FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM AUGUST 29, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 29
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LAST CHANCE TO
STOP JAIL PLAN
Editor’s note: Th e following letter
was originally submitted by the author
to Marisa Lago, chairperson of the City
Planning Commission, and the commission’s
membership.
On Sept. 3, you are scheduled to vote on
the mayor’s repugnant proposal to erect
four high-rise jails, one each in the Bronx,
Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.
Having been a homeowner in Kew
Gardens since 1957, my perspective is
that of a Queens homeowner — although
I suspect most of the intense criticism of
the mayor’s proposal may be shared by
residents of the four boroughs.
Th e aims and proposals of the Lippman
Commission were noble and deserved
adoption. Instead they were badly distorted.
Recommended small, community jails
are emerging as very large, borough-wide
jails! (Since when is a “borough” a “community”
when, in fact, each borough comprises
many diff ering, diverse communities?)
A series of smaller neighborhood,
community-based jails in each borough
might be deserving of consideration.
By now you must all be very aware
of the concocted presentations by the
Mayor’s Offi ce of Criminal Justice in their
eff ort to justify the validity of the concepts
put forward as substitutes for plans traditionally
required in a ULURP procedure.
“Design/Build,” the procedure adopted for
the construction of these four mega-jails,
is incompatible with the requirements of
a legitimate ULURP process and no contrary
declaration will legitimize the process.
Th e thousands of pages produced by
the city for the Environmental Impact
Studies — and the countless rebuttals
submitted by community representatives
in opposition — are all evidence of diligent
lawyers and dedicated community
leaders and activists trying to make a
rational case for — or against — the mayor’s
proposals.
We have been led to believe that money
and funding are not part of your jurisdiction
and that still unreliable cost estimates
(since there are no plans!) which
range between 10.6 and 30 billion dollars
pose no problem. Th is in a city with dire
needs in housing, education, homelessness
and transportation!
Attempts to have the Council study the
cost of maintaining and restoring Rikers
have so far failed. Moving Rikers’ existing
culture to four mega-jails on the “mainland”
will hardly transform its culture.
Most of all, Members of the Commission,
if you approve this project, you will be
responsible for New York City acquiring,
living with and being known worldwide
for its four high-rise mega-jails, with no
adequate outdoor athletic facilities, created
in a rash, poorly researched, preposterous
campaign to create something that
may have short term political signifi cance,
but little else.
Murray H. Berger, Kew Gardens
GIVE SMALL BIZ A HAND
New York’s small businesses are critical
to the American economy, but Main
Street businesses across New York and
the rest of the country face barriers when
it comes to accessing the capital that will
help them grow.
Bank loans to these businesses have
decreased by 38 percent since 2006, creating
a large gap in fi nancing options.
Fortunately, business development companies
(BDCs) have been able to fi ll
this gap in funding. In fact, BDCs have
become the primary source of fi nancial
support for Main Street businesses, providing
over $87 billion in capital since
1980.
Congress took strong steps in the right
direction with the Small Business Credit
Availability Act and the SEC’s most recent
proposed rule amendments but, more
must be done to modernize BDC rules. In
order to make sure small- and mid-sized
businesses can continue accessing this
capital, BDC regulations must be updated.
Despite BDC’s importance to Main
Street business growth over the past
few decades, much of BDC’s regulatory
framework under the SEC is stuck in
the past. Th is has slowed BDCs’ ability
to make investments and stifl ed economic
growth.
We urge New York’s elected offi cials to
continue to support BDC regulatory modernization
so BDCs can keep performing
their important role for small- and midsized
business owners while remaining
well regulated. It’s time to ensure that
policymakers are working to bring Main
Street business investment into the 21st
century.
Joe Glatt, Chairman, Coalition
for Business Development
PROUD OF OUR LABOR
Aft er a period of relative dormancy, the
annual Labor Day Parade has in recent
years undergone a terrifi c revival of interest
and participation. Th is year it will
be held on Saturday, Sept. 7, and New
Yorkers, mindful of the extraordinary
challenges we now face, ought to attend
in record numbers.
Not only around Labor Day, but all year
round, as we marvel at the infrastructure
of this city, we should salute the workers
who rendered these architectural and
engineering dreams a reality.
Many of these workers acquired their
brilliant skills as students in our public
school career and technical education
programs.
Look up at the wondrous new World
Trade Center structures. You have got
to respect the responsibility and expertise
shown by electricians, plumbers and
other specialized professionals who have
mastered their roles and implemented all
the tasks and logistics of this and countless
other complex projects that require
intensive coordination and allow no room
for error.
Th ese workers build and keep safe our
bridges, tunnels, water supply, highways
and sewage disposal operations. Many
other categories of critical jobs that we all
depend on are being fi lled by career and
technical education student alumni. Th eir
preparation is not easy. Th e coursework
is as substantial as that of any traditional
academic major.
Historically, New York City public
schools have been on the cutting edge
of quality career and technical education
nationwide. Th ey still hold the banner
high, so let us reinvigorate them by publicly
supporting them with every chance
we get.
Advancing the cause of career and public
education is not a partisan issue. It is
a practical idea and a necessity that will
continue to benefi t all.
Ron Isaac, Fresh Meadows
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.
Th e views expressed in all letters and
comments are not necessarily those of this
newspaper or its staff .
Photo: Mark Hallum/QNS
Kew Gardens residents rallied in April at Queens Borough Hall against a plan for a new jail in their
community.
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