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Continued from Page 2
The experts say the worst of the recession is past.
We are beginning to see the first signs of recovery.
Although storefronts on Main Street, Vleigh and Kissena
remain empty some entrepreneurs are taking a chance on
Kew Gardens Hills. In the past few months, a bank and
food market opened their doors and a new restaurant is
on the way. But jobs remain scarce and unemployment is a
real part of life for too many families. SHOP KGH. The
effects of the recession on public services are all too
visible. City Hall promises no cuts forthe NYPD or FDNY
but is not hiring new cops or fire fighters to replace
the ones who retire or quit.The library is closed on
Sundays and the Queens Library is seriously considering
a two or three-day week for local libraries in response
to any further cuts in city funding. NYCTransit will
terminate theQ-74 on June 27—leaving hundreds of KGH
commuters with a longer ride. The Department of
Sanitation is quietly removing trash bins from Main
Street. Local playgrounds and parks won’t be as clean as
they should be this summer. Seniors may have to make do
with less time at the YI-QV Senior League and local kids
may lose out on after school programs. And the green
spaces on Main Street won’t be as colorful or as clean
this year. And get ready for a 12% hike in your water
bill. And you can bet that your real estate taxes will
jump in July. And City Hall, which insists on holding
the line on taxes, is ready with petty fines. KGHCA is
out there at every public hearing, attending meetings
and working with other Queens neighborhoods to hold the
line on service cuts that can hurt your family and tax
hikes you can’t afford. KGHCA continues to work on your
behalf on a host of other issues that matter to you.
KGHCA is tracking the work of the 2010 Charter
Revision Commission, which is currently considering a
top to bottom reworking of city government. But we are
New Yorkers - even if the Mayor some-times gets confused
about the boroughs outside Manhattan - and we will
prevail.
Patricia Dolan
MOBILE POST OFFICE
KEW GARDENS HILLS POST OFFICE
75-23 MAIN STREET
SUNDAYS — 9:00AM TO NOON
information: 718-544-0989
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THE KEW GARDENS HILLS REPORT
The KEW GARDENS HILLS REPORT is published four
times a year, at P.O. Box 670085, Flushing, New York
11367. It is under the auspices of the Kew Gardens Hills
Home Owners Civic Association, Inc., a non-profit,
non-sectarian, non-partisan community based
organization.
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OFFICERS
President.................................................................Paticia
Dolan
41-39 73rd Terrace, 263-1760
1st Vice President . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sifrah
Hollander
144-34 69th road, 544 3746
Secretary . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.Alfred Klein
144-20 75th Road, 793 3786
Treasurer . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. Charles Henry
144-30 73rd Ave , 544-5709
Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board
Harold Baron
138-11 72nd Road
575 3644
Shelly Bomzer . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .138-46 Jewel Ave
John Colon . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .144-16 73rd Ave
Nathaniel Geller . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 144-45 Melbourne Ave •
544-5350
Josephine Flink . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
144-30 73rd Ave • 544-5709
James Jaffe . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . 141-08 71st Rd
David Kirschner . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .141-28 72nd Dr
Linda Lang . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13709
70th Rd
Mitch Lisker . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . 72-42 137th St
Judah Mansbach . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144-54
69th Ave • 575-1073
Brad Martin . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .144-14 72nd Dr
Jennifer Martin . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . 144-14 72nd Dr
Stan Norwalk . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144-30
76th Ave • 261-1952
Jack Rapp . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72-25 Park
Drive East • 261-0986
Hannah Reich . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72-28
139th St • 520-0073
Gene Richter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-19 76th
Ave • 520-1611
Lorraine Saunders . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . 718 •544-1414
Avery Spearman . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . 136-23 72nd Ave
Norma Stegmaier . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73-49
141st Pl • 268-5901
Valery Yuabov . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
79-11 149th St • 268-0700
Phyllis Zelkowitz . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137-56
70th Rd • 544-2335
Counsel: K. Jacob Ruppert, Esq.
