4 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 22, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Bayside resident launches campaign for City Council seat
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Lifelong Bayside resident Austin
Shafran, who fi nished a close second to
Paul Vallone in the 2013 Democratic
primary for Council District 19, has
launched his campaign to replace Vallone,
who is term-limited out in 2021.
Shafran, a political consultant with vast
experience in government who came
within 200 votes in what was called one
of the closest races during that political
cycle, believes he is more prepared to represent
the neighborhoods of northeast
Queens as it recovers from the coronavirus
shutdown.
“Seeing the fear, frustration and pain
that COVID has brought to the community
that raised me, where I am now raising
my family, moved me deeply and I
want to do anything I can to help everyone
I can,” Shafran said. “Th e lack of leadership
coming out of City Hall is appallingly
negligent. I will fi ght to ensure our
district gets the full share and fair deal
that we deserve to come out of this crisis
stronger, safer and better than we went
into it.”
Aft er attending P.S. 169, I.S. 25 and St.
Francis Prep High School, Shafran went
on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from
Queens College. Having grown up in
a household of local government workers,
he started his career as a community
liaison to former Congressman Gary
Ackerman, where he helped seniors, the
disabled and immigrant communities
access federal service programs.
Shafran went on to serve as communications
director for NYC Council Finance
Chair David Weprin, where he helped
oversee millions of dollars in community
based grants for northeast Queens
groups; expanded services for seniors,
students and small businesses; and helped
draft legislation to reign in overdevelopment
and reform the city’s unfair property
tax system.
“We are facing unprecedented challenges
due to COVID and the collateral
damage which has aff ected our economy,
schools, businesses, seniors and every
aspect of our daily lives,” Shafran said.
“From issues with schools and parks that
I’ve gone through with my own son to
protecting our most vulnerable seniors as
the son of two elderly parents at heightened
risk for COVID, the recovery of
our communities is a very personal fi ght
for me.”
He said that new leadership was crucial
for this moment.
“Th e approach I would take to help
climb out of this crisis is grounded in a
neighborhood-driven ideology with the
experiences that my family and others like
ours have faced as the true north guiding
my moral compass,” he said. “Th is is a
critical moment that I believe cries out for
fresh leadership, new ideas and the ability
to not only think outside the box but to
reshape it to better fi t the unique needs of
our neighborhoods.”
Shafran continued his career in government
service working as a senior offi cial
for the NYS Senate Democrats and deputy
Ccmmissioner for Governor Andrew
Cuomo, where he led successful legislative
campaigns that have helped New
York become a national leader in social,
economic justice and worker protections.
He moved into the private sector as president
of Metropolitan Public Strategies for
the past seven years, during which he ran
grassroots advocacy campaigns including
successful eff orts to make New York the
fi rst state to enact a $15 minimum wage,
zoning changes to expand aff ordable and
senior housing stock, the passage of the
country’s most comprehensive paid family
leave and universal pre-K programs,
and important criminal justice reforms
to prevent the wrongful conviction and
incarceration of innocent individuals.
“Th e more involved I became in city
and state policy, the more I realized I
knew more than I did when I fi rst ran
in 2013,” Shafran said. “I think that will
make me a better candidate and a better
councilman to help our young families
recover.”
Among the policies Shafran
supports is a 2 percent property
tax cap for one- and twofamily
homes, with a circuit
breaker adjusted for income.
He said he will push for citywide
property tax assessment
reforms and commercial
rent reforms as well as
a sales tax holiday for small
businesses and a zero-interest
loan bridge payments to
all eligible workers who lost
their jobs or seen reduced salaries
and work hours due to the
pandemic. He will also push for
universal daycare and early childhood
education expansion.
“I would propose to pay for this massive
expansion with legislation
to mandate stop-arm cameras
on every school
bus that would
record, identify
and fi ne motorists
that illegally pass
stopped school
buses,” Shafran
said. “Th is would
both protect our children from grave danger
and generate over $100 million a year
in revenue that could be used for education
programs and series.”
He would also support a citywide special
permit requirement for all new hotel
development to take away “as of right”
development rights they have now and
ensure those in the community have a
greater role in development that defi nes it.
“Th is would help better safeguard the
traditional hotel and hospitality industry
from limited-service competition that
has been the majority of
new hotel development
in Queens
and resulted in
most new hotel
developments
being used
for homeless
h o u s i n g
and getting
major
tax breaks
w i t h o u t
employing
union workers,”
Shafran
said.
Courtesy of Austin Shafran
Corner Bistro pub closes Long Island City location
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
aacevedo@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Corner Bistro, a popular pub with an
original location in the West Village, has
closed its Long Island City location.
Th e second location at 47-18 Vernon
Blvd. is now vacant, with “Space for Rent”
signs on its windows as of Th ursday, Oct.
15.
Corner Bistro could not be reached for
comment by press time.
Th e classic pub, which the late owner
Bill O’Donnell originally opened in 1961
in the West Village, is home to one of
New York City’s most raved about burgers.
In 2011, they announced the expansion
of a second location in Long Island
City.
Since then, the spot became a favorite
for many community members.
Steve LoGiudice, the owner of neighboring
Centro Pizza Bar & Italian
Kitchen, told QNS the location has been
closed since April.
“It’s heartbreaking to see a business
when they fail; it’s hard. As an owner, you
put all your investment in the business,
and to see it fail because of something
that we can’t control is heartbreaking,”
LoGiudice said. “Th ey were neighbors,
and we all treat each other like family.
Th e staff members are good people.
I used to go there for a beer and a burger
aft er work.”
LoGiudice said he’s been able to fair
well with his restaurant’s outdoor dining
and hasn’t seen too many nearby businesses
close during the months of the
COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s a great community here. We have a
lot of support,” he said. “I count my blessings
every day.”
Corner Bistro is the latest of more than
a dozen restaurants in Queens that have
permanently closed their doors. Small
businesses in Astoria and across the borough
have called for immediate action
and relief from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and
Mayor Bill de Blasio to prevent the economic
and quality-of-life collapse that
may result of the pandemic.
Th e LIC Partnership has several
resources for local businesses navigating
the ongoing pandemic, including a
COVID-19 Updates and Resources page
as well as a list of open businesses in the
neighborhood.
Additional reporting by Dean Moses.
Photo by Dean Moses
/WWW.QNS.COM
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