TIMES, THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2014 • 30 Bash & Slash Man In Oz. Pk. R’wood Plan At CB 5 Transit Cmte. Pat Buchanan News & Opinion -CONTINUED FROM PG. 4- Asian and white continues to persist. To bring up test scores, we have seen the dumbing down of tests and rampant cheating by principals and teachers erasing and changing answers for students in school districts including D.C. and Atlanta. Corrupt conduct by those charged with instructing America’s children in the moral superiority of democratic government. Is not the charter school movement a vote of no confidence in a school system that was once the pride of the nation? The sub-prime mortgage scandal, which almost plunged us into a second Great Depression, was a product of Big Government. And despite five trillion in federal deficits under Obama, and a Fed policy of pumping endless trillions into the banks, U.S. growth in the first quarter flatlined, and has been anemic for years. The bankruptcy of Detroit, the downgrades of public debt in Illinois, Puerto Rico and New Jersey—were they not all caused by the political class that runs state governments? Yes, there are well-run VA hospitals, outstanding public schools, and state and local governments that are magnets for business. And government has accomplished goals in which all of us take pride. NASA put our astronauts on the moon. After Pearl Harbor, Washington led America to victory in less than four years. But lately government’s failures seem to outnumber its successes. Republicans rightly view with alarm demographic trends showing their core constituencies shrinking and the Democrats’ rising. But Democrats should also take heed. For declining confidence in government’s ability to solve America’s problems, which is likely to be translated into Republican gains in Congress this year, represents a declining faith in the Democratic idea that government is the answer. In the last century, communism was The God That Failed. It should be a cause for concern that in the new century the god that appears to be failing is American democracy. Patrick J. Buchanan is the author of “Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?" the meeting that the changes would all be done with temporary materials so the intersection could be monitored and then altered again with capital improvements, if necessary, at a later date. Hall reassured, “You know where to find me, we’ll continue talking to you. We’re not going to close shop and walk away and you’ll never find the DOT again.” On the MoveNY plan Jonathan Matts with MoveNY, a non-profit transportation group aimed at ending gridlock in New York, spoke to committee members about the organization’s efforts. The group wants to make city streets faster, safer, and fairer as noted on the website. He stated MoveNY is currently undergoing a citywide grassroots campaign to meet with, inform and solicit suggestions from local communities and their leaders about MoveNY’s proposal for reducing city traffic. MoveNY proposes to discourage vehicles from driving through Manhattan by imposing tolls of around $5 both ways on free bridges such as Williamsburg, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Ed Koch-Queensboro bridges, while significantly decreasing tolls on the outer edge of the city to little more than $1 to $2. The plan would end the parking tax rebate for Manhattanites and impose a 14 percent surcharge on taxi rides so those living in the city but do not drive would contribute to the system. For more information visit www.move-ny.org. The next meeting of Community Board 5’s Transportation and Public Transit committees is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 24, at 7:30 p.m. at the Board 5 office, located at 61-23 Myrtle Ave. in Glendale. For more information, call 1-718-366-1834. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 6- Traffic Safety Tops 112th Council Meeting -CONTINUED FROM PG. 10- P.O. Gregory Prepall (holding plaque) was recognized as Cop of the Month during the 112th Precinct Community Council meeting last Wednesday, May 21, for arresting a suspected cell phone snatcher. Among those pictured with Prepall at the presentation are Chief of Community Affairs Joanne Jaffe; Assistant Chief Diana Pizzuti, commanding officer of Patrol Borough Queens North; Deputy Inspector Michael Telfer, commander of NYPD Transit Bureau District 20; Capt. Thomas Conforti, commanding officer of the 112th Precinct; and Heidi Harrison Chain, 112th Precinct Community Council president. (photo: Matthew Van Deventer) Conforti continued with regard to the recent fatalities, “Now that’s two lives lost, and we have to take a strong stance, and if issuing summonses is what we have to do to try and get people to save their lives, then that’s what we have to do.” Pizzuti spent some time with the community and fielded mostly traffic related issues residents are dealing with such as lengthy crossings on Queens Boulevard and Austin Street, vehicles double parking, buses not pulling over to the curb, the taxi stand on 71st Avenue and Queens Boulevard, cyclists not abiding traffic laws and e-bikes. In February and March, the precinct confiscated 47 e-bikes, said Conforti, which forced those drivers back to their bicycles. While they can’t target delivery cyclists or messengers, explained Bogle, they will enforce traffic laws on cyclists if they are not abiding. The same policy holds for e-bikes. Community Affairs chief talks Community Affairs Bureau Chief Joanne Jaffee spoke briefly at Wednesday night’s meeting to highlight the bureau’s enthusiasm to connect with committees in New York City with its many branches. Before Police Commissioner Bill Bratton appointed her, Jaffee was the chief of the Housing Department for 10 1/2 years. Jaffee explained that Bratton recently rebuffed calls by City Council members to hire 1,000 more officers due to budgetary restrictions. She said that everyone would prefer more officers, but the budget can’t handle it. As a result, the force will focus on improving the current force. “We have to do more,” the chief said. “They are looking at ways of duplication in the police department and more efficient and effective ways we can police communities and get people involved ... I’m not going to stand there and demand a 1,000 more cops because the City Council is doing it. We, as a city, we work for the mayor.” Jaffee emphasized her enthusiasm for connecting with the community, getting teens and immigrants involved and focusing on crime prevention. She said the bureau plans on expanding the youth programs and working with the gang division to crack down on activity around schools and in the community. “It’s really about preventing crime not just arresting people, that’s the last thing we want to do. It’s really about preventing crime and reaching kids before they make, what I call, stupid decisions,” said Jaffee, “which is bad decisions, but when you’re 15 it takes a while to grow brains.” Jaffee also commended Conforti as one of the most open captains in the NYPD as he is known for working very closely with his community and releases information to keep residents informed. Cop of the Month Deputy Inspector Michael Tefler of Transit District 20 presented the Cop of the Month award to P.O. Gregory Prepall for his Apr. 20 arrest of a cell phone snatcher on the Queens Boulevard line. Upon arrest, a second phone was discovered in the perpetrator's pocket. It was linked to a previous crime reported when a woman in the area was robbed after the suspect threatened to kill her. In making the arrest, Prepall discovered the perpetrator had a ticket for Ecuador and was scheduled to leave that night “He was doing his shopping in the subway prior to leaving,” said Teffler. Other news The state is raising the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) from $29,000 to $50,000 come July 1, informed Brent Weitzberg, a liaison for Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi. Weitzberg encouraged seniors to wait until July 1 before applying. The Queens Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will be honored June 2 for winning an annual award for New York City presented by NYC’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM). Heidi Harrison Chain, the precinct council president and CERT team member, said the volunteers have responded to natural disasters citywide and works very closely with Conforti. The group won the award in 2013 for Queens. A graffiti cleanup is scheduled for May 31 at 9 a.m. at the 112th Precinct stationhouse. They are looking for as many volunteers as possible. Students will get a certificate for community service. The next 112th Precinct Community Council meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 18, at 7:30 p.m. at the stationhouse located at the corner of Austin Street and Yellowstone Boulevard in Forest Hills. For more information, call the 112th Precinct Community Affairs Unit at 1-718- 520-9321. An investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information regarding the assault that could prove helpful is asked to call the 102nd Precinct Detective Squad at 1-718- 805-3212 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. Information may also be sent to Crime Stoppers via text message to 274637 (enter information, then the code TIP577) or online at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com. All calls and messages will be kept confidential. -CONTINUED FROM PG. 8- Shop Locally! Support Your Neighborhood Merchants!
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