QUEENS COMMUNITY BOARD 8
197-15 HILLSIDE AVENUE
HOLLIS, NY 11423
718-264-7895 • Fax: 718-
264-7910
Marie Adam-Ovide ,
District Manager
Alvin Warshaviak, Chairman
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Page 2
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A TREE IN FRONT OF EVERY HOUSE
Mayor Bloomberg has cut back on plans
for agreener, sustainable city. His cuts in the
ParksDepartment budget mean fewer newly plantedtrees,
delayed tree stump removal and postpon-ing needed tree
maintenance and pruning. Nonetheless, the Mayor
continues to insist thatthe City will plant at least at
least one million treeson the city’s streets and parks
by 2030. Last springand summer, the Parks Department
planted about50 trees in KGH which, as they grow, will
help coolnearby homes and make the whole
neighborhoodlook better. The agency also removed some
deadtrees and the department is planting trees withdeep
root systems that will not break up sidewalksas they
mature. Recently the Parks Department informed CB 8that
in the future it would determine where treeswould be
planted without regard to homeowners’requests for trees
and without regard to somehomeowners’ objections to
having a tree plantedin front of their homes where tree
roots might blockwater and sewer lines or the City’s
failure to main-tain the trees. Community Board 8 and
BronxCouncilman Jimmy Vacca are asking for a Coun-cil
hearing on the matter. At the same time, theDepartment
of Parks released a list of sites wheretrees will be
planted this spring. KGH is woefullyunderrepresented and
KGHCA wants to know why. Nonetheless, KGHCA wants to
help the Mayorreach his goal. So, please send a note to
KGHCA,PO Box 670085, KGH, NY 11367 or e-mail(kghca@kghca.org)
with the nearest house/build-ing address of every dead
tree, tree stump or emptytree pit on your block.
****
KGHCA ELECTIONS
KGHCA elections for
officers and directors will be held at the regular
membership meeting onThursday May 27 at the Young Israel
of QueensValley,
141-55 77 Avenue.
For information, call 718 575-3644
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THE Q-74’S FINAL DAYS
Despite KGHCA’s all out effort to
save the Q-74,which was supported by every local public
transitstakeholder, the MTA declared the Q-74 dead in
March. Barring a last minute infusion of cash by the
state legislature to the almost broke MTA, theQ-74 will
make its last run between Kew Gardensand Queens College
on June 27. Commuters who want to avoid paying a second
fare should take the Q-44 or Q-20 to the VanWyck/Briarwood
subway station where they can board the F train. Riders
can transfer to the E at Union Turnpike. VanWyck/Briarwood
is a very large and mostly empty station. KGHCA is
asking NYTransit to improve signage so that riders will
know where to exit nearest the Q-44 and Q-20 bus stop
for the ride home.
****
MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY
Join Queens Borough President Helen
Marshall
AT A MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY
IN HONOR OF ALL THOSE
WHO HAVE PERISHED
IN AMERICA'S WARS
Veteran’s Memorial Garden
Queens Borough Hall
Thursday, May 25
12 Noon
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Page 3
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`NYC CHARTER
REVISION
The city charter is
NYC’s constitution and sets out the principles by which
the city is governed. Mayor Bloomberg, responding to the
term limits uproar, promised in his 2009 election
campaign to establish a charter revision commission that
would conduct a “top to bottom” review of the City
Charter and recommend changes. The newly appointed
Commission, whose chair is CUNY Chancellor Matthew
Goldstein, held a series of mostly poorly attended
public hearings in April in which the public, including
the Independence Party, announced their hopes for an
amended Charter. At the Commission’s first hearing in
Manhattan(of course), several speakers put the
Commission on notice that there would be organized voter
opposition to any attempt to eliminate or reduce the
role community boards or the offices of the borough
presidents. Speakers were equally clear on the issue of
public review of land use decisions, a favored target of
“reformers” seeking greater government efficiency. Other
speakers—and a week later, the NYTimes—called on the
Commission to postpone voting on its recommendations
until 2011, arguing that the complexities of charter
revision demand a lengthy public discussion. Chairman
Goldstein promised a series of public meetings,
beginning in May, that will address is-sues that might
be presented to the voters. For schedules, press
releases and other information, see www.nyc.gov/charter.
See www.citypragmatist.com for a view of charter
revision from a borough perspective. See
www.queensciviccongress.org for a Queens viewpoint.
¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨
Email us at:
pdolan10@nyc.rr.com
Visit the Website
www.kghca.org
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FLUSHING MEADOWS
CORONA PARK
Sunday June 20
Flushing Meadows Corona Park, with more than 1,250 acres
is the largest park in Queens and it’s right at our
doorstep. The Park is packed with terrific places to
visit-from the Tennis Center and Citi Field to the
museums and athletic fields for baseball, soccer,
volley-ball and even cricket. Closer to KGH are play
grounds like the dinosaur theme one near Jewel Avenue
andthe Boat House ( now being rebuilt) where you can
rent a boat or learn to sail. On June 5 and 6 the Parks
Department will open a new skateboard plaza near the
Unisphere with a day of . competitive skateboarding. And
right on Park Drive East is the Willow Lake Natu-ral
Area—a state protected wetland where the Parks
Department is removing thousands of invasive phragmites
that are choking the lake. Once cleared—by this fall—the
Department will begin planting more than 10,000
trees—part of the Mayor’s Million Tree program. The
Flushing Meadows Corona Park Conservancy— an advocacy
group for the Park—will build a small bird blind shelter
this summer The Urban Rangers and the FMCP Conservancy
are sponsoring a tour of the Willow Lake area on Sunday
June 20. Meet at the Mauro Playground, 73 Terrace and
Park Drive East. For more information, call 718539-8462
or visit
www.fmcpconservancy.org.
