Author: metanet

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By Larry Penner

TimesLedger Newspapers

Complaints by Queens Congress members Joe Crowley, Grace Meng and Gregory Meeks to Postmaster General Megan Brennan concerning problems with delivery of mail to constituents offer no solutions (“Queens pols fight for better USPS service” Naeisha Rose, Feb. 2).

All three Congress members need to consider providing regulatory relief for reforms which could assist the Post Office in providing better services. The United States Post Office averaged quarterly losses of $550 million in 2017. This will now result in the price of a first class stamp going up by a penny from 49 cents to 50 cents later this year.

One wonders why they first decreased the price of a first class stamp from 49 cents to 47 cents, before bringing it back to 49 cents. Part of the problem is that Congress in 2006 mandated that the Post Office fully fund 75 years of retirement benefits for employees. This has contributed billions to the Post Office’s long-term debt. While many private and other public retirement plans are underfunded, the Post Office’s is vastly overfunded. It is time for Congress to amend legislation and afford the Post Office ability to fund its retirement plan at a more reasonable level.

There are other initiatives which could assist the Postal Service in avoiding frequent postage stamp increases. The Post Office should continue with more joint business ventures like Amazon in expanding Sunday delivery. This could be the start of something big. Taking advantage of underutilized assets and facilities on Sunday could generate badly needed revenues. This would assist in developing alternatives to increasing the price of first class stamps every few years.

Why not consider going after other available untapped potential revenue streams? Consider these untapped sources to reduce operating deficits and perhaps even turn a small profit. The US Postal Service could sell advertising space on the sides of mailboxes, inside and outside the post offices along with the small Jeeps, regular trucks and heavy-duty long-haul trucks. Sell off some of the valuable real estate and move to less expensive locations.

Why not join banks and fast-food restaurants that sublet space at Wal-Mart and other big box stores to open smaller post offices? Generate both revenue and customers by subletting excess capacity at underutilized post offices to other village, town, county, city, state or federal agencies along with private sector businesses. License corporations to sponsor stamps for a fee.

Have members of Congress including Crowley, Meeks and Meng, State Legislatures and other elected officials pay the real, full costs for their annoyingly frequent bulk-rate mailings to constituents. They are nothing more than free re-election campaign brochures subsidized by taxpayers. Charge the full price for all junk mail. Future increases in the price of stamps should be directly tied to inflation.

The Post Office should apply free-enterprise solutions to provide a more cost-effective product, reduce deficits and prevent more branches from closing, thus keeping its commitment to serve the public well.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

A reputed Sureno 13 gang member was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for fatally shooting a 38-year-old Elmhurst man in 2015, the Queens DA said.

Raul Zamora, 33, of Jackson Heights, pleaded guilty last month to shooting Jorge Manzanarez in broad daylight at the intersection of Whitney and Roosevelt avenues on the afternoon of May 5, 2015, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

Zamora and Isaac Martinez, 35, along with a third suspect who has avoided arrest, got into a verbal argument with Manzanarez. Zamora then pulled a gun and shot the victim once in the chest, according to the charges. Manzanarez was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center where he died later that day.

Zamora pleaded guilty last month to first-degree manslaughter before Queens Supreme Court Judge Deborah Stevens Modica, who last Thursday imposed a sentence of 13.5 years in prison, to be followed by five years of post-release supervision.

“In pleading guilty, the defendant admitted that he intentionally took the life of another person and used a gun to settle a petty dispute,” Brown said. “His actions revealed a total disregard for human life and he must be punished for this senseless killing. The lengthy term of incarceration imposed by the Court today is more than warranted.”

Martinez pleaded guilty last year to second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision.

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

Friends and family celebrated the life of Anthony Perez, the 11-year-old who died saving his friend after he fell into a frozen pond in Forest Park Feb. 6.

Mourners gathered at Glendale’s Walsh-La Bella & Son funeral home Sunday and Monday afternoon to pay their respects to the boy who died from hypothermia.

