Katz appoints 70 to Census committee
BY BILL PARRY
With the 2020 Census
now just over a year away,
Queens Borough President
Melinda Katz announced Jan.
18 the first 70 appointees to
her Queens Complete Count
Committee (Queens CCC).
First announced in her 2018
State of the Borough address,
the Queens CCC will bring
together trusted community
leaders and activists to
learn about key 2020 Census
issues, report back to their
diverse communities and
strategize how to ensure
everyone in the borough is
counted accurately.
“From federal funding
to representation in the U.S.
House of Representatives, so
much is at stake with the 2020
Census,” Katz said. “That’s
why we need to be as prepared
as possible to ensure every
Queens resident is counted
accurately, as an undercount
would have negative impacts
across our borough for at
least the next decade. The
challenges Queens faces are
significant, but I am confident
these civic-minded community
partners will help ensure the
borough is counted completely
and fairly.”
Borough President Melinda Katz appointed 70 people to the Queens Complete Count Committee.
The 2020 Census presents
new challenges, including
80 percent of respondents
being asked to complete their
Census form online, making
the Queens CCC’s work even
more vital.
The federal government
also announced last year its
intention to add a citizenship
question to the Census,
which has raised concerns
about the possibility of
substantial undercounts
in communities where
residents fear being targeted
over their immigration or
residency status. On Jan.
15, U.S. District Judge Jesse
Furman ruled the federal
government’s attempt to add
the question is unlawful.
Photo via Getty Images
Katz applauded the
ruling in a statement issued
that afternoon.
“The legal battle is likely
far from over, and Queens
will continue to speak out
against the proposed Census
citizenship question for
as long as their is active
litigation,” Katz said in
the statement. “But today’s
court ruling is a tremendous
victory in the fight against
a reckless policy targeting
our thriving immigrant
communities in Queens
and across the country.
Including a citizenship
question would undermine
the goal of the Census: a
complete count of all persons
living in the United States.
Here in Queens, a borough
of nearly 2.4 million people
of all races, ethnicities and
faiths, an undercount would
lead to fewers federal dollars
for countless vital programs
and initiatives.”
Among the 70 individuals
appointed to the QCCC
includes Community Board
5 Chairperson Vincent
Arcuri, YMCA New American
Initiative’s Lorna Blancaflor,
Greater Springfield
Community Church Pastor
Phillip Craig,East Elmhurst
Corona Civic Association’s
Larinda Hooks and Make the
Road New York’s Theo Oshiro.
A second round of
appointment to the QCCC will
be conducted later this year.
Reach reporter Bill
Parry by e-mail at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by phone
at (718) 260–4538.
Public utilities to provide bill breaks for federal workers
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Federal employees from
Queens whop are losing
wages during the ongoing
government shutdown don’t
need to worry about losing
gas or electric service due to
unpaid bills.
The state’s Public
Service Commission (PSC)
announced an agreement
with the major utility
companies serving New York
state to assist unpaid and
furloughed federal workers
as the shutdown continues.
The companies include Con
Edison, National Grid and
PSEG Long Island, each of
which powers Queens with
gas and/or electric services.
“The federal government
shutdown is already taking
a serious toll on many
government workers and their
families,” Public Services
Commission Chair John B.
Rhodes said of the voluntary
agreement. “I want to thank
The state’s Public Service Commission will assist federal employees
affected by the government shutdown. Photo via Getty Images
New York’s utilities for
their prompt response and
sensitivity to the growing
hardships these families are
facing. Their actions will help
ensure that New York’s federal
government workers will not
have to worry about keeping
their homes warm and their
lights on.”
The relief measures vary
with each utility company,
but the practices may include
suspending or waiving late
payment fees, extending
or deferring payment due
dates and crafting deferred
payment agreement based
on each customer’s financial
circumstances.
Their actions will
help ensure that
New York’s federal
government
workers will not
have to worry
about keeping
their homes warm
and their lights on.
John B. Rhodes
Public Services
Commission Chair
Additionally, the utility
companies may also place
a collection suspend on
accounts, suspend collection
calls and disconnection
notices, and waive late fees
for federal workers who
reach out to them about their
unpaid bills.
These measures will
remain in place until the
shutdown ends and the
workers are paid, according
to the PSC.
Along with ensuring that
federal workers’ services are
continued, the PSC said the
relief measures also ensure
that their individual credit
ratings won’t be lowered due
to their unpaid bills.
Any unpaid or furloughed
federal employee who’s
having difficulty paying
their gas or electric bills
should reach out to their
utility company’s credit
or customer services
departments for assistance.
Con Edison customers
can call (800) 75-CONED. ro
learn more. National Grid
customers can call (718) 643-
4050 and PSEG Long Island
Customers can call (800)
490-0025.
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