Calls for improving sewer system
Posted on April 16, 2009
Filed Under Bureaucracy, DEP, Forest Hills, Infrastructure, Kew Gardens | Leave a Comment
Via The Times Ledger:
Area lawmakers, including Lancman, City Councilman James Gennaro (D?Fresh Meadows), state Sen. Toby Stavisky (D?Whitestone) and U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner (D?Forest Hills), called upon the city in February to use federal stimulus money to mitigate flooding problems in northeast and central Queens.
But Lancman said when officials spoke with the DEP about using the federal money for flooding problems, the city agency said it had no projects on the drawing board in which to inject stimulus funds.
Flooding has been and will continue to be a major problem facing our district unless appropriate and proactive action is taken to shore up our neighborhoods’ aging sewer infrastructure. In light of the fact that the city will not help homeowners who are victims of flooding, it is imperative that we work to find a solution to this problem so that New Yorkers don’t have to foot the bill for the city’s lack of action.
Transparency and Open Government
Posted on April 15, 2009
Filed Under Open Government, Transparency | Leave a Comment
In light of today’s news regarding allegations of pay-to-play, Michael Cohen will have to make a decision that is best for himself and his neighbors in the 29th district, and I hope he makes the right decision. I wanted to take this opportunity to remind people that from day one, my candidacy has stood to reform how business is done. I am running for City Council to be an advocate for the community and to not let politics interfere with being a dedicated public servant. The real news today is not about individuals, but about the need for real reform in our local political system.
http://www.politickerny.com/3089/cuomo-hevesi-pension-fund-son-office
http://www.politickerny.com/3091/michael-cohen-still-running-city-council
http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2009/04/cohen-still-a-candidate-not-a.html
Abandoned?
Posted on April 7, 2009
Filed Under City Hall, Community | Leave a Comment
abandon abandon |??band?n|verb [ trans. ]give up completely, cease to support or look after (someone); desert
During the winter months and into Spring, I have knocked on your doors. I have spoken to folks in all of the great neighborhoods that make up Queen’s 29th District. You have all spoken to me about our failing infrastructure, our schools, our hospitals, and our future, however these are not your biggest concerns.
Your biggest concern is summed up with one word: abandonment. I am here to tell you that time is over. When I am sworn in as your City Council member, I will tirelessly work for our community. My ambitions go no further than that. I want to work with you and for you. I will do all I can to ensure my neighbors and my family are not left out of the conversation. As your Council member, you will never feel abandoned.
Attention to our infrastructure at last
Posted on April 3, 2009
Filed Under Forest Hills, Infrastructure, Kew Gardens | Leave a Comment
via ForestHills72
Change is Coming to Forest Hills
64 Ways to Rebuild the City’s Middle Class
Posted on March 29, 2009
Filed Under Economy, Middle Class | Leave a Comment
via NYT’s CityRoom Blog:
A coalition of community organizations and advocates released a list of 64 policy proposals this week to combat the growing income inequality in New York City. The report, called the Blue Print for Economic Growth [pdf], is intended to balance what the groups describe as economic growth for growth’s sake in recent decades. Those policies, the groups say, are an outmoded legacy of the 1970s, when the biggest challenge facing the city was to stem the loss of jobs.
“Now we can’t rely on trickle down from Wall Street jobs, we need to build an economy that is fueled by a stronger middle class,” said Paul Sonn, a legal director of the National Employment Law Project, one of the groups in coalition.
The policies cover moderately priced housing, green manufacturing, consumer services, small business and workers’ rights. Many of the policies have been enacted by other cities across the country, including San Francisco, Washington and Los Angeles. “It was a best practices policies scan,” Mr. Sonn said. “Many of them are from other cities. Some of them are particular to New York City.”
Thus, the initial set of proposals was filtered to take into account New York City’s legal authorities. “The city’s powers to regulate are narrower than other cities,” Mr. Sonn said. “In some cases we had to take things off the table or change the proposal in light of that.”
Here are some highlights within the policy proposals, along with what other local governments have done.
The Need for Transparency
Posted on March 18, 2009
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
What we’re seeing unfold on the news with AIG is just a big picture rendering of the need for more transparency in government and knowing where are tax dollars are going. Trust in our elected officials is an issue that has been long tested. To have complete transparency is essential for anyone that holds the public trust. People need to feel that they are part of the process and not just bystanders to politics that are executed behind closed doors.
You ask yourself how can we bridge the transparency gap, how can we attain a more open government? We are living in the information age where new media and technology has become a staple for delivering information.
