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City Council
passes Queens
elected’s bill to
shore up city’s
storm response
BY BILL PARRY
When Tropical Storm Isaias tore through
the borough last August, it left tens of thousands
of Queens residents in the dark and
uprooted trees across the borough.
Many found that seeking assistance
from the city clearing storm damage and
restoring utilities was no easy task, and
property owners and businesses across
Queens phoned in nearly 10,000 reports of
fallen trees to 311 and complained of the
city’s slow response.
But during its stated meeting on Tuesday,
May 12, the City Council passed legislation
authored by Councilman Robert
Holden, known as Intro 1755, that requires
the New York City Department of Information
Technology & Telecommunications to
conduct an assessment of the interactive
311 map that is used for service requests
and complaints, in order to determine how
the 311 map can be improved.
A logistical hurdle many callers to 311
encounter is explaining the location of the
problem that needs addressing. Often, an
address is not enough or the addresses given
are not definable — and Tropical Storm
Isaias revealed many shortcomings of the
311 system, especially when it came to reporting
downed trees.
“I have spent the better part of 40 years
working as a community activist and I know
that aside from calling a council member’s
office, 311 is the most direct way New Yorkers
can interact with city government and
get results,” Holden said. “Technology
should be leveraged to address shortcomings,
and the city must embrace modernization
whenever possible. Intro 1755 will
improve the accuracy of the 311 system and
make it even better.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at
bparry@schnepsmedia.com or by phone at
(718) 260–4538.
Meng endorses Richards
Congresswoman Grace Meng endorses Queens Borough
President Donovan Richards for reelection.
File photo by Gabriele Holtermann
PoliticsNYnews PoliticsNYnews PoliticsNY.com PoliticsNYnews
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | MAY 21-MAY 27, 2021 13
Nolan endorses Garcia
for mayor
Assemblywoman Catherine
Nolan, the deputy
speaker of the New York State
Assembly, announced her endorsement
of Kathryn Garcia
for mayor of New York
City.
Nolan — who represents the
neighborhoods of Sunnyside,
Ridgewood, Long Island City,
Queensbridge, Ravenswood,
Astoria, Woodside, Maspeth,
Dutch Kills and Blissville —
said Garcia is “the only candidate
with the vision and
experience to lead our city to
recovery.”
“New Yorkers are still reeling
from COVID and it will
take a well-practiced manager
with the government success
that Kathryn has to ensure
we get back on track — and
to ensure our government
actually works and delivers
for all of us,” Nolan said.
Avella, Yin crossendorse
each other
Tony Avella, a candidate
for the 19th City Council District,
and Dao Yin, a candidate
for the 20th District, have
cross-endorsed each other.
“My friend Dao Yin, I have
known for some time now and
he is very involved in our community.
I have worked with
him to ensure we preserve
the SHSAT which exemplifies
the outstanding work of
those students who apply and
with the demand not to build
prisons in our communities,”
Avella said. “Dao has been at
the forefront of many battles,
and it honors me to endorse
Dao Yin as the next City Council
representative of the 20th
District. I look forward to
continue working with Dao as
the next City Council representatives
of the 19th and 20th
districts.”
Yin said Avella “has served
our community well” in the
past, as a councilman and
later as a state senator.
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Congresswoman Grace Meng on Friday, May
14, endorsed Queens Borough President Donovan
Richards’ bid for reelection.
Meng called Richards as an “extraordinary
leader” who fights every day to make life better for
Queens residents.
“In just his first few months in office, he has traveled
throughout our great borough, meeting with
residents from across many different communities,
and doing all he can to make Queens the best that
it can be,” Meng said. “He has worked tirelessly to
help hardworking families, assist small businesses,
expand affordable housing, and has strongly stood in
solidarity with the Asian American community in
our fight against the rise in hate and violence.”
As they work to move past the COVID-19 pandemic,
according to Meng, it is critical to have Richards
leading the borough to ensure recovery and to get
Queens back on its feet again.
“I look forward to continuing working with him
for many years to come,” Meng said.
In response to Meng’s endorsement, Richards
hailed the congresswoman as a “dedicated, trailblazing
public servant,” for Queens, and said he is
incredibly grateful for her “leadership, partnership
and support” for his campaign.
“Over the past year, Congresswoman Meng has
fought for the stimulus payments, PPP loans, vaccine
and testing sites, and federal funding that have
helped so many Queens residents through the crisis,”
Richards said. “She sponsored the COVID-19
Hate Crimes Act to combat anti-Asian hate, and here
in Queens, she’s helped victims, raised awareness,
and marched in support of our Asian communities.
She is a great asset to our borough, and I’m excited to
keep working with her.”
Richards was first elected as Queens borough
president in November 2020, and took office in December.
In just a few months on the job, Richards has expanded
access to the COVID-19 vaccine, including
opening the Citi Field vaccination site and securing
$17.5 million to help struggling small businesses.
He has also hosted food and PPE distribution events
serving thousands of Queens residents.
Under Richards, the modernization of the community
board process with online applications resulted
in a 56 percent increase in responses and a
more diverse applicant pool. Additionally, Richards
has broken ground on thousands of new units of affordable
housing and recognized the Queens Solid
Waste Advisory Board to work on environmental
justice initiatives.
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