Anthony and his friend, Juan Umpierrez, 12, were playing on the frozen waters of Strack Pond in Forest Park when Juan fell through the ice, according to police. Anthony rushed to help Juan, fell in himself, and was unable to get out of the freezing water. Police said Juan ran home to call 911 and when the FDNY arrived, firefighters had to break through the ice with their hands so they could get to the area where they knew Anthony would most likely be, then went into the water to get him.

Firefighters tried to revive Anthony once they retrieved his body from the pond but were unable to. He was pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital, police said.

Shortly afterward during a press conference FDNY Deputy Chief George Healy implored parents to make sure their kids know the ice on the lakes and ponds of the city are not safe places to play.

“It won’t support your weight,” he said. “Please stay off the ice. There are signs around all the lakes in the city and we implore you: Tell your children it can have tragic consequences. Again, the ice looks to be safe, it looks to be thick, but the temperature today was well above freezing.”

Immediately after his death, the Glendale community united to honor Anthony, who they have hailed as a hero for his actions. A GoFundMe page has been set up in his honor and has already surpassed its $15,000 goal in less than a week, raising $22,738 and counting as of Monday. The page, set up by a family friend on behalf of Anthony’s mother, asked for friends to help “assist his family with the expenses of burying this sweet boy.”

“On Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018 young Anthony Perez became a hero and an angel all in the same day,” the page read. “While helping his friend get out of Strack Pond in Forest Park, Queens, he fell in himself and although Glendale’s brave firefighters pulled him out soon later, it wasn’t soon enough to save this hero’s life.”

Dozens of donators left their condolences on the page, many from Anthony’s friends, parents and the staff at his middle school PS 113.

Elizabeth Walter shared her condolences with the Perez family.

“No words I have can express the sorrow I feel over the loss of such a young great life,” she wrote. “Your bravery and actions speak to me and tell me what a selfless young man you are. For a short time you made the world a better place. Rest In Peace.”

Cornelia Apold, whose son attended school with Anthony, also shared her sympathies with the family.

“We are deeply saddened. Words cannot explain the sorrow and pain we feel for the loss of Anthony,” she wrote. “Marcus has been privileged to know Anthony since first grade. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers. May God give you the strength and comfort needed during this difficult time. Anthony, sweet angel forever in our hearts”

Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmartinez@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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By Magdalen Sangiolo

TimesLedger Newspapers

Thank you to state Senators Michael Gianaris, Joseph Addabbo, and Leroy Comrie for their efforts to improve voter turnout by making it easier for New Yorkers to register to vote.

These reforms are critical, but they alone will not solve New York’s staggeringly low voter turnout rate, which is 41st in the country.

The key to unlocking higher voting participation lies with Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Gov. Cuomo must include early voting — the ability for New Yorkers to cast ballots for 12 days leading up to Election Day — in his budget.

When I lived in North Carolina, early voting was the difference between many of my neighbors voting and not voting. People who work unpredictable jobs or long hours; have trouble physically getting around; or care for children or elderly parents all depended on the flexibility of early voting in order to vote.

The $6.4-million price tag for early voting in New York is an investment in equity, fairness, and equal representation — in addition to being a drop in the bucket compared with our state’s $168-billion budget. No one should be at risk of missing the opportunity to cast a ballot based on his or her job, physical abilities, or family situation.

Gov. Cuomo: money talks. Show your constituents that you value us, and our voices, by investing in early voting!

Magdalen Sangiolo

Brooklyn

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By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

A new report has determined that former Queens Museum director Laura Raicovich and deputy director David Strauss used poor judgement and knowingly misled the board when they cancelled a historic recreation of the 1947 vote that established the state of Israel last August.

Raicovich resigned as the museum’s director on Jan. 26 after having served in that capacity for three years. In that time, she generated some controversy by being politically outspoken.

Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Flushing) and Assemblyman Mike Simanowitz (D-Flushing) called for her resignation after the museum announced it was canceling a re-enactment of the vote to partition Palestine to form Israel on the 70th anniversary of the State of Israel.

