Mayor is their Man of the Year!

Last Thursday, the Juniper Park Civic Association honored Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg as its 2005 Man of the Year for his leadership in the fight against the Cross Harbor Tunnel.
Juniper Park Civic leaders and other community leaders argued that the proposed $8 billion Cross Harbor tunnel would bring an extra 16,000 trucks into their neighborhoods per day and add to an already congested traffic landscape.
“We had the mayor step forward and say we have to protect our communities - we have to protect Maspeth and Middle Village,” Holden said.
“I just want to say thank you so much for everything and for making me your man of the year,” Bloomberg said. During the award presentation, Bloomberg talked about continuing to fight to keep crime declining with the addition of 1,200 new police officers as well as ensure that the city’s schools receive their court-mandated funds from Albany.
“I’ve laid down the law in Albany, and they’re going to give us the money that we deserve, and we’re going to keep fighting until they do,” Bloomberg said. “We’re going to hold our elected officials’ feet to the fire until they get us the money that we sent up.”
Bloomberg was the first two-time recipient of this award after winning it in 2003 when he helped broker a deal that will culminate in a park at the former site of the Elmhurst gas tanks.
“This mayor has been so great for this community and no mayor has done more for this community,” Holden said.
Later on in the year, the Juniper Park Civic Association will present Department of Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall with its Woman of the Year award for her work in helping preserve and improve the fabric of the community.