EDITORIAL
READERS WRITE
Creative ways to improve subway access
There are solutions to the
ongoing lawsuits against
MTA for the lack of sufficient
accessible subway stations for
riders with disabilities. Here
are two ways to obtain financial
support to pay for accelerating
the number of subway stations
to reach compliance with the
Americans Disabilities Act.
The Metropolitan
Transportation Authority
receives $1.4 billion in annual
assistance from various Federal
Transit Administration
formula funding grant
programs. The MTA, based
upon the court’s decision, will
have to update their long term
Americans Disability Act Key
Stations Compliance Plan with
FTA. This is currently in place
and approved by the Federal
Transit Administration
Washington Headquarters
Office of Civil Rights. Without
an approved plan in place, it is
difficult for the FTA to approve
any new grant funding.
The upcoming MTA $30 to
$50 billion 2020 - 2024 Five-Year
Capital Plan will probably
have to program up to a billion
more for New York City Transit
to dramatically increase the
number of additional subway
stations reaching full ADA
compliance.
Why not ask any major
business, college or hospital
who benefit from subway
stations adjacent to their
facility to sponsor installation
of elevator(s)? Let them split
the cost 50 percent with the
MTA NYC Transit in exchange
for naming rights to the
elevator(s).
Larry Penner, Great Neck
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GO SLOW ON THIS BILL
With controversial measures passing at a frantic
pace ahead of the end of the legislative session,
Governor Andrew Cuomo put the kibosh on a package
of legislation that would legalize prostitution.
Cuomo said state Senator Jessica Ramos’ “Stop
Violence in the Sex Trade Act” was introduced too
late in the session to make a proper evaluation on
what would be the first statewide bill to decriminalize
and decarcerate sex trades in the nation’s history.
The governor said he had not read the bill and
in the waning days of the session there is no time
to study it and have a proper debate on such an
enormous issue.
“That will go down on one of those controversial
items list,” Cuomo said. “Guns, reproductive health,
et cetera. You can put right up there legalizing
prostitution. I don’t think people are going to do that
on 48-hours notice.”
We agree.
While the bill upholds laws concerning human
trafficking, rape (including statuatory rape) assault,
battery, and sexual harrasment, it amends statutes
so that consenting adults who trade sex, collaborate
with or support sex working peers, or patronize adult
sex workers are not criminalized.
It also amends the law so that people can trade
sex in spaces where legal businesses are permitted,
while upholding that maintaining an exploitative
workplace where coercion and trafficking takes
place is a felony.
Ramos said the bill would finally make strides
against trafficking by empowering sex workers to
report violence against them.
“Sex work is work and everyone has an inherent
right to a safe workplace,” Ramos, who is the Senate
Labor Committee Chair, said.
No argument there, but the working parts of the
legislation are far too complex to fast track while
lawmakers try and clear the docket in time for
summer break.
Police Commissioner James O’Neill said he had
“great concern” over the proposal in a recent speech.
The seven candidates running for Queens District
Attorney in the June 25 Democratic primary are
mainly in agreement that sex workers should not be
prosecuted, while public defender Tiffany Cabán she
won’t go after pimps and johns either.
To progressive voters, this may all seem fine
but to law—and—order types around the borough,
they would rather slow down the process and
have time to read the fine print before supporting
such legislation.
Queens cannot afford a rush to judgement on such
a precarious and controversial matter.
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16 TIMESLEDGER, JUNE 21-27, 2019 BT QNS.COM
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