The legislators called on the NYC Human Rights Commission to investigate Raicovich’s decision as a violation of Title 8 of the city’s Administrative Code, also known as the City Human Rights Law.

Lancman claimed that the decision by the museum, a public accommodation, had represented a discriminatory refusal to provide full and equal enjoyment of its services based on religion and national origin, both protected classes under the law, as well as an unlawful boycott.

A few hours later, Queens Museum said the event was back on and in November the museum hosted the event, which UN ambassadors, Jewish leaders and Vice President Mike Pence attended.

Law firm Katten Muchin Rosenman issued a report of its findings after a three-month investigation following the cancellation.

The report said Raicovich “showed immediate hostility to hosting the event at the museum” and felt that Vice President Mike Pence’s involvement was “problematic for the museum.”

The report also noted that Raicovich never disclosed her involvement as an editor of the 2017 book ”Assuming Boycott,” even though the book prominently identifies her as director of the museum and includes a foreword she co-wrote that states the goals discussed in the book are “complemented by programs, exhibitions and educational initiatives” at the museum. The book supports the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, or BDS, a controversial movement that calls for a boycott of Israel.

The report went on to say that Raicovich and Strauss “misled” the board and “otherwise failed to comport themselves with the standards consistent with their positions.”

The director and deputy director were both offered the opportunity to resign. Raicovich resigned and Strauss was terminated by the board, according to the report.

The report concluded that because the museum had inadequate written policies and procedures, the board was reliant on the information it received from Raicovich and Strauss in making its decision regarding the event.

“Based on the findings of this investigation, we have recommended that the Board review and improve its policies and procedures in an effort to avoid similar distractions in the future, so that the museum can focus on its mission and the community,” the report said.

Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmartinez@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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By Rory I. Lancman

TimesLedger Newspapers

There are many ways that Queens gets the short end of the stick when it comes to city funding, and the allocation of resources to the Queens District Attorney’s Office is no exception.

The Queens DA’s office is home to just over 300 assistant district attorneys, or ADAs — significantly fewer than Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, which each employ more than 500 ADAs. In this year’s budget process, the City Council’s Committee on the Justice System, which I chair and oversees the district attorneys, will be asking the city to fairly fund the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

If the disparity was due to lower crime rates or number of cases, that would be one thing, but there is no public safety rationale to explain why Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx all have far more prosecutors than Queens. In fact, an analysis of total arrests by borough shows that in 2017 Queens had nearly as many felony arrests as Manhattan and the Bronx, and that there were more than 36,000 misdemeanor arrests in Queens alone. Prosecutors have a vital job in our community. They help keep us safe, while ensuring that the justice system is fair and equitable for all.

This discrepancy leaves Queens ADAs overstretched, overworked, and maintaining caseloads far larger than their counterparts in other DA’s offices. In 2017, the average ADA in Queens was handling 179 total cases, far exceeding the combined average caseload of 131 cases for ADAs in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. With staff stretched so thin, it makes it more difficult to invest time in resource intensive investigations or quickly respond to emerging threats, like the opioid epidemic. An office as successful as the Queens DA’s Human Trafficking Unit should be staffed by more than one prosecutor.

Overloaded ADAs can have real consequences in the courtroom. Burdened by massive caseloads, prosecutors can struggle to put the appropriate preparation and time into each case. Simply put, there is not enough time in the day for each ADA to manage so many cases. Fewer cases could allow prosecutors more time to think creatively about the best ways to seek justice for victims and prevent defendants from reoffending. It is not about locking more people up. An overwhelmed prosecutor has less time to listen, less time to consider and less time to seek out effective alternatives.

The solution to the headcount disparity is obvious — the Queens DA needs greater city funding to close the gap and staff up appropriately. If we ask our prosecutors to do too much with too little, we may not like the result.

This guest editorial was written by Council Member Rory I. Lancman (Hillcrest)

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