6 The Queens Courier • MARCH 28, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com IT’S YOUR BUDGET COUNCIL DISTRICTS CAN VOTE ON FUNDING BY MELISA CHAN [email protected] A million dollar decision is in the hands of some Queens residents. Three City Council districts in the borough have a week, starting April 1, to vote on community projects they want the city to fund. Part of an initiative called “Participatory Budgeting,” residents are allowed to develop ideas and then choose five physical infrastructure projects they want to see in their neighborhood. The total $10 million budget is composed of discretionary capital public money to be split between eight districts in the city. “Participatory Budgeting gives the community an unprecedented opportunity to make decisions on how city dollars get spent in our community,” said Councilmember Mark Weprin. Weprin and Councilmembers Dan Halloran and Eric Ulrich have each allocated $1 million to their respective districts. Project items to be voted on include upgrading technology at schools and libraries, installing police and security cameras in high crime areas, and upgrading community facilities like the Poppenhusen Institute and Queens County Farm Museum. Residents in Halloran’s district have proposed adding a dog run canopy and kayak launch at Little Bay Park and a bird watching platform at Parsons Beach. “These projects are all worthwhile, especially because they came from the people,” Halloran said. This is the second year of the city’s participatory budgeting. The process was derailed by Sandy in the 32nd District, according to Councilmember Eric Ulrich’s office, since some ballot items involving the boardwalk and parks have become ineligible after the storm. A vote was still scheduled for the first week of April as of press time. Last year, residents in Ulrich’s district voted to build a bandstand space on Shore Front Parkway, install a library vending machine in Breezy Point and upgrade technology at local schools. For ballots and voting locations in all three Queens districts, visit pbnyc.org. Senate approves budget BY TERENCE M. CULLEN [email protected] It may be on time. Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senate leaders Dean Skelos and Jeff Klein and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver reached an agreement on Wednesday, March 20 for a tentative 2013-14 state budget. Senators approved all bills in the budget on Wednesday, March 27. The budget will go to the Assembly next for approval. Tax cuts and enhanced education are some of the highlighted outlines of the bill, released by Cuomo’s office upon the agreement. The budget includes gradually raising the minimum wage from its current $7.25/hour to $9/hour by 2015. Wages would go up to $8/hour by the end of this year under the plan. It would also cut taxes for middle class families and small businesses. If a family makes anywhere from $40,000 to $300,000, it will be eligible for a $350 child tax Photo courtesy of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office/Flickr State Senators Jeff Klein and Dean Skelos, Governor Andrew Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver announcing a tentative agreement on the state budget. credit for three years, which would start in 2014, according to Cuomo’s office. The small business cut would give almost $800 million in tax eases to merchants statewide. Workforce training, on a related note, would help fill an estimated 210,000 unfilled jobs in New York. Expanded Pre-K programs and a bar exam style test for teachers would also be covered under the budget, and would reward teachers who get high performance ratings. If approved by the April 1 deadline, this would be Cuomo’s third straight ontime budget since coming into office two years ago. “This budget symbolizes the tremendous progress that has been made in Albany and demonstrates that the new New York government is once again working for the people of this state,” Cuomo said in a statement. 2013 Estate Tax Law Changes-Are You At Risk? Costly Mistakes You Cannot Afford to Make! Come to a Free Workshop on Wills Living Trusts & Medicaid Planning At the workshop, we will discuss several issues, including: -The advantages and disadvantage of Wills and Living Trusts -How to plan before you need Long Term Care -How to protect your children’s inheritance from future ex-spouses, lawsuits and other claims Seating is Limited. Refreshments Served. 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