QUEENS COUNCILMEMBERS WISH LIST FOR 2004

Every new year brings new opportunities for politicians large and small to serve their communities. Pinning the new calendar to the wall means the possibility of increased funding and the start of a new set of projects. To ring in the new year, The Queens Courier has created a City Council Wish List to give each councilmember an opportunity to let their constituents know what they hope to accomplish in 2004. We asked each councilmember the following questions:
1. How much funding do you anticipate receiving?
2. What big projects do you have planned?
3. What are the three areas of largest concern in your district?
From education to healthcare, its clear that Queens politicians have big plans for 2004.
Councilman John Liu, District 20:
1. Its too far away from finalizing next years budget to say how much money we have for spending. However, we could use $300 million worth of projects in the district.
2. Some of the projects I have planned are a new school for early childhood development, a new high school, new sewers on several major thoroughfares, the reconstruction of some streets, and new senior centers. Id like to see a rollback in real estate taxes. However, if we do that, theres less to go around. As chairman of the Transportation Committee, projects include traffic light and stop sign installations, the redesignation of one-way streets, and the AirTrain.
3. The areas of concern in my district are as follows: We want to ensure that schools remain top notch amid the changes at the citywide levels, we have a need for more senior programs and housing, and public safetywe want to make sure that cops have the resources they need to keep our streets safe.
Councilman Hiram Monserrate, District 21:
After two long years of an economic downturn, our city is thankfully beginning to feel the effects of recovery. However, we are not completely out of the woods and continue to face budget defecits. As we look down the road to the upcoming budget, I will continue to focus my energies on protecting the programs and community projects that provide necessary services for our children, seniors and residents.
In the 21st District and throughout Queens, I have been fortunate to work with and support many invaluable community groups and programs that are dedicated to protecting and improving our quality of life. This year, I look forward to continuing to work with these organizations to provide computers in our schools, books on the shelves in our libraries, services for our seniors, and recreational programs in our communities.
Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., District 22:
1. Our budget should be close to last years.
2. As far as projects are concerned, I plan on using money much as I did last year. I will focus on kids and groups that help keep us safe. As a parent of two daughters in the public school system and chairman of the Public Safety Committee, those are my priorities. I will also continue to fund cultural groups such as the Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC). Possibly in the works is a new soccer field and new senior housing. For this I will work closely with Speaker Gifford Miller.
3. The three areas of major concern are the same as those I ran for office on: public safety, education, and the air/environment. One of the biggest fights facing this community in the next year is stopping these new power plants in this district.
Councilman David Weprin, District 23:
1. I would say our budget would be similar to last year. Were doing better than last year so I wouldnt anticipate it being less, but were not out of the fiscal crisis yet.
2. Projects for my district include new computers in schools and redeveloping schools to include computer labs and science labs; I also want to redo playgrounds. Id like to focus on libraries by providing them with new and updated computers. There is currently construction going on at the Glen Oaks Library. Money will also go to senior centers.
3. My areas of concern include education. I want to make sure we keep the quality schools we have in Queens. Ours is the highest performing school district in the city, and because the kids do so well we dont get federal money. I want to make sure schools get money for special and gifted programs. Another concern in my district are seniors and senior programs, housing issues in particular. We recently had a town hall meeting to discuss illegal conversions. I am also concerned about healthcare and insurance concerns. I want to maintain health facilities and make sure seniors get the prescription drugs they need. Seniors on a fixed income should get reimbursement for prescriptions.
Councilman James Gennaro, District 24:
1.Despite the toughest budget times in a generation, I have to be able to secure over $37 million in funding for the district, including money for school computer labs, library enhancements, parks improvements, public works projects as well as maintaining or increasing funding for over 100 youth, senior and community based groups and initiatives. I see no reason why we cant do just as well or even better in the next budget cycle.
2. Lowering TaxesWith the city beginning to return down the road of economic recovery, I believe we should make every effort to roll back the recent tax increases, especially the property tax hike, which I did not support. The city must do everything it can to make life affordable for its residents.
Funding a major capital improvement project in every public high school in my district In my first term as councilman, I was able to secure funding for at least one major capital improvement project such as a new school computer lab, library or playground –in every public grammar, middle, and junior high school in my district, totaling over $3.1 million for 29 different projects for all education projects. This year, I plan on finishing my Education First initiative and secure funding for the remaining six major public high schools in my district.