If elected I will work to incorporate new ideas and new technology that will make my work in the Council available to the general public. Using tools such as this blog, YouTube or any other new media outlets is a way to serve our community by making everything public for all to see. Making sure that the community is part of the process is key in being an effective representative and maintaing an open relationship with the community is vital because that is the only way that we can work together to solve the problems facing our neighborhoods.
Queens Community House
Posted on March 13, 2009
Filed Under Budget, Community, Forest Hills, LGBT, Seniors, Youth | Leave a Comment
Last night I attended a forum hosted by the Queens Community House where groups facing budget cuts demanded that programs that are vital to our community be protected in the budget process. In the midst of economic crisis it is easy to lose sight of the human element involved in the stories we hear. The forum allowed for everyone to see and hear from all the people: young, old, gay, straight, students, mentors, etc. who rely so heavily on community based services who are in danger of losing their funding. Below is a recap of what’s at stake for those that are most vulnerable in our community, provided by the Queens Community House:
What’s at Risk?
For Older Adults
NORCs (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community)
The Forest Hills Cooperative which is home to Queens Community House’s main site has, without planning, developed a high percentage of residents aged 60 years and older. To serve that population, we implemented a NORC program which offers a spectrum of social, educational and health care services residents to enable them to “age in place,” by remaining in their own homes for as long as possible. NORC helps ensure an enhanced quality of life for older adults in their own familiar environment.
What can we do to ensure this program’s survival? Urge the State to restore $380,000 in funding for classic and neighborhood NORC programs.
Social Model Adult Day Programs
We provide support, structure, and social engagement for frailer older adults and those with dementia through our Social Adult Day Program. Social Model Adult Day programs enable older persons to remain in their homes for as long as possible, thereby providing a respite for caregivers. We currently serve insert number through our Social Adult Day Programs.
What can we do to ensure this program’s survival? Urge the State to restore $75,000 for Social Adult Day programs.
Transportation
In order to remain active and engaged community members, the growing population of older New Yorkers will require accessible transportation options that meet their varying needs. The Transportation Initiative funds the purchasing, insuring, maintaining, and fueling of vans, thereby helping to increase the mobility and transportation opportunities for older adults throughout the State. We transport insert # of people
What can we do to ensure access to transportation? Urge the State to restore $579,000 for Transportation Providers serving older persons.
IMMIGRANT SERVICES and ADULT LITERACY
RESTORE the New York State Citizenship Initiative
There are over a million green-card holders in New York State who could apply for citizenship. The New York State Citizenship Initiative funds English for Speakers of
Other Languages (ESOL) and civics classes and provides citizenship assistance and expert legal services to help individuals and their families achieve citizenship. UNH urges the restoration of the New York State Citizenship Initiative by $646,000 in order to better assist New York’s immigrants in becoming citizens.
RESTORE $2 million to Adult Literacy Education (ALE)
With the increase in demand for adult literacy services in this economic downturn, programs are forced to turn away more and more students because there is not enough funding to provide a sufficient number of classes. Governor Paterson has proposed $4.9 million for ALE, which is $2 million below its adopted 2008-2009 level of $6.9 million.
We urge the restoration of $2.0 million for ALE, and we also encourage the State
Education Department to begin funding ALE programs on a multi-year cycle. Currently, providers must re-apply for funding annually, a practice that is inefficient and does not allow them to plan properly for future classes. UNH supports a $2.0 million restoration for Adult Literacy Education to meet the already tremendous demand for literacy classes.
RESTORE funding to the New York State Refugee
Resettlement Assistance Program (NYSRRAP)
Governor Paterson’s 2009-2010 Executive Budget cuts NYSRRAP funding by 50 percent, down to $1.854 million. NYSRRAP provides grants to not-for-profit organizations to offer refugees, asylees, and victims of human trafficking crucial case management services and self-sufficiency skills (ESL, job training) that support integration into mainstream life in their new communities. There is no other funding source that targets these populations when they lose eligibility for federal refugee social services funding. UNH supports the restoration of funding for the New York State Refugee Resettlement Assistance Program.
70 West 36th Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10018-8007
Phone: (212) 967-0322 Fax: (212) 967-0792 www.unhny.org
YOUTH PROGRAMS
OPPOSE the Youth Programs Block Grant and RESTORE funding to its current level
Governor Paterson’s 2009-2010 Executive Budget proposes to consolidate six current youth development and juvenile justice programs within the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) into a $90 million Youth Programs Block Grant by cutting $28 million from these funding streams. For example, New York City’s
Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) uses YDDP funds for its Out-of-School Time (OST) initiative. OST supports the provision of youth development services to over 80,000 young people annually through a network of community based organizations.
