30 The QUEE NS Courier • JUly 17, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com editorial Go to www.queenscourier.com and search “Identify This letters IDENTIFY THIS PLACE Place” to find out where this is LIRR STRIKE WOULD BE AN ECONOMIC DISASTER The LIRR strike is fast approaching and I fear a devastating effect on our economy. I feel that this strike would not affect the 1 percent but the 99 percent who depend on the rails to get to work. This will not just affect the 300,000 who travel by the LIRR but those who travel in by buses as well. You see, for those who travel by bus, many of these buses will be diverted to accommodate the many who can’t get in by rail. Added to that, many will be forced to drive in and that will add to traffic gridlock and make our highways one mass parking lot. I hope, like many New Yorkers, that this will not occur. I just pray that a compromise will take place and that common sense will prevail. For the good of the many outweighs the good of the few. Frederick R. Bedell Jr. Glen Oaks. THAT DIDN’T TAKE LONG New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito taking credit for recent passage of a $75 billion municipal budget is nothing to be proud of. She presented the budget to her loyal flock of members just before midnight on June 25. They only had one hour to read it prior to voting at 1 a.m. on June 26. Unless the Council members took an Evelyn Woods speed-reading course, no one had time to read and understand the details buried in the hundreds of pages that made up the budget. Not to worry, in exchange for looking the other way and voting in favor of the budget, everyone got a “piece of the action.” Just like Don Corleone in “The Godfather,” Speaker Mark-Viverito allowed each Council member to “wet their beak.” Each got a slice or “taste” of $50 million in local pork barrel member item spending. Next, unreported by the media, was another treat. Speaker Mark-Viverito also authorized approval for the remaining 50 percent balance of lulus paid out to NYC Council members ranging from $4,000 to $28,000 for chairing NYC Council committees or subcommittees. No wonder Council members are loyal lapdogs to the Council speaker. So much for open, transparent reform government promised voters by both the mayor and Council speaker. The NYC Council is the best money can buy, just like their older brothers and sisters of the New York State Assembly under Speaker Sheldon Silver. Mayor De Blasio, Council Speaker Mark- Viverito and her members have all quickly morphed from reformers into inside City Hall loyal clubhouse regulars. Larry Penner Great Neck STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS Chancellor Carmen Fariña is requiring school superintendents to re-apply for their jobs. She is also setting a minimum of seven years as an educator as a qualification and reinstating the former stipulation that superintendents be mature adults. Currently, many of the division heads and policymaking executives at the Department of Education only a few birthdays ago became eligible to attend R-rated movies unaccompanied by an adult. We’ve got a good shot at recapturing the high bar of 1563 England, when the Statute of Artificers required craftsmen to be apprenticed for seven years. Of course most of the breed of active superintendents are not craftsmen, but it would be a step up for them if they were. Having a hook or bag-man is no substitute for training, skills, purity of motivation and experience. Let’s hope that Chancellor Fariña continues to diversify her perspectives. By no means return to the ancient past of the cathedral-building guilds, whose members had as much discretionary income as Red State senators would allow workers. But let’s at least resuscitate aspects of the recent history of education that served America so well: meritocracy for teachers, principals and superintendents. Ron Isaac Fresh Meadows VISIT QueensCourier.com FOR MORE STORIES STRIKE OUT As we write this, with a threatened LIRR strike looming, we have to wonder where Gov. Andrew Cuomo is. The MTA and the eight LIRR unions allegedly negotiating a contract are so close to an agreement that a little nudge from the governor should bring the sides together. If that’s not enough, a good hard shove from the governor should bring peace. And if that doesn’t work, then figurative arm twisting and head bashing will do just fine. Plainly put, this threatened strike is as ridiculous as it will be ruinous to the lives and businesses of most people on this island. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that if you don’t use the railroad that you will be unaffected. The highways and streets will be jammed with extra traffic as people try to find alternate ways to get to work. Some of the subway lines will be more jammed than usual and, as we all know, crowding means delays. That’s on top of the usual delays. And then there are the businesses that will suffer throughout the area. People have built their livelihoods out of serving the commuters and for them to suffer because the MTA and the unions are digging in is beyond unfair. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli estimates a strike would cost the local economy $50 million a day. That’s right, a handful of workers and a handful of bureaucrats can sabotage the economy at a rate of $50 million a day. That’s far too much money to be held hostage. Both sides need to realize their obligation to the rest of the world and get this dispute — this difference of the tiniest decimals — settled. And failing that, it’s up to the governor to use his political might to strong-arm the parties into an agreement to the benefit of all. A QUEENS ALL-STAR The Courier salutes William Termine, the Middle Village native who was chosen as the Yankees’ All-Star Teacher to be recognized at the Mid-Summer Classic in Minneapolis. He’s an inspired choice with a long history of accomplishment and dedication to improving the lives and fitness of youngsters. He should also be forgiven for shunning his hometown Mets. Termine explains that he chose to support the Bronx Bombers as an act of independence from his Mets fan father and older brother — and there’s a lot to respect in that kind of moxie. All Queens should be proud of Termine. We know we are. THE QUEENS Victoria SchnepS-YuniS JoShua a. SchnepS BoB Brennan William J. Gorta amY amato-Sanchez nirmal SinGh Graziella zerilli Stephen reina ron torina, Jennifer Decio, cherYl GallaGher liam la Guerre, criStaBelle tumola anGY altamirano, Katrina meDoff, eric Jankiewicz cliff KaSDen, Samantha Sohmer, elizaBeth aloni criStaBelle tumola Demetra plaGaKiS louiSe caValiere celeSte alamin maria Valencia Daphne fortunate Victoria SchnepS-YuniS JoShua a. SchnepS Publisher & editor Co-Publisher AssoCiAte Publisher editor-in-Chief VP, eVents, Web & soCiAl MediA Art direCtor AssistAnt to Publisher AssistAnt Art direCtor Artists stAff rePorters Contributing rePorters Web editor eVents MAnAger senior ACCount exeCutiVe ClAssified MAnAger Controller offiCe MAnAger President & Ceo ViCe President Schneps Communications, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361 718-224-5863 • Fax 718-224-5441 website: www.queenscourier.com e-mail:editorial@queenscourier.com ads@queenscourier.com queenscourier@queenscourier.com Entire Contents Copyright 2014 by The Queens Courier All letters sent to THE QUEENS COURIER should be brief and are subject to condensing. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, AS WELL AS OP-ED PIECES IN NO WAY REFLECT THE PAPER’S POSITION. 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