Begin the Battle on Brownfields There are thousands of unused and abandoned toxic waste sites, called Brownfields, throughout our city. These sites, if cleaned up, have tremendous potential for economic development. In light of the recent passage of the State Brownfields bill, the city can finally begin to address this critical environmental and economic development issue. As chairman of the Committee on
Environmental Protection, this will be one of one my top priorities.
3. Education As a parent and a professional educator, I share my constituents concerns in ensuring that our children receive a first-class education. As the reorganization of the Department of Education continues to be phased in, it is essential that we ensure a
smooth transition for students, educators and administrators.
Public Safety The fight against crime never ends and nothing is more important to our quality of life than guaranteeing the safety of city residents and workers. With the constant threat of terror, we must
continue to remain vigilant in our policing efforts and make the safest big city in the world even safer.
Seniors With the cost of living going up, we must ensure that funding for senior programs is not just preserved, but expanded. It is our responsibility to care for those who have already contributed so
much to our city and our nation, especially those seniors who live on a fixed income.
Councilwoman Helen Sears, District 25:
1. Last year I got millions and I hope to get the same this year
2. The changing of the Board of Education into a city agency is a continuous project and hopefully will continue progressing. A big problem is parents taking children out of schools during key periods of the year. Its detrimental and the child is not equipped to take exams, thus lowering school scores. I would love to see a policy that deals with this problem. We lose money with them gone because we dont get reimbursement for that empty seat. Its devastating to the advancement of students, the teachers and to the budget. When you change the Board of Education into a city agency you have to change some rules. That is one of my top agendas for this year.
Because my district is continually having new arrivals it is very important to be as constantly evolving as the changing population. It is very important to have outreach to the new arrivals so we can deal with their concerns and needs and direct city services to fulfill those needs.
I would like to see money directed to the transportation in the district. We have a new terminal coming up, buses that go to the airport and every part of Queens and into Manhattan. We have the buses and subways all merging in one part and some of that money needs to be directed to transportation because its everyones service.
To see that the laws that have come into play stay in play and are not ignored. Weve dealt with the laws weve passed being very substantial.
3. Healthcare, overcrowding in schools and transportation including traffic patterns.
Councilman Eric Gioia, District 26:
1. I dont know what the budget will be yet. I will do my best, however, to get as much money for my district as possible. My district has been fortunate to get its fair share of money to foster economic development. Over the past few years, I have secured millions of dollars to renovate schools and senior centers in Long Island City, Woodside and Sunnyside.
2. My number one focus is improving schools by securing computers with Internet access and computer equipment so that our kids get a first-rate education. Computer skills in the 21st century are what reading, writing and arithmetic were in the 20th century. I am also looking forward to expanding the Little League. I will continue my efforts to combat graffiti and improve quality of life by working to lower crime. I want to make sure our neighborhoods are the safest in the city.
3. My areas of concern are: improving schools, increasing public safety and keeping our streets clean.
Councilman Leroy Comrie, District 27:
1. I definitely want more funding this year and hope to get that.
2. We need to work on our physical infrastructure, sewers, streets, drainage and tree removal. Were doing our not-for-profit seminars and doing our senior events, but well also be focusing on trying to create some youth development centers. Well be working with the local schools. Were also going to be working on a major health initiative to increase the level of participation in free health information, such as cancer screenings and weight management.
3. Youth violence, affordable housing and education.
 
Councilman Allan Jennings, District 28:
1. I dont know how much money my district will be getting in the budget as of yet.
2. We must keep crime down. High crime rates translate into serious quality of life problems.
3. My three concerns for this district are education, education,education. We want to get more computers for all schools. All that is promised and more.
Councilwoman Melinda Katz, District 29:
1. I will continue to work on making Queens Boulevard safer for pedestrians. I will work with the Department of Transportation to make sure lights have been fixed. They need to be contracted out to ConEdison. I am also talking with the mayors office about keeping the boulevards medians clean. I am also trying to keep after-school programs in my district. In the next few weeks, I hope to figure out a way to save School District 28s Music Masters program. I will also look to reduce the property taxes.
2. I am not sure at this time how much funding my district will have for the upcoming year.
3. The main issues in my district are the safety of Queens Boulevard, senior centers and education. My district is home to one the largest populations of seniors in the city. One out of three seniors in my district lives alone. That is why senior centers are so important in our community. In a sense, they are the lifeblood of the senior community. For some, the centers serve as the only form of socialization. They also have directors there who can check to see if seniors are healthy. In my district we have been very fortunate to have money for these programs. I am doing the best I can to make sure that it stays there. As for education, I am very excited about the proposed high school at Metropolitan Avenue, which is in the 2004-2009 Five-Year School Capital Plan. Forest Hills High School is at 131% capacity and the district is in need of more space.
