FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com APRIL 18, 2013 • THE COURIER SUN 19 oped HALL OF SHAME street talk WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ANTHONY WEINER RUNNING FOR MAYOR? Incidents of graffiti have risen. The Courier invites you, our readers, to submit photos of vandalism — or addresses where you see graffiti — for our “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a home or business has “cleaned up their act,” submit them for induction into our “Hall of Fame.” Send all high resolution JPG images (300 DPI) to editorial@queenscourier.com with a location and a contact number. Otherwise, contact us at 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361. Help us take our borough back from the vandals! I think he’s a very smart man, and he really didn’t hurt anyone . . . except his own wife and family. He didn’t hurt the public, it was just pictures. Anna Demesey BY ROSA MICHAELS I’m not sure if America is ready for him yet. Matt K. I think it’s fine if he wants to run, but he has to realize that he has a deficit from his previous antics. Everybody should be forgiven . . . but it doesn’t mean he will be. Kevin Feather Because of the pictures he sent out, I think it’s too soon for the public to let it go. I don’t know if he’s trustworthy or not. Bob Cooney I think it’s too early for him. He needs more time to get over his problems. Dennis N. I think he shouldn’t have taken those pictures in the first place. He should probably think about what he’s sending out to people if he’s running for mayor. He should clean up a little bit. Mike Guzarti I think it’s fabulous. I don’t care what he does in his personal life. He’s an intelligent man and a fighter. Nicholas Igneri I think he’s delusional. Susan Steinberg The power of the position BY CLAIRE SHULMAN Why the borough president, I am asked. The 1989 Charter has the council voting on both land use and budgets, so what do you do to warrant the existence of the office? I will tell you. I can best describe it by telling you what we did before and after the 1989 Charter revision. My staff and I were determined to make a difference in Queens. Before 1989 we had to negotiate for money; after 1989 the borough president got five percent of the enhancements in the expense budget and five percent of the capital budget. Queens got 33 percent of the five percent capital money, which enabled us not only to build, but to influence the construction of the following institutions: Queens Museum of Art New York Hall of Science Queens Hospital Center Flushing Town Hall Family Court Civil Court Queens Theatre Queens Zoo Roy Wilkins Park and Recreation Center Creedmoor Educational Company Flushing Library P.S.1 Townsend Harris High School SE552, $100 million sewer project to relieve flooding in SE Queens American Museum of the Moving Image Flushing Meadows swimming pool and ice skating rink BP and the mayor’s office get Fort Totten from the feds These are just a few things we accomplished which makes the borough president’s office one of the best bargains in New York City. We helped to enliven the cultural life of Queens, thereby creating a harmony in a very diverse population. We were involved in so much, none of which was mentioned or prohibited in the Charter. For example we spent five years saving non-eviction conversion co-ops, thousands of units that helped cooperators, renters and neighborhoods survive. There are many people currently running for this office because they want to continue the effort. This is a big city and one cannot know everything, so local government, the planning boards, the council and the BP’s office are our good government. Together we help deliver services through the Borough Cabinet where it is needed and deal with land use issues and budgets through the Borough Board. If borough presidents didn’t exist it is my opinion that Manhattan would walk away with all the resources that currently cover major projects in Queens. I will continue to advocate for the office of borough president and the relative autonomy of our great borough. Don’t fool yourself -- if you are elected by a county of 2million people, that’s power and everyone listens! Claire Shulman was the first female borough president, serving from 1986 until 2002. Murray Hill LIRR station
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