4 THE QUEENS COURIER • SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Mayor joins rally to support Queens councilman’s retirement security bill
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
When he introduced legislation on
retirement security legislation last year,
Councilman I. Daneek Miller said the need
to pass the bill was much like the climate
change crisis: it is something that needs to
be addressed sooner rather than later.
Now, Mayor Bill de Blasio — who called
for new retirement-savings system during
his last State of the City address — joined
Miller and Councilman Ben Kallos, AARP
and advocates to rally at City Hall Monday
in support of their two measures that
would make New York the fi rst city in the
nation to create a universal retirement savings
‘This can’t wait till I’m bigger’: Astoria middle schoolers join the Global Climate Strike
BY MAX PARROTT
mparrott@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
On her way to school on Friday, Lisa
Edmiston, the principal of Our World
Neighborhood Charter Middle School
(OWNCS) in Astoria, saw news of students
from Washington to Australia
taking to the streets to combat climate
change.
When she got to school, she knew she had
to do something. So, she assembled her students
and teachers and called a strike.
Middle schoolers from OWNCS joined
the day of global strikes in which millions
of protesters in more than a hundred
countries across the globe urged politicians
and businesses to take action to
avert the climate crisis.
Friday morning, OWNCS classes
dropped what they were doing to create
signs and recite chants before taking a
mini march around the block.
As amused neighbors live-streamed
the scholars from their phones, the students
toted signs, repeated slogans and
even sang a song against climate change.
Several shouted until they were hoarse
and a teacher had to remind one especially
passionate student to take a breath.
“It’s up to everyone. It’s up to the students.
We have to stand up for what’s right
and just in the world,” said Edmiston.
“Th e students really bought into it. Th ey
were asking questions. Parents were sending
amazing emails in full support. We
can’t just sit down like it’s a normal day.”
Edmiston added that many of her parents
had swung by earlier to pick up
their students on the way to the citywide
protest in Foley Square, which was
organized by the Youth Climate Strike
Coalition. Th e protest was attended by
Greta Th unberg, the 16-year-old Swedish
activist who began to draw attention to
her activism through skipping school on
Fridays to protest outside the Swedish
Parliament.
Th e population of OWNCS Middle
School pulls from the district covering
the Astoria and Long Island City area, a
Queens’ progressive stronghold.
“I think it’s good that many people go
because climate change is a real thing,”
said one OWNCS student between chants
of “Hey! Ho! Climate change has got to
go.”
Representatives including Astoria
state Sen. Michael Gianaris and Gov.
Andrew Cuomo commended participating
students across the city. Th e NYC
Department of Education went so far to
say it would excuse absences for public
school students who participate in the
strike.
“Th is next generation of Americans
will pay the price if the federal administration’s
inaction continues. Leaders in
Washington need to fi nally step up and
listen to the youth of the world and follow
the lead of New York and other states,”
Cuomo said.
Outside of the “World’s Borough,”
Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng
joined dozens of youth activists on Capitol
Hill to help announce legislation that calls
for schools to teach climate change in
their classrooms.
“Th e magnitude of climate change will
continue to grow and challenge how we
live,” said Meng. “Th at is why it is imperative
that we bring the issue into our
schools. Our kids are our future scientists,
engineers, teachers and innovators who
will guide our nation.”
Th e legislation, a House Resolution that
will be introduced by Congresswoman
Barbara Lee (D-CA) and cosponsored by
Meng, seeks to encourage the federal government,
states, localities, nonprofi t organizations,
schools and community organizations
to teach climate change in appropriate
programs and activities.
“By teaching them about climate change,
students will understand the gravity of the
situation, and realize that they can be part
of the solution,” Meng said.
program for private sector employees.
“Over a million New Yorkers work their
whole lives and have nothing to show for
it,” de Blasio said. “Rather than work until
the day they die, Universal Retirement
Security will allow more New Yorkers to
breathe a sigh of relief later in life and truly
enjoy the years they have earned.”
Currently, about one and a half million
private sector employees in New York City
have no access to a retirement savings program
through their employer. Miller and
Kallos introduced legislation that would
enable New Yorkers in the private sector to
automatically enroll in an employee-funded
retirement fund, calling the right to
retire part of the American Dream.
“Fulfi lling the goal of retirement is fast
becoming a lost art in America. People
are working desperately to keep pace with
ever increasing living costs, but lack the
means or direction to avoid falling into
poverty in their later years,” Miller said
before chairing a hearing on the legislation.
“Our legislation will help more than
half of the working New Yorkers who are
currently without a savings plan set aside a
portion of their earnings so they can lay a
foundation for a stable future, and particularly
benefi t communities of color who
saw their average household wealth plummet
for over three decades.”
Contributions into the retirement-savings
program would be exclusively from
employees and made through payroll.
Contributions would be based on a default
rate: employees would have the ability to
change their rate or opt out of the program
and employees would be able to transfer
their savings account from job to job.
“Making sure that each and every New
Yorker possesses access and a pathway to
building long term wealth through common
sense saving practices, not only helps
families build a foundation for themselves,
it provides stability for our entire
economy,” Congressman Gregory Meeks
said.
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney said
people deserve peace of mind knowing
their hard earned benefi ts would be available
when they need them.
“Sadly, too many New Yorkers suff er
from retirement insecurity,” she said. “I’m
grateful that the city has introduced a plan
to curb this problem and help more New
Yorkers retire with dignity.”
Th e legislation has widespread support
among the Queens delegation to the City
Council.
“Th is plan will bring a greater degree of
fi nancial security to thousands of working
people in our city,” Councilman Daniel
Dromm said. “For many New Yorkers,
retirement is simply out of reach. Housing
and medical costs can be overwhelming,
and makes saving for the future very
challenging. By providing workers with
an IRA, this eff ort fi nancially empowers
New Yorkers and makes retirement a reality
for them.”
Only 43 percent of working New
Yorkers currently have access to a plan
that can help them save for retirement.
Th ose that do have access oft en face large
fees, because they do not have the leverage
provided by a collectively pooled savings
program.
“Access to retirement is a vital component
to providing economic security but
many people lack the means to adequately
prepare,” Councilwoman Adrienne
Adams said. “Creating the infrastructure
for New Yorkers to save for retirement
and prepare for the future is critical. I
thank Mayor de Blasio and my Council
colleagues for their support on this
important issue. Countless New Yorkers
will benefi t from making retirement security
a reality.”
Courtesy of Miller’s offi ce
City Councilman I. Daneek Miller rallies with Mayor Bill de Blasio before chairing a hearing on his
retirement security legislation Monday at City Hall.
Photo by Max Parrott/QNS
Middle schoolers from OWNCS joined a day of global strikes in which millions of protesters in more
than a hundred countries across the globe urged politicians and businesses to take action to avert
the climate crisis.
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