2010….2010….2010….2010….2010$18 $18 $18
As the city and
state cut back on services toneighborhoods like KGH, you
need KGHCA more than ever to speak out for KGH’s fair
shareof public services and to keep a lid on taxes. Mail
your 2010 dues to:
KGHCA, Box 670085,
Kew Gardens Hills,
NY 11367
Name__________________________________Address________________________________
E-Mail
__________________________________
Here’s something
extra for the KGH Library, senior and youth programs or
beautification $ _________ |
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Page 4
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BUILDINGS
DEPARTMENT FAILS –AGAIN
KGHCA hears more complaints about construction and
buildings than any other issue. So, KGHCA and other the
Queens Civic Congress—along with local community boards
across the city—seek to improve the Build-ing
Department’s (DOB) effectiveness. It is in no one's
interest to allow illegal building to go
forward—including responsible property owners. Earlier
this year DOB, an agency with a long history of poor
service to the public, with a push from City Hall,
announced a new process for handling complaints. Under
the new rules, which went into effect in July, DOB posts
diagrams of new construction and major alteration
projects on its website The public—including local
residents, civic groups and community boards—have 45
days to complain after which a permit will be issued and
work can go forward. Following the 45-day period, DBO
will reject routine complaints made through 311. DOB now
puts the responsibility on the public to identify
projects early in the approval process. In the real
world, residents seldom know where or when a project is
planned until the contractor arrives and starts
digging—usually weeks after permits have been issued.
The new rules immunize builders and developers against
the valid complaints of local residents who want to
protect their own property. Some local organizations,
along with local community boards and elected officials,
are challenging the city’s authority to impose the new
rules, which opponents charge, give develop-ers a free
ride at the expense of local residents and communities.
Added to DOB’s enforcement challenges are hundreds of
phony complaints filed by dishonest contrac-tors and
people with grudges. By law, DOB must respond to them
all. In 2009, DOB was unable to resolve more than 40%of
complaints and was unable to complete two-thirds of its
field inspections in 2008-mostly because inspectors
could not gain access to properties. The Queens Civic
Congress is leading a city-wide effort to draft
legislation that will give DOB greater powers to enter
properties where complaints have been received regarding
illegal construction. Last year DOB began equipping
inspectors with GPS devices in their cell phones in
order to better track these frontline employees.
Residents need to be vigilant. They need to com-plain to
the community board or to KGHCA when they see
suspicious building activity.

Capital One, N.A.
75 21main street
flushing, ny 11367
718 544 1414
718 575 5085 Fax
lorraine.saunders@capitalonebank.com
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Lorraine Saunders
Vice President
Branch Manager
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KGHCA’s BUDGET PRIORITIES: FISCAL YEAR
2011
As the City Council and State
legislature approach the deadlines for public budgets,
the State and City are facing grave economic challenges
that demand se-vere cuts in government funded services.
Mayor Bloomberg, after canceling the $400 real estate
tax rebate, repealed last year’s 7% real estate tax cut
and ordered city agencies to reduce their budgets by
10%or more. Real-estate taxes continue in an upward
spiral and a 12% plus jump in water fees is scheduled
for July 1. At the same time the Mayor promises that
hewill not permit the city to repeat the downward spiral
in services of the 1970’s when the city faced
bankruptcy. Governor Paterson is asking the legislature
to enacta series of nuisance taxes, like one on soda,
fees and budget cuts to plug a multi-billion dollar hole
in the state budget. KGHCA recognizes the dire economic
conditions facing the city and is limiting our budget
requests to longstanding local needs. We will work very
hard to retain critical public services.
CAPITAL BUDGET (infrastructure projects)
Sanitary/Storm Sewers—KGH residents face
theconstant threat of having their homes flooded with
rawsewerage and storm water whenever a severe storm hits
Kew Gardens Hills. Replacing aging storm and sewer
systems is KGHCA’s number one priority this year.
Cedar Grove Playground (off Main Street
between CUNY Law School and PS219) —Restore this long
neglected playground for the public.
EXPENSE BUDGET
Public safety: police and fire.Library—maintain
hours and services. Parks and playgrounds
Sanitation—collections, street cleaning
Transportation—maintain streets.Youth and senior
services.
KGHCA MEMBERS ONLY—GOT A PROBLEM?
Report your complaint to 311 first
and include the tracking number with your complaint to
KGHCA.
