WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES FEBRUARY 20, 2020 13
LETTERS AND COMMENTS
WHY PROPOSED AIRTRAIN
LGA IS GOOD
FOR QUEENS
Any suggestion that funding for the
construction of a proposed AirTrain
to LaGuardia Airport comes at the
expense of any other transportation
project in Queens is not only without
merit, it is fl at out wrong.
AirTrain LGA would cost $2.05 billion
to construct – and not a penny of
that comes from taxpayer dollars or
has been “funneled” from state infrastructure
funding, as some elected
offi cials have recently suggested.
For AirTrain LGA, the primary
source of funding comes from the Port
Authority from revenues that must as a
matter of law be spent on Port Authority
owned or operated facilities with
only minor exceptions.
In particular, any revenues generated
from airport operations can only
be used for airport purposes. AirTrain
LGA meets that requirement. Rebuilding
the BQE, for example, does not.
Without AirTrain, we would lose the
opportunity to create a valuable rail
link to LaGuardia and Queens would
get nothing else in return.
AirTrain LGA is good for the environment,
it will reduce congestion on local
roads and highways and it will provide
a reliable 30-minute trip to LaGuardia
Airport from Midtown Manahttan. It is
a project that is long overdue and one
that deserves support.
Rick Cotton, Executive Director, the
Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey
Rick Cotton,
Executive Director, Port Authority
of New York and New Jersey
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OP-ED
Moving on from Amazon:
Queens one year after HQ2
BY DONOVAN RICHARDS
AND JULIE SAMUELS
A full year has passed since
Amazon decided not to locate its
HQ2 in Queens, and in the days
around the anniversary there has been
no shortage of postmortems.
From the state of our tech sector to the
role of subsidies in economic development,
New Yorkers have heard a deluge
of hot takes about issues impacted by
HQ2’s demise. But lost in the noise has
been any mention of the area most
aff ected by the last 365 days - Queens
- which warrants a brief recap of the
facts.
While there’s no doubt that HQ2
would’ve been game-changing, Queens
is still thriving. A macro view paints an
encouraging picture. Unemployment
rates are steady at 3.6 percent, best of all
the boroughs, while we also saw notable
increases in hiring and weekly wages
during 2019. Equally relevant is the
steady stream of development throughout
the area, including a 12,000 square
foot coworking space for entrepreneurs
and a new industrial center that’ll off er
$51,000 average salaries. It’s no surprise
state comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said
“the Queens economy is booming” in 2018.
Unsurprisingly, that boom continues in
2020.
At a more granular level, we’ve also
seen the Queens tech ecosystem take
promising steps forward. A variety of
local tech leaders have been hosting
the Queens Tech Night series, which
helps connect entrepreneurs, workers,
and tech companies in order to build
a more robust (and socially benefi cial)
ecosystem. Industry leaders like Google
have also joined the action, putting on
regular local tech training events for
students, seniors, and the public (something
they’ve been doing for multiple
years).
Milestones like these shouldn’t suggest
things are perfect, nor should they
leave Queens leaders content. We still
have a lot of progress to make, including
on the tech front. Right now, the
tech industry’s growth remains far too
concentrated in Manhattan, oft en leaving
behind several neighborhoods that
could benefi t from the advent of new
industries, developments, and jobs.
This is generally true of the outer
boroughs, which outside of Downtown
Brooklyn remain largely untapped
by the tech sector. Yes, companies like
Netfl ix have plunged into Williamsburg,
while places like Staten Island have more
distribution center jobs coming their
way, but the gap between Manhattan
and the rest remains far too big.
It’s nonetheless also true that success
can’t be defi ned by investment
alone. It’s great that two Queens
neighborhoods are projected to be
among the hottest on the market this
year, and there’s no doubt that’s related
to the uptick in economic activity in
those places. But business leaders and
elected offi cials must work together
to make sure these trends benefi t all
residents. Here the HQ2 debacle is a
telling example.
While there’s no question 40,000
jobs and $28 billion in tax revenue
would’ve been unprecedented - and
we both certainly felt the benefi ts outweigh
the costs - there were absolutely
valid concerns about the project’s
impact on the cost of living and gentrifi
cation. More investment is a good
thing, but it must be done in a way that
doesn’t exclude everyday people.
Regardless of successes and shortcomings,
one thing is clear: tech is the
future, and Queens must be prepared.
Jobs and development will continue
to come by virtue of everything the
borough off ers, but it is imperative that
everyone is equipped to thrive when
that happens.
Companies, leaders, and communities
must therefore work together, to ensure
anyone in Queens can get the education,
training, and skills needed to succeed. It
is also essential that we prioritize more
access to opportunities for public housing
residents across Queens.
By working with the right organizations,
we can collaborate to ensure
residents have a path to meaningful
paid internships, career opportunities,
and programs with sustainable wages
and benefi ts. It is no coincidence that
the highest paying jobs in Queens are
in engineering, computers, and science,
and there is no reason to assume that is
going to change.
It’s been a year since the HQ2 debacle,
and a retrospect off ers a lot of insight
for Queens. The numbers look good
and tech is growing, while many of the
challenges evident then are still the
same. If stakeholders can embrace our
momentum while working together
on key issues, we will offi cially make
a borough that’s built for everyone to
succeed.
Julie Samuels is the Executive Director
of Tech:NYC, an organization representing
over 800 New York tech companies
to foster a more dynamic, diverse, and
creative New York.
Councilman Donovan Richards is the
chair of the Council’s Committee on Public
Safety and represents District 31 in Queens,
which encompasses Laurelton, Rosedale,
Springfi eld Gardens and Far Rockaway.
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