FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com MAY 5, 2016 • TIMES 25 around queens Queens shoppers fear extra pinch from a ‘bag tax’ BY MIGUEL VASQUEZ editorial@qns.com @QueensCourier The City Council is nearing a decision on a proposed 5-cent tax on paper and plastic bags used by grocery and retail stores, but Queens residents have mixed feelings over the idea. Councilman Brad Lander and Councilwoman Margaret Chin, the bill’s sponsors, indicated that the tax provides an incentive for shoppers to use reusable eco-friendly bags. According to Lander’s offi ce, more than $12.5 million worth of city resources are spent on cleaning up plastic bags from streets, parks and beaches every year. The concern surrounding this tax however, is that it will be yet another fi nancial burden placed on New York residents. Councilman Eric Ulrich agrees with this sentiment. “The proposed plastic bag fee is just another way to nickel and dime New Yorkers, who already pay some of the highest taxes and utility rates in the nation,” Ulrich said. “It’s a regressive tax that will burden seniors and low-income families the most.” A number of New Yorkers have rallied against the bill, also feeling that there is a more benefi cial way to be progressive. The “Bag the Tax” movement looks to promote the idea that these bags can indeed be recycled and that putting in more of an effort to do so will help the economy while keeping our city clean. Shoppers at the Bay Terrace Stop & Shop had mixed feelings about the bag tax becoming a reality. “I would never want to pay that. On days where I have 10 or 15 bags, I’ll have to pay 50 cents or more. That’s way too much,” exclaimed Yvette Franco. Another shopper, Sue Feliciano, felt that the bill might be a good way to convince New Yorkers to be more environmentally conscious: “I think it’s a great idea, as long as it’s really helping the environment. There’s too much plastic fl oating around this city.” Councilman Donovan Richards has a similar hope for this bill as he fully understands the dangers of neglecting our environment. “As a representative of Far Rockaway, I saw fi rsthand after Hurricane Sandy, how much damage climate change can have on our coastal cities,” he said. “Plastic bags are p o l l u t - ing our oceans at d i s a s t rous levels, so we need to do our part in New York City to eliminate our plastic bag waste like so many other cities around the globe have done already.” Both City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and Mayor Bill de Blasio have indicated their support for a 5-cent tax on every bag. The original bill called for a 10-cent tax, but it was later reduced to 5 cents. The City Council could vote on the tax during its meeting this week. Win annual ferry passes at new Citywide Ferry Service website BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@ridgewoodtimes.com @AngelaMatua The Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and Hornblower, the provider of the new citywide ferry service, have just launched the service’s website, which will feature everything from a chance to win an annual ferry pass to a live stream of boat construction. The construction and development phase of the fi rst citywide ferry service in nearly 100 years will be documented on citywideferry.nyc and riders will get project updates, information on upcoming public meetings and more than 150 local jobs expected to be created. In addition to this information, fi ve New Yorkers who take a two-minute survey on the site will win Citywide Ferry passes when service starts. Two of the fi ve new service routes are coming to Queens, including service from Astoria to Wall Street and Rockaway to Wall Street. The Astoria route will also make stops in Long Island City, Roosevelt Island and East 34th Street. The Rockaway service will make a stop at the Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Joe Mabel Brooklyn Army Terminal. A single ride will cost the same as a subway ride and the service will operate from 21 landings across the city. Both Queens and a South Brooklyn service will be operational starting next summer, with the remaining Bronx and Manhattan service to start in summer 2018. San Francisco-based Hornblower is a 35-yearold company that also operates cruises out of Pier 40 and Pier 15, tours to Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty and Liberty Landing Ferry service from New York to New Jersey. The city estimates that the service will carry an estimated 4.6 million trips per year when it is fully operational in 2018. “Our hundreds of miles of prime waterfront are a place for New Yorkers to work, live and play, and it’ll be easier than ever to do all three once Citywide Ferry launches next year,” said Cameron Clark, vice president of Hornblower New York. “We also want to hear from New Yorkers on how they plan to use the system, which is why we encourage everyone to take our brief two-minute survey to tell us a little about how they plan to use the system. For that, we’ll reward fi ve lucky New Yorkers with an annual ferry pass.” Riders up for charity at Forest Hills stable The Kiwanis Club of Middle Village recently conducted a Pony Ride Fundraiser at corporate sponsor Lynne’s Riding Center in Forest Hills with this year’s proceeds bene ting the Play4Autism Foundation. More than 60 children and several adults rode in the indoor ring and bought chances for several raf e baskets, including two certi cates to one-week of summer camp provided by Christ The King Campus. Photos courtesy of the Kiwanis Club of Middle Village
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