WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES MAY 10, 2018 13
KEEP PRODUCTION
CREDITS ROLLING
As a restaurant owner in New York, I
appreciate the National Small Business
Week focus on businesses like ours. It’s
good to give a shout-out to all those entrepreneurs
and small businesses that
keep our communities running.
But I want to use this opportunity to
take a look at what keeps our small businesses
in business. For many of us in the
New York area, that is the New York State
Film Tax Credit Program. It is designed
to strengthen our state’s fi lm production
industry and its positive impact on our
economy. I want to help educate people
on the fi lm tax credit and why it’s so
important for me and my family.
The program encourages companies
to fi lm projects in New York instead of
taking their production to another
state or country. Production companies
may be eligible to receive 30 percent
of qualifi ed production costs and
post-production costs incurred in New
York state when they fi lm a project here.
That incentive has brought big productions
to our area, including “Girls,”
“Girl on the Train,” “The Good Wife,”
“The Blacklist” and “Royal Pains.” When
these productions come, they bring
business for all of us, not just those
directly involved in the fi lming process.
For example, I own and operate a
mom and pop restaurant in Long Island
City. The fact of the matter is that the
LETTERS AND COMMENTS
fi lm industry has kept my business
afl oat through some of the hardest
times. These productions bring people
to our area, and people need to eat
— and that is what keeps my business
thriving. Without the tax credit, I don’t
think I’d be able to stay in business.
When a small vocal group shut
down fi lming on Vernon Boulevard, I
advocated to have that ban removed so
we could continue to benefi t from the
fi lm industry using our neighborhood
for locations in their projects. This is
important to our livelihood.
I urge our governor and our Legislature
— and all candidates who are running
for offi ce — to continue supporting
New York’s production tax incentive
program. I know the tax credit is set
to expire soon. During National Small
Business Week and always, please consider
the needs of those of us who rely
on fi lm tax credits. Please do your part
to keep our small businesses in business.
Gianna Cerbone Teoli, Manducatis
Rustica, Long Island City
MOTHER’S DAY
WISHES FROM A
DEVOTED READER
Sunday, May 13, is the day we honor all
mothers near, far and deceased. As I was
reading, a woman named Anna Jarvis
campaigned for a day to mothers living
and deceased in 1905. She has succeeded
and on May 8, 1914, President Woodrow
Wilson signed into law a bill establishing
the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.
I remember my mother, who I only
had a short time; her name was Teresa
Bedell. She passed away in 1963 when I
was 14 years old and living in Queens
Village. My mother was dedicated
to me and the entire family and was
active in Grace Lutheran Church and
in the community raising funds for the
sick and those in need. I was a sickly
child and had health and educational
issues and she got me help in those areas.
For that I will be eternally grateful.
So to all mothers, let me say thanks
for all you have done. Have a Happy
Mothers’ Day!
Frederick R. Bedell Jr., Glen Oaks Village
LIEN ADS AREN’T
VERY LEAN ON
TAXPAYERS’ BUDGET
Drip, drip, drip, watch your tax dollars
go down the drain. Have you also seen
all the “Don’t Let Tax, Water, Or Repair
Charges Come Between You and Your
Property” full page ads in many daily
and weekly neighborhood newspapers?
Even worse, was the 104-page recent
supplement which appeared in
the New York Daily News on Monday,
April 30. The advertisement lists, line
by line, the name of every New Yorker
who owes real estate, tax, water, sewer,
emergency repair or other property
related charges that would result in
the city placing liens on their property.
Is this the best way the NYC Departments
of Finance, Environmental
Protection along with Housing Preservation
and Development can spend
taxpayers’ dollars?
Why can’t all three agencies compare
their respective lists of people who owe
money with those fi ling city and state tax
returns? Surely the technology exists
to place a lien on any tax refunds? You
could also extend citizens the courtesy
of a telephone call, letter or email informing
them of their overdue obligations.
What’s next, will the city send out
Marshals going door-to-door serving
subpoenas?
Larry Penner, Great Neck
Email your letters to editorial@qns.
com (Subject: Letter to the Editor) or
leave a comment to any of our stories
at QNS.com. You can also send a
letter by regular mail to Letters to the
Editor, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY
11361. All letters are subject to editing.
Names will be withheld upon request,
but anonymous letters will not be
considered for publication. The views
expressed in all letters and comments
are not necessarily those of this
publication or its staff .
This gem from the Oct. 20, 2011,
Ridgewood Times shows the
Students of the Month at Sacred
Heart School in Glendale. The
awards were given to those
students who achieved “overall
excellence during the fi rst month
of class” that school year. Among
those pictured at the award presentation
was Fr. John Fullum, the
church’s pastor at the time. Send us
your historic photos of Queens by
email to editorial@qns.com (subject:
A Look Back) or mail printed
pictures to A Look Back, ℅ Schneps
Communications, 38-15 Bell Blvd.,
Bayside, NY 11361. All mailed
pictures will be carefully returned
to you.
A LOOK BACK
Photo via Ridgewood Times archives/Courtesy of the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society
link