Councilman Dennis Gallagher, District 30:
1. We had a tremendous victory when KeySpan agreed to sell its Elmhurst gas tank property for a dollar. Now we have to make sure what the community wants will be at the site and that its a passive-use park. Overwhelming, the top need in my district is the addition of more police protection to preserve and enhance the quality of life. I also voted against the property tax increase last year because it was too onerous on the middle class and senior citizens. We should have looked for alternative cuts, and we should immediately roll back these taxes.
2. Its a real difficult question to answer before budget negotiations begin. I can assure you of this: I will fight for every single penny that I can get back for my district. I will make sure my community gets their fair share.
3. The three main issues in my district are police protection, education and senior services. The thing that excited me most about the Five-Year School Capital Plan is seeing the three schools on the Forest Hills and Glendale border, including a locally zoned high school, go from the back burner to the front burner. The new schools, if we zone them correctly, should prevent children from traveling great distances and alleviate overcrowding in other high schools. We have a large senior population in my community. It is always a battle in the city budget to maintain programs for senior citizens. Quite frankly, we should be looking to add money to the Department for the Agings budget. Our senior citizens built this city, and now in their golden years, they deserve to reap the benefits.
 
Councilman James Sanders, District 31:
1. As chair of the City Councils Economic Development Committee, I want to see the Olympics have a chance to come and come the right way: with the understanding that it has to be sustainable and does not bankrupt the city. I also want to ensure the Port Authority deal, which renewed the agencys lease to run the airports, benefits the people of Queens. In terms of my district, my number one priority will be to roll back the 18.5% property tax. As the city progresses, I want to ensure that it filters down. I am also going to fight tooth and nail the proposed 2005-2009 Five-Year School Capital Plan. We are vastly overcrowded. I am not going to sit idlely as the good students of School District 29 go without classrooms.
2. Its too early to know how much funding we will have in the districts. It will be addressed when budget negotiations begin.
3. I want to see the preservation of the quality of life in our community. We have to make a real concerted attempt to get zoning laws enforced. Otherwise, trucks will continue to drive down our local streets and developers will continue throwing up any type of home. I am worried about a person who buys a home in our community and then slaps down three or four homes in its place. Such practice is overcrowding our schools and taxing our civic infrastructure, firehouses and police. I also want our community not to be a community of consumers but of producers. I want to ensure that my people are trained about small businesses.
Councilman Joe Addabbo, District 32:
1. First, I would like to say that I will work just as hard this year as an election year. In the Rockaway peninsula, I intend to work on trying to improve transportation, including a commuter ferry service. I will also make the cleanliness of the commercial strip at Beach 116th Street a priority. I will also work with Region Five Superintendent Kathleen Cashin to improve the Rockaway educational system and address the ever-changing conditions there. In Broad Channel I am looking at cell towers. If need be, there are two pieces of legislation I am working on that would protect the integrity and character of the community. Also, I will push into phase two the park project to create the Broad Channel Day Camp area. In Howard Beach and Ozone Park, I intend to improve transportation on the Queens Surface bus lines and ensure that construction on the Cross Bay Boulevard overpass of the Belt Parkway finishes on time and that traffic enforcement officers are there during construction. In Richmond Hill and Woodhaven, on commercial strips like Liberty Avenue, 101st Street and Jamaica Avenue, I want to make sure they are clean and safe. I want a fully staffed police presence and more lighting on these streets.
2. We dont know at this point how much discretionary funding we will get. We will not know until we start balancing the fiscal 2005 budget in February or March.
3. The three main issues in my community are education, public safety and transportation. School District 27 was one of the most overcrowded in the city. The Five-Year School Capital Plan does little to address this issue.
Councilman Tony Avella, District 19:
Councilmember Avella refused the opportunity to comment.
 
 
How To Contact The Queens Councilmembers:
Councilman Tony Avella (718) 747-2137
Councilman John Liu (718) 888-8747
Councilman Hiram Monserrate (718) 205-3881
Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (718) 274-4500
Councilman David Weprin (718)465-8202
Councilman James Gennaro (718) 217-4969
Councilwoman Helen Sears (718) 803-6373
Councilman Eric Gioia (718) 383-9566
Councilman Leroy Comrie (718) 776-3700
Councilman Allan Jennings (718) 657-4787
Councilwoman Melinda Katz (718) 544-8800
Councilman Dennis Gallagher (718) 366-3900
Councilman James Sanders (718) 527-4356
Councilman Joe Addabbo (718) 738-1111