Reductions in YDDP funds due to the block grant could reduce the number of youth served in DYCD’s OST programs by several thousand. This would be compounded by the City’s plan to reduce its own OST spending by $8.23 million in FY 2010, which would mean a loss of another 13,145 slots.
UNH opposes the youth programs block grant and urges the individual programs to remain discrete, with funding restored to their current levels. We also urge that any savings from the Governor’s proposed youth facility closings be reinvested to expand community-based alternatives and youth development programs.
RESTORE Advantage After-School funding
The current 2008-2009 State budget has already reduced Advantage After-School funding by 8%, bringing it down to $25.56 million. The Governor’s 2009-2010 Executive Budget proposes to cut Advantage by another 25%, to $19.17 million. Advantage After-School programs serve approximately 26,000 youth at 277 program sites across New York State. Advantage is a popular program, and it supports flexible and positive youth development programs for young people across the State. UNH urges the restoration of $9.03 million to the Advantage Afterschool program.
Reductions to Cost-Effective Preventive Services
Will Have Long-Term Fiscal Consequences for New York
In difficult economic times, New York State must maintain its commitment to cost-effective, proven programs that protect and support children and families—or the taxpayers will be paying the consequences for years to come.
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERVICES: Cost-Effective But at Risk
The Executive Budget proposes to eliminate the $5 million Homeless Prevention
Program (HPP).
If ½ of the families served by the program ended up in a homeless shelter and remained
in shelter for 9 months, this would cost $90 million.
Human Services Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
• Restore the proposed 1% across-the-board cut to not-for-profit human service agencies, worth $28 million. Governor Paterson has proposed to reduce the current year (FY 2008-2009) COLA by 1% in future years beginning in the FY 2010-2011 budget. This harmful action will result in a reduction to the already insufficient funding base for human service providers. If this funding is not restored, community based organizations will be forced to make up for this reduction to their base by reducing staff salaries across the board by 1%, instituting layoffs, or reducing services - all equally problematic actions. This creates an undue burden for not-for-profit providers that are already struggling to make ends meet because of decreases in both private and public sector support.
DOB and on-line building plans
Posted on March 8, 2009
Filed Under DOB | Leave a Comment
The public has not embraced this plan, considering that is raises more questions than answers. This plan is to benefit developers and screw the peaceful neighborhoods where they want to stomp their footprint.
And LiMandri… well, it was interesting that the City Council bent over backwards revising the qualifications for Buildings Commissioner so that he could take over the position, considering he was directly responsible for 12,600 backlogged building complaints in the borough of Queens in 2004. I guess they have short memories…
Flood and Stimulus Dollars
Posted on March 3, 2009
Filed Under Economy, Infrastructure | Leave a Comment
Queens residents have been dealing with the flooding conditions in our neighborhoods for too long. $265 million of the federal money that the state of New York is slated to receive from the stimulus is dedicated to flood control projects. This is the type of infrastructure spending that is specifically needed by our community. People need the assurance that the state and city will appropriately invest this money into our community’s aging infrastructure. Last week officials called for the state and city to use the stimulus dollars to do just that. More from the Times Ledger.
Temporary Relief
Posted on February 25, 2009
Filed Under Budget, City Hall, Economy | Leave a Comment
Last week when President Obama signed the $787 billion stimulus bill into law most New Yorkers had a valid question, “what does that mean for me?”. The stimulus will not solve all of our problems but it can bring some relief to our city in the midst of crisis. It has the possibility of slowing down the massive job loss that we have been witnessing, it can make our public transportation more efficient, and help keep our police officers on the streets.
The numbers include, 12.6 billion over 27 months to Medicaid, 2.7 billion for education, 1 billion to highway financing, 1.3 billion to public transportation, and 390 million to public housing. So, what do these numbers mean exactly? When signing the stimulus, President Obama made a point to highlight that the money for education could potentially save up to 14,000 New York City teachers from losing their jobs. It can also prevent the layoff of roughly 400 new police recruits, which were slated to happen as part of the cancellation of the class of 2010.
Even with these possibilities there needs to be a sense of responsibility of how our leaders invest in our communities. Local government can intervene by making sure that the money is utilized correctly and not used for unnecessary spending within those programs that are receiving financial help. As a community we need complete transparency in the budget process. It is imperative that our elected leaders in charge of the budget take this opportunity to cut wasteful spending and allocate resources wisely so that we are not back facing billions in budget gaps a year from now.