FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM OCTOBER 31, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 31
oped letters & comments
Vote Yes on Ballot
Question 4
BY ANDREW REIN
When Queens voters
head to the polls to vote
for district attorney, they
also will be able to vote on
fi ve ballot questions that
propose amendments to
the New York City Charter.
Th ese all are important proposals, but one
in particular is worth supporting because it
would make an important change to how the
city manages its budget.
Many of us know that it is common sense to
put aside some money when times are good,
since cloudy days may lay ahead. Question
4 would allow the city to create a “rainy day
fund” — essentially a savings account that
would allow the city to save during prosperous
times in order to stave off budget cuts or
tax increases in times of crisis or recession.
Queens voters should vote yes to approve this
change.
Th e City Charter is essentially New York’s
Constitution: it establishes the governmental
framework, authorities and responsibilities
of city offi cials and agencies, and outlines
the process for everything from budget to zoning
and land use. Th e Charter’s budgeting provisions
require the city to balance its budget
under strict accounting rules. Th ese rules have
helped the city manage its budget well; however,
an unfortunate byproduct of these rules
is that they prevent the city from using money
saved up from prior years to pay for services
during “rainy days.” Question 4 would keep the
balanced budget requirement, and allow the
city to create and use a rainy day fund.
While the city is experiencing record economic
expansion and job growth, economists
are increasingly worried about looming
storm clouds. According to the Citizens
Budget Commission, a recession could result
in multi-year revenue shortfalls totaling at least
$15 billion. To balance the budget, city leaders
will resort to service cuts and tax increases. For
example, to weather the last two recessions, the
city reduced police and ambulance staffi ng,
cut library hours, suspended recycling, and
increased personal income, sales and property
taxes. A well-structured RDF can protect
New Yorkers from the worst service cuts or
tax increases.
Question 4 includes three other proposed
Charter amendments. Two changes are minor,
and adjust the timeline for the budget process.
Th e third would set minimum budgets
for the offi ces of the public advocate and borough
presidents. Budget guarantees are generally
unwise; they restrict the discretion of the
city leaders and can result in increased budgets
for certain offi ces or functions while other
critical services are cut. However, the proposal
allows the mayor to propose lower budgets for
these offi ces if accompanied by a justifi cation.
Th is escape hatch reduces concerns about the
impacts of this proposal.
Queens voters have an important opportunity
to strengthen the city’s budgeting processes
this election day; they should vote yes on
Ballot Question 4 to create a rainy day fund.
Andrew Rein is president of the Citizens
Budget Commission.
WE NEED STRONGER
GUN LAWS
Th e tragic shooting of a 14-year-old
boy at a playground in Jamaica is yet
another urgent reason for elected offi -
cials to push for and pass legislation
to outlaw the sale of fi rearms to anyone
who does not agree to submit to a
background check when they are going
to purchase a gun.
Th ere is absolutely no reason at all
for those people to be permitted to buy
a gun.
Also, there has been a marked
increase in street violence over the last
several years, and it is time for more
preventative measures to be taken.
How many more innocent lives —
young and old — are going to be taken
because of this epidemic of gun violence?
What is it going to take to get
those elected offi cials in Washington,
D.C., to stand up to the NRA and not
let it control how our legislators vote
regarding further restrictions on guns
in this country?
It is getting to be so that people cannot
go to the mall, to the movies, to
religious services, to sporting events, or
for children, teachers and administrators
to go to school, or even just to walk
down the street or go for a drive without
the fear of being shot.
God help our country, because somebody
has to!
John Amato, Fresh Meadows
REOPENING BAY
RIDGE LIRR BRANCH
TO RIDGEWOOD
MAKES NO SENSE
News that the MTA will study the
feasibility of reopening the Bay Ridge
LIRR Branch running to Ridgewood to
passenger service makes no sense. It is
a waste of time and money.
In 2016, the Regional Planning
Association updated the release of an
old proposal from 1996 for construction
of the Triboro X new rail service.
Just how did the RPA come up with a
potential cost of $2 billion?
My experiences of over 31 years in
the transportation fi eld tell me it could
easily cost several billion more. Any
proposed extension of the route from
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, to Staten Island
would require construction of a tunnel
and additional station at the St. George
Staten Island Ferry Terminal.
Th is could also provide a connection
to the Staten Island Rapid Transit station
and system. Th e additional work
alone could easily cost $5 billion.
Th e proposed route will traverse dozens
of neighborhoods impacting several
hundred thousand people living
nearby. How will they react to potential
noise and visual impacts of a new elevated
subway?
Th ere are serious legal and operational
issues to be resolved with the Federal
Railroad Administration. Th ey have
regulatory jurisdiction over signifi cant
portions of the proposed route, which
would run adjacent to existing active
freight tracks. Subway and freight trains
have to coexist on the same narrow corridor.
Project costs will probably include
a series of new stations with elevators
and escalators. Th is is necessary to provide
transfer capacity with 15 subway
and four commuter rail stations that
intersect along the route.
Each connecting subway or commuter
rail station could easily cost from
$50 to $100 million. And imagine the
costs of escalators and elevators to be
in compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act, too.
Add to that new track, signals, power,
power substations and a hundred or more
new subway cars ($2 million per car).
Th is additional fl eet would require construction
of a new maintenance, operations
and storage yard, which would cost
several hundred millions of dollars.
What community would be willing to
host such a facility?
History has told us that construction
of most major new transportation
system expansion projects have
taken decades. Th ere is the completion
of feasibility studies, environmental
reviews, planning, design, engineering,
real estate acquisition, permits,
procurements, budgeting, identifying
and securing funding to pay for all of
the above before construction can start.
Th ere is not enough space here to list
the several other transportation projects
in New York City, which range in
cost from $50 million to $6 billion and
may be considered a higher priority
than the “Triboro X” line.
Larry Penner, Great Neck
DON’T FORGET ABOUT
VETERANS DAY
Veterans Day is Nov. 11 — a day to
honor all who gave the ultimate sacrifi
ce with their very lives.
America really should take a pause
on that day to honor our brave men
and women who fi ght, or have fought
for this country.
For more than 200 years, many have
fought to defend the freedoms we all
hold most dear. I, myself, served in the
United States Navy during the Vietnam
era and was proud to have done so.
As a member of the American Legion
and as Grand Knight of St. Anastasia
Knights of Columbus in Douglaston,
I ask everyone to salute our brave
men and women who are now serving
in dangerous parts of the world at
great personal sacrifi ce, leaving family,
friends and jobs behind to serve
the greater good. I hope and pray this
Veterans Day that everyone will be fl ying
the American Flag of our great
nation in their honor. I know I will, just
as I do all year long.
Let me also ask all who read this letter
to call a veteran you know to tell
them thank you for a job well done.
May God bless and protect these brave
Americans and may God bless America
on the day we call Veterans Day.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,
Glen Oaks Village
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