40 The QUEE NS Courier • august 29, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com editorial “Identify This Place” to find out where this is letters THE QUEENS Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. Schneps Bob Brennan Tonia N. Cimino Amy Amato-Sanchez Nirmal Singh Graziella Zerilli Stephen Reina Ron Torina, Jennifer Decio, Cheryl Gallagher Melisa Chan, Liam La Guerre, Cristabelle Tumola Maggie Hayes, Angy Altamirano Cliff Kasden, Samantha Sohmer, Elizabeth Aloni Cristabelle Tumola Bill Krese Jan DiGeronimo Maria Romero Louise Cavaliere Celeste Alamin Maria Valencia Daphne Fortunate Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. 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IDENTIFY THIS PLACE Go to www.queenscourier.com and search A vote for Graziano As a person involved with community and civic concerns, I know most of the candidates running for the 19th District council seat in northeast Queens. I have worked with some of them on community issues. I have respect for all of the candidates, because it is not easy to run for or be in political office. The groups that I belong to and work with do not endorse specific candidates, however, as an individual citizen, I must speak out when I see a candidate running who has an exceptional record. One of the most important issues facing us today is neighborhood preservation. It not only affects our quality of life, but also affects our property values and the future viability of our communities. Urban specialist Paul Graziano, working together with civic organizations and elected leaders like Senator Tony Avella, has been at the forefront over the past dozen years in rezoning almost all of the neighborhoods in the 19th District, making it less likely to have inappropriate development on our blocks. I personally worked with Paul during the Bayside, North Flushing and Auburndale rezonings. I was impressed with his extensive knowledge of all of our neighborhoods and how the Department of City Planning agreed with most of his zoning assessments. Paul has also worked to landmark worthy buildings and districts to ensure that their historical, architectural and cultural attributes are preserved for future generations. He has personally appeared at the Landmarks Preservation Commission, advocating for the protection of many important sites throughout Queens and beyond. Paul also knows about the problems that we continue to face, including the need to reform the Department of Buildings and the Board of Standards and Appeals, two agencies that are not always responsive or accountable to the people. He also realizes that community facility regulations must be reviewed and tightened up so that those facilities are not a burden to adjacent residents. Other neighborhood issues facing us include the need to change the manufacturing zoning designation in the Station Road area to residential and to create a new zoning designation for single-family attached and semi-attached homes. I believe that Paul will work to affect these and other needed changes, with the assistance of community and civic organizations. Paul also has exhibited leadership on other important issues, including the problem of aircraft noise over our communities, education reform and protection of our environment. He believes that parkland should not be developed by private businesses and is one of the principals of the Save Flushing Meadows-Corona Park group. He is an activist and an advocate. He has also been endorsed by Avella. For all of these reasons, I feel that Paul Graziano is the most qualified candidate running in the 19th District. I will be voting for him in the September 10 Democratic primary and I urge my fellow registered Democrats to consider doing so as well Henry Euler Bayside HELP SAVE A LIFE For the past three years, I have had the privilege of organizing blood drives for the New York City Council in District 19, covering northeast Queens from College Point to Little Neck. For reasons which have been all too obvious, this year has been something of a challenge, but the Annual Council District 19 Summer Blood Drive will be on Thursday, September 5 from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Bell Boulevard at the LIRR Bayside Station overpass. I have a challenge of my own. There are six people vying for the opportunity to represent the district in the City Council. I challenge them to advance this valuable Council function by encouraging their supporters, friends and family to participate. I realize that this is an important day to my Jewish friends, but the need for blood observes no calendar and your donation could help save three lives. We will do anything we can to accommodate you so you can get home to be with your loved ones. Here’s the link to make an online appointment and be eligible to receive a $25 American Express gift card graciously provided by the Bayside Village BID after you donate. https:// drm.nybloodcenter.org/PublicScheduler/ GroupLanding.aspx?s=67568 You can also call the Council District Office at 718-631-6703 during normal business hours. All donors are also eligible to receive a pair of Mets-Giants tickets provided by Gregg Sullivan of Bayside Live TV. Make an appointment or just show up. You can help save three lives. Thank you. Victor G. Mimoni Director of Communications Council District 19 ROLLING ON THE RIVER Kudos to keeping the ferry afloat. It was announced just last week that ferry service between the Rockaways and Manhattan has been extended through January 31 of next year. This is the third extension for the water travel service, which most recently was pushed through the summer to Labor Day. Since its initial launch in November post-Sandy, the ferry has become many residents’ preferred method of travel between boroughs, departing from Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive and stopping at Pier 11 in downtown Manhattan. Since its beginnings, the service has allowed for more than 120,000 passenger trips, according to city officials. So why is its future in question? We agree with Assemblymember Phil Goldfeder and Councilmember Eric Ulrich, who are calling for the mayoral candidates to pledge their commitment, if elected, in making the ferry a permanent city service. IT JUST MAKES SENSE. After all, with the Cross Bay Bridge toll not going anywhere any time soon, $2 for a one-way trip on the ferry is quite affordable. And it generates revenue and jobs for the city. Plus, 10 months post-Sandy, as the people of the Rockaways are just getting back on their feet, we should make sure to make life as easy as possible. So let’s keep the ferry “rolling on the river.” TAKEN FOR A RIDE It seems like community centers are always getting the short end of the stick, and now one is being taken for a ride. Visitor parking spots that were once free at the Pomonok Community Center will now cost roughly $2,700, say officials. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), since partnering up in March with Greystone Parking Services, has come under fire for spiking some annual parking rates at 43 citywide developments. Now it is facing more heat for billing the Pomonok Community Center $272 for 10 visitor spaces that used to be complimentary. This is unconscionable. Facilities such as the Pomonok Community Center are always coming under fire in the so-called “budget dance,” and are always in fear of having their costs cut – or worse, closing completely. So why the additional fees? The Pomonok Community Center serves an important function, providing meals, activities and cooling stations during hot weather to more than 50 seniors who visit daily. We urge NYCHA officials to reconsider the fee. After all, that money would better serve the seniors who utilize the Pomonok Community Center.
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