for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com JANUARY 17, 2013 • The queens Courier 3 aPProve $50.7b in sanDY aiD BY CrisTABeLLe TuMoLA ctumola@queenscourier.com Sandy victims are one step closer to receiving the relief money they need. After $9.7 billion in flood insurance funds were signed into law earlier this month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an additional $50.7 billion in aid. In a 327-91 vote Tuesday afternoon, January 15, the House approved $17 billion in emergency funding that will go towards addressing immediate needs for victims THE COURIER/Photo by Alexa Altman and communities affected by Sandy. Bus sToPPeD assist millions of their fellow Americans in New York,A few hours later, a final bill that included an additional“We are grateful to those members of Congress who$33.7 billion for both immediate and anticipated needswas adopted in a 241-180 vote.today pulled together in a unified, bipartisan coalition toStudents arrive at P.S. 166 in Astoria in cabs and congested carpool lines on the first day of the city-wide school bus strike. STRIKE LEAVES PARENTS, STUDENTS SCRAMBLING The tradition of Congress being there and providing sup-New Jersey and Connecticut at their greatest time of need. BY ALeXA ALTMAn contracts to other bidders has saved the city $95 port for Americans during times of crisis, no matter where they live across this great country, lives on in today’s vote aaltman@queenscourier.com million, allotting more money for teachers’ salaries in the House of Representatives. We anticipate smooth Dodging icy sleet, first-grader Tarunima Bhowmik and schoolhouse improvement projects. passage when this package moves back to the Senate for and her father Gola grabbed a cab from their home Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott called the final approval and for this long-awaited relief to finally in Sunnyside on their way to Tarunima’s school, P.S. lockout “a strike against our students,” that will make its way to our residents,” said Governors Andrewhave “a devastating effect” on them. 166 in Astoria. Fare cost about $10, a necessary evil Cuomo, Chris Christie and Dannel Malloy in a joint with New York City school buses out of commission. Michael Cordiello, president of Local 1181, statement.stood by his group’s decision to begin striking on “It’s a very hard time for the kids,” Gola said of “It’s been two-and-a-half months since Sandy ham- the school bus strike as he dropped off his daughter. Wednesday, stating that their justification lies in their mered our region, and thousands of New Yorkers con-increased responsibility to “handle and transport the “The bus drivers and the city authorities should tinue to suffer from the devastation. Now, they will finally come to an agreement as soon as possible.” most precious cargo in New York City.” receive the relief that they have desperately needed, said“I heard it was said today that if we strike, we are Riding the bus is first-grader Aviva Kaufman’s Congressmember Grace Meng. “The battle we had to fight favorite part of the day. Every morning, the six-year- striking the children of the city of New York,” said to secure this aid was outrageous. But I’m pleased that theCordiello. “In fact, we would be striking for the city old hops on the bus in Bay Terrace and rides to money will finally start to head our way.” P.S. 130 in Flushing. Her mother Kari runs errands of New York’s children. Throughout the day’s legislative session, House mem-According to Cordiello, starting pay for bus drivers before heading to her job at a nearby preschool. bers spoke adamantly about the bill. Some stressed the When Local 1181 of the Amalgamated Transit Union is $14 per hour, amounting to $38,000 annually, and relief money’s urgency, while others objected to unrelatedpension plans for operators are private and don’t announced that school bus drivers would begin striking Sandy spending. on Wednesday, January 16, parents panicked over impact taxpayers. Cordiello also stated that contrary In the House, the majority of those opposed to the reliefto what city officials have claimed, the drivers’ wrecked routines and tricky transportation alternatives. aid were Republicans. The Democratically controlled Nearly 152,000 students, who rely on city-contracted objective of job security does not break any laws. Senate is expected to say yes to the money next week.Students in grades kindergarten through six will buses to get to class on time, are now stranded. In December, the Senate initially approved the full Local 1181’s motive for striking rests in job be issued MetroCards with students in kindergarten $60.4 billion Sandy aid package in one lump sum, but thethrough second grade eligible for an extra MetroCard security after the city announced attempts to find House adjourned before it could follow suit. new contractors for more than 1,000 bus routes. for parents who wish to accompany their children to After several politicians publicly criticized Speaker Johnschool. Parents driving their children to school can Drivers want the city to ensure job stability, a Boehner for the early adjournment, he scheduled a vote request city officials have deemed “illegal,” adding receive gas reimbursements at 55 cents per mile. on the legislation.Kari fears the bus strike could jeopardize student’s that any kind of discrepancies are between the But the $60.4 billion was broken up into several votes, start- employees and the bus companies. safety, adding that drivers undergo diligent training ing with Congress’ January 4 approval of the $9.7 billion.as well as a thorough screening process before they “This is not about safety,” said Mayor Michael That part of the legislation temporarily increases the bor- Bloomberg. “It’s about job protection that the city are put behind the wheel. Substitute drivers may not rowing authority of the Federal Emergency Managementbe as equipped to care for students, she said. cannot offer.” Agency (FEMA) for carrying out the National Flood According to Bloomberg, the city spends $1.1 “I don’t want my child riding on a bus with Insurance Program (NFIP).someone who hasn’t been trained and tested,” said billion annually on student transit, equaling $6,900 The $50 billion passed Tuesday includes money for per child, which the mayor said is far greater than any Kari. “The safety of my child is not clear then.” other American city. Bloomberg claimed that over Go to queenscourier.com for updates and other recovery needs.FEMA disaster relief, transit and infrastructure repairs, the last five years, altering bus routes and opening as they happen Vote on gun control passes Legislature BY TerenCe M. CuLLen morning to make the bill official. violence. tcullen@queenscourier.com People who are deemed unsafe to own a weapon by State Senator Jose Peralta said the passage was the mental health professionals will have their licenses first step in curbing gun violence and aiding police Less than a week after Governor Andrew Cuomo revoked or suspended under the bill. to fight crime. The next step, he said, was to push for promised to make New York the leader in gun safety, Assault weapons will now be banned under a microstamping on weapons, which would help crime the state Legislature voted in favor of laws that would “one-feature” test that will examine if a weapon has a fighters track guns. effectively keep weapons away from the mentally ill detachable magazine that is associated with military “We also need to make it easier for law enforce- and crack down on illegal guns. weapons. The state formerly had a “two-feature” test ment to put gun criminals in jail by making use of The State Senate voted 43-18 in favor of the New that also factored in guns that were semi-automatic. available technology,” he said. “That’s why we need York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Queens senators immediately spoke to the suc- to enact microstamping legislation, which has the Act (NY SAFE Act) around 11 p.m. on Monday, cess of the bill passing, promising that it would help support of police and prosecutors throughout the January 14; the Assembly voted in favor the following make both the state and the borough safer from gun state.”
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