When my staff and I heard that the City of New York was fining my constituent, Arthur “Tip” Sempliner, up to $2,000 for a “failing to water his beehive,” our first reaction was to laugh. Only in New York City can a government think up such a creative way to fine someone an exorbitant amount of money.
My second reaction was to act. I knew that if the public found out about the citation the Department of Health gave Sempliner, people would be as stunned as Sempliner and I were. This embarrassment might cause the city to think twice about levying such a fine against Sempliner.
While I don’t know Mr. Sempliner personally, my staff has found that he wouldn’t harm a fly – or a bee, for that matter. Sempliner the last kind of person our city needs to be hassling.
I’m glad that I was able to get this citation dismissed, and I want to thank The Queens Courier for your help. By covering this issue, and giving it more attention, you helped make sure that Sempliner didn’t have to pay this silly and exorbitant fine.
City Councilmember Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone)
