger also took issue with the Bloomberg Administration use of test scores to gauge progress, especially since students spend three months prepping for the exams. “That’s what you are basing our performance on? I don’t think that’s fair,” she said.

Another bone of contention for many is the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP), which was formed along with Community Education Councils after the Boards of Education were abolished. Under the old system, the mayor appointed two of the seven Board of Education members, while he appoints eight of the 13 PEP members.

That has led critics to argue that the members don’t hold real power – especially after three members appointed by Mayor Bloomberg were fired in 2004 for questioning a Department of Education plan. At last week’s hearing, Dermot Smyth, a teacher at IS 5 in Elmhurst, said that the teacher’s union supports mayoral control, despite several “little flaws we’re looking to address.” He argued that the panel needs “independent voices who can work collaboratively with the chancellor” instead of political appointees.

Ozone Park resident and blogger David Quintana agreed that the mayor’s appointment of eight of the 13 PEP members means “he has a slam dunk on anything he does.” He called the local school boards “the most basic form of democracy we have.” Instead, they have been replaced with “powerless” local Community Education Councils. “Parental involvement has gone down the drain under this administration.” To prevent the PEP from being controlled by the mayor, the teacher’s union has suggested that the city comptroller, the public advocate and City Council speaker each appoint a member, leaving the mayor with five appointees.

Marge Kolb, president of the District 24 PTA Presidents’ Council, said there “needs to be a lot of adjusting” to the current system. She agreed that PEPs “should not be controlled by the mayor” and argued that some members should have educational credentials. “I don’t know where the mayor came up with the curriculum he purchased, but it wasn’t in consultation with educational professionals,” she said.

Former Assemblyman Michael Cohen, who was in office for the initial vote granting mayoral control in 2002 said he was “very uneasy voting for this bill [because] it is giving the mayor absolute control over the system.” Instead, he agreed that the city needs “accredited educational professionals to make educational policy.”

Community Board 6 District Manager Frank Gulluscio said his office has received numerous complaints from parents who feel the current system has stifled their opinions. “We want to be heard. We don’t just want lip service,” he said echoing the complaints his office has heard regarding mayoral control.

The harshest criticism of the evening towards the Bloomberg Administration’s governance of the school system came from Juniper Park Civic Association President Robert Holden, who accused officials of lying to the public.

“At one time I was for mayoral control. Then I saw the mayor in action. Then I saw Deputy Mayor Walcott in action. They just do as they please,” he said before criticizing the city’s decision to build a high school in Maspeth despite strong community opposition. “You just completely lie. You don’t tell the truth, you hide things,” he said to Walcott. “We have a dictator who says you will have this whether it’s good or not.”

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) said that city officials “really don’t have much oversight on how [the $22 billion budgeted for education] is spent.” She also argued that the current system “doesn’t give fair representation” to community members. She also hears “a lot of complaints” about students being “taught for tests.”

“I do believe for the most part that the quality of education has improved over the years,” said Crowley. However, she added that much of the gains are because elected officials have made education “a top priority” for funding.

A recent Quinnipiac University poll shows that New Yorkers support mayoral control, with 55 percent saying the system should continue.

State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley listen (top photo) as residents weigh in on mayoral control. The Forum Newsgroup/photos by CONOR GREENE