20 The Courier sun • march 20, 2014 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com editorial letters CHARTER FIGHT Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Thomas Breslin has provided legal cover and comfort to charter school empress Eva Moskowitz, who successfully challenged the right of the state of New York to check up on her educational enterprises. Was his ruling based on an impartial and scholarly analysis of the law or was it driven by motives less pristine? Justice Breslin concedes the right of NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli to audit the money trails of publicly-funded institutions. Nobody disputes that charter schools like those run by Moskowitz are funded by taxpayers. Indeed, her pet talking point is that charter schools are public schools. All public schools are subject to audit by DiNapoli. But not Moskowitz’s. Justice Breslin sided with her on the pretext that her schools were not “units of the state.” In other words, not public schools. In cities like Los Angeles and Chicago, there would have been no wiggle room for the bench to make such a fallacious decision. But in New York, technicalities selectively apply and so Moskowitz can hire “independent” auditors. Why is there an assumption that a state agency cannot be independent, but a private group hired by an interested party can? If the charter school tycoon’s books are as open as she claims her schools are to the enrollment of all manner of kids, then what is she so nervous about? Ron Isaac Fresh Meadows MAKE A DIFFERENCE I think that most of us are aware of our elected officials and the job that they do on behalf of our communities. But we should also recognize the contribution that our community boards and civic associations make in affecting conditions in our neighborhoods. As a member of Community Board 11, I work alongside 49 other volunteers who operate in an advisory capacity when it comes to matters such as zoning issues, variances and other land use applications. We also have several committees that work on education, transportation, environmental, parks and health issues, among other important community matters. Sometimes we address citywide issues as well. Board members may not always agree with one another, but I believe that we all respect each other and focus on our commitment to our communities. We are lucky to have a phenomenal office staff headed by District Manager Susan Seinfeld. At our March meeting, we had a change in leadership due to term limits. Jerry Iannece, who was our chair for many years, did an outstanding job in conducting our monthly meetings and representing the Board at various meetings and functions. Our new leaders include chair Christine Haider and vice chairs Laura James, Ocelia Claro and Eileen Miller. I look forward to working with our new dynamic team of leaders. Also at the forefront of community leadership are the local civic associations. This is the ground level where community issues and problems are discussed. Working with city agencies, our elected leaders and the community board, those issues and problems are looked into and addressed. Many civics are affiliated with the Queens Civic Congress, an organization with considerable influence because it represents more than 100 civic and community groups countywide. I would urge all residents to join their local civic group and participate in meetings and discussions. If possible, attend monthly community board meetings, especially if there are issues on the agenda concerning your area. Board members want to hear the concerns from the community. It helps us decide how to vote on the various issues that come before the Board. You may also consider joining the Board. We particularly need more representation from the Auburndale community at the present time. We are lucky to live in a wonderful area. Yes, there are problems, especially, in my opinion, with overdevelopment and education matters. But if we all work together, we can make a difference. Henry Euler Bayside VISIT QueensCourier.com FOR MORE STORIES sun WWW.COURIERSUN.COM Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. Schneps Bob Brennan Tonia N. Cimino Amy Amato-Sanchez Nirmal Singh Graziella Zerilli Stephen Reina Ron Torina, Jennifer Decio, Cheryl Gallagher Melisa Chan, Liam La Guerre, Cristabelle Tumola Maggie Hayes, Angy Altamirano Cliff Kasden, Samantha Sohmer, Elizabeth Aloni Cristabelle Tumola Maria Romero Warren Susman Celeste Alamin Maria Valencia Daphne Fortunate Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. Schneps Publisher & E ditor Co-Publisher Associate Publisher Editor-In-Chief VP, Events, Web & Social Media Art Director Assistant to Publisher Assistant Art Director Artists Staff Reporters Contributing Reporters Web Editor Events Manager Senior Acc ount Executive Classified Manager Controller Office Manager President & CEO Vice President Schneps Communications, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361 718-224-5863 • Fax 718-224-5441 Sales fax: 718-631-3498 website: www.couriersun.com e-mail:editorial@queenscourier.com ads@queenscourier.com queenscourier@queenscourier.com Entire Contents Copyright 2014 by The Courier Sun All letters sent to THE C OURIER SUN should be brief and are subject to condensing. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of THE C OURIER SUN. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to THE C OURIER SUN within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. VIctoria Media Services assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold The Courier SUN and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement. IDENTIFY THIS PLACE Go to www.queenscourier.com and search “Identify This Place” to find out where this is ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT Kudos to one smart cookie. For Springfield Gardens seventh-grader Najah Lorde, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. She more than doubled her Girl Scout cookie sales from last year to become the top seller in the city with 2,833 boxes. Najah, 12, has been selling cookies since she joined the Girl Scouts in second grade, but didn’t surpass the 1,000 mark until 2013 when she sold 1,111 boxes. That year, she was bested by Upper West Side resident Olivia Cranshaw by about 700 boxes. Najah had the right ingredients for a win this time. The pre-teen, who her father describes as “competitive,” truly “gets it” about the importance -- and power -- of networking. She made a list of the people she wanted to call and even took her parents’ phones to look for potential buyers. Using her networking skills, Najah urged her contacts to reach out to others. She also sold the baked goods at her school, Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy in Douglaston, her church, the Greater Allen Cathedral of New York, and her parents’ workplace, SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Her efforts totaled a whopping 2,833 boxes sold. For Najah, who is aiming for another win next year by selling at least 3,000 boxes, the win can mean so much more. We hope she parlays her entrepreneurial spirit into continued academic success and achievement in the business world. She’s obviously got the right recipe. FAR FROM ‘ZERO’ Mayor Bill de Blasio recently put forth his “Vision Zero” plan for traffic fatalities, but we’re quite far from that number. Last month, four people were hit by a driver while they were waiting for a bus on Northern Boulevard and 48th Street. In December, 8-year-old Noshat Nahian was fatally struck on his way to school at a Northern Boulevard intersection in Woodside. Most recently, Kumar Ragunath, a 64-year-old grandfather, was struck and killed on Northern Boulevard and 40th Road. He was on his way to his new job. Now, the Long Island City community -- and The Queens Courier -- is asking for the public’s help in finding the driver, who fled the scene in a dark colored Chevy Blazer. We support our local politicians, who are calling for Northern Boulevard to be included as part of the first 50 thoroughfares to be focused on in de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative. And we commend Borough President Melinda Katz, who announced her Borough Board priorities, including improving traffic and pedestrian safety in Queens through increasing the number of slow zones, installing more pedestrian countdown signals and speed cameras, and increasing police presence. These legislators -- and the community at large -- recognize that something must be done -- now.
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