FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com APRIL 28, 2016 • THE QUEENS COURIER 39 oped FOR MORE NEWS VISIT QNS.COM The Triborough Bridge is perhaps one of the greatest engineering feats in the city’s history. The “traffi c machine” is not one bridge, but rather a system of three bridges connecting Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx together by way of Randalls and Wards Islands. Here’s a picture of the most famous part of the system, the suspension bridge over Hell Gate between Queens and Ward Island. Construction had begun in the late 1920s but stalled during the Great Depression. After Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and master builder Robert Moses came to power in the 1930s, work resumed as part of the New Deal, the series of federal programs that helped get the nation working again amid fi nancial calamity. The bridge opened in July 1936, and this year marks its 80th in operation. Share your historic pictures of Queens with us by emailing them to editorial@ qns.com, sharing them on our Facebook or Twitter pages (@QNS) or mail printed pictures to The Queens Courier, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361. All mailed pictures will be carefully returned to you upon request. letters & comments THE UNIQUENESS OF THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL RACE As disquieting as this election season has been with mountains of negatives, little has been said about its uniqueness. To replace the fi rst African- American president, there is a woman, a Jewish Socialist from Brooklyn and an outsider pseudo- Republican who has dedication to no particular ideology but his candidacy. Many contend the troubled administration of President Obama is the result of prejudices. Trump debases any opponent and his supporters relish in his insults and attacks. Trump infamously has defi ned Carly Fiorina and Megyn Kelly, Mexicans, lying Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and so many others as ugly, stupid, rapists and so on. History will defi nitely record this presidential race as remarkable. It has broken all rules. The current campaign is unlike any other. Yet what makes it a source of pride and wonder are these differences. These candidates in the past would never achieve the position they hold today. All restrictions and confi nements have been exterminated. It is diffi cult to contemplate what comes after this race. Yet in so many countries democracy exists in name only. Voters’ choices are simply submitted for affi rmation. Confl icts in nations across the globe are wars to determine singular power and dictates that eradicate opposition. Only in the U.S. could the current race for the White House occur. Though many voters absolutely detest one or the other candidates there is no question that a president will be sworn in peacefully. Many may vilify or distrust the new president and wish it wasn’t so, but America’s democratic institutions will continue and the rewards to all will be our guaranteed freedom and rights. Ed Horn, Baldwin LANDMARKING ISN’T ALWAYS THE ANSWER I have lived in Flushing for over 30 years and have supported the Broadway-Flushing Homeowners’ Association’s efforts to improve and enforce zoning and building codes as well as the Rickert-Finlay Covenant. I cannot, however, support its quest to permit an unelected unaccountable bureaucracy to usurp a portion of our property rights; that is to impose landmark designation. In an effort to obtain NYC Landmark designation, the association requested the homeowners to vote in favor or against seeking landmark designation. According to the law, landmark designation is not the subject of a vote by the community or homeowners, and notifi cation to homeowners is not required. In a response to my concerns regarding landmark designation, the Law Department of New York City apprised me that “A formal application process does not exist. The commission considers eligible buildings and districts for designation in response to suggestions from many sources, including groups and individuals as well as the observations of Commission members and staff. While the Landmarks Commission seeks and encourages community and property owners’ participation and support when considering proposed landmark designations, neither is a required condition for the designation of a landmark.” The letter continues “…the determination as to whether a building or a district is to be landmarked is not the subject of a referendum or vote by the community or property owners.” It is clear the wishes and desires of the homeowners are superfl uous. Invoking Landmark Laws to resolve problems resulting from un-enforced building codes, inadequate zoning laws, indiscriminate variances, corruption and lack of oversight is disingenuous. This is neither the intent nor spirit of the Landmark Laws. Restricting and regulating homeowners’ property rights may stifl e their proclivity to enhance and enrich the “gracious sense of place” they created in the fi rst place. I implore my neighbors to get informed and assert their common sense. Ed Konecnik, Flushing CITY STOPS STEALING FROM TAXPAYERS BY COUNCILMAN RORY LANCMAN Victory! That’s how every homeowner in the city should be feeling right now. After decades of the city bilking residents out of hundreds of dollars annually through unjustifi ably high water rates, homeowners will fi nally get a break. After years of advocacy by civic associations, homeowner groups and many others, Mayor de Blasio has realized what Public Advocate de Blasio already knew: water rates shouldn’t be used to pad the city’s general fund. In his preliminary budget, Mayor de Blasio demanded that the Water Board pay a ‘rent’ payment of $244 million for the Department of Environmental Protection’ use of the city’s water and sewer infrastructure. The budget stated 50 percent would be returned to the Water Board, leaving a net rent of $122 million. The water rent is designed to pay the City’s debt service on water and sewer infrastructure, but that will only total $35 million this year. So the bulk of the rent, $87 million, was straight theft. This money would have gone into the city’s general fund and would not have been spent on operating or improving the water and sewer system. It took over two years, but this week the Mayor fi nally came to his senses. The executive budget eliminates the rent payment and gives homeowners a $183 credit on their water bill. The 2.1 percent water rate increase will still go through, but the credit, an average 17 percent savings, means that homeowners will not pay more in water fees this year than last. Eliminating this egregious tax is the right move by the mayor. As the cost of living has skyrocketed in New York in the past decade, water rates have increased faster than infl ation. Homeowners were subject to double-digit rate increases year after year. Now, the madness has ended. The mayor realized that it simply wasn’t possible to defend this theft any longer. Instead of forcing another increase on residents, water bills will stay steady this year, giving homeowners some leeway in their budgets and helping average people afford life in New York City. Public Advocate de Blasio knew that this policy was rotten, and now, Mayor de Blasio does too. I’m hopeful that this is the last we will ever see of this budgetary trick. Homeowners can pay their water bills with confi dence now, knowing that the money will fi nally go where it is supposed to. Councilman Lancman represents the 24th Council District, which includes all or parts of Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok, Electchester, Fresh Meadows, Hillcrest, Jamaica Estates, Briarwood, Parkway Village, Jamaica Hills and Jamaica. A LOOK BACK
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