YOUR NAME _______________________________
ADDRESS _________________________________
PHONE ______________E-MAIL________________
CIRCLE COMPLAINT:
CLOGGED CATCH BASIN—give location
DAMAGED SIDEWALK—give location
DAMAGED STREET-describe/location
DIRTY VACANT LOT—give exact location
OTHER: use separate sheet of paper
REPORT ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION TO: 311;
IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW UP WITH A CALL TO KGHCA AT 263-1760
EXACT ADDRESS OF COMPLAINT LOCATION
_________________________________________
street between____________________________
and_____________________________________
311 tracking number________________
MAIL to: KGHCA, Box 670085, Kew
Gardens Hills, NY 11367, Fax: (718 263-1760) or e-mail
to: qvhca@nvbb.net
KGHCA keeps the identify of persons making complaints
in confidence.
Visit Our Website
at:www.kghca.org
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GENNARO: PROTECTING THE CITY’S
WATER
As Chairman of the
City Council Environment Committee, Councilman Jim
Gennaro has led efforts to hold the line on water rates,
and most important, efforts to protect the City’s
drinking water. About 90 percent of New York City’s
drinking water comes from a series of reservoirs and
lakes— the watershed. For more than a decade, City Hall
and Albany have worked to protect the watershed, with a
plan that includes land acquisition and management
programs. As a result, New York is one of only five
major cities in the nation to be granted federal
exemption from water filtration requirements,
which has allowed the City to avoid the need to
construct a $10 billion filtration plant, which would
cost $100 million annually and increase the water rate
by an estimated 30 percent. However, over the past two
years State officials have pursued plans to allow an
unconventional method of natural gas drilling, called
hydraulic fracturing, throughout New York, including in
and around the City’s drinking water sup-ply. This type
of drilling has contaminated water in states across the
country, and if such accidents were to occurin the
watershed the consequences could be dire, rang-ing from
pollution of our drinking water, to drastically
increasing water rates. Considering the risks, it is
unthinkable that the State would allow this activity in
this area. Therefore, in 2009, Councilman Gennaro
authored and passed a City Council Resolution calling
for the State to prohibit hydraulic fracturing in the
watershed. Subsequently, Mayor Bloomberg’s
Administration released a technical report, which
concluded that drilling in the watershed “presents an
unacceptable riskto the City’s water supply,”
reinforcing the Council's position. Since then, the
State has been reviewing this position along with
+13,000 public comments before issuing a response.
“While a timeframe has not been given for this response,
I continue to monitor the situation closely, and will do
so until the City’s water supply is fully protected,”
said Councilman Gennaro. Email us at:
pdolan10@nyc.rr.com |
DIGITAL
KEW GARDENS HILLS
KGHCA maintains a website, www.kghca.org where you can
find information about KGH and links to other sites,
including government agencies, the Queens CivicCongress
and local media. Drop a note to moderator RuthKW@aol.com
to join an informal round robin, kghcahat@yahoo.groups
for news, updates and alerts about KGH.Ruth, as KGHCA
Monitor, will review posts for relevance. To ensure that
KGHCACHAT stays focused on KGH, participants should
•Limit posts to issues that affect all KGH
residents,like taxes, development, land use,
neighborhood preservation, human services, public
schools, transportation, parks etc. that are of interest
to all residents.
•Contentious
religious, partisan political or personalcomments will
be blocked by the moderator
.(There are
numerous blogs that welcome personal, religious and
political debate and comment.)•Announcements of personal
milestones like births, graduations, engagements,
weddings, deaths and illnesses are welcome.
•Announcements of sales of household goods or
residential sales may be posted at the discretion ofthe
site moderator
.Email KGHCA at
kghca@kghca.org
****
BLOG…BLOG…BLOG
Seems like everyone blogs
these days. QUEENS CRAP - queenscrap@blogspot.com offers
a particular view of Queens—witty, provocative, often
pro-fane and sometimes obscene, but always on target:
overdevelopment and Queens pols.City
Pragmatist - city pragmatist.com offers a wise and wary
look at the municipal policy debate. This one will be a
must for tracking the 2010 Charter Revision Com-mission,
which will place amendments to the City’s constitution
on the ballot in November |
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Page 6
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FOR KGH SENIORS
The Mayor, responding to the City’s
budget short-falls, is preparing major cuts in the
Department for the Aging (DFTA)’s budget, mostly by
reducing direct services to the elderly. SNAP, a
Bellerose based social service agency, is responsible
for case management services for KGH seniors, including
counseling, home care, transportation, referrals and
most entitlements. Like many agencies across the city,
SNAP is work-ing with a larger than planned caseload
resulting in waiting lists for services senior need.
Catholic Charities, a Brooklyn-based agency, has the
con-tract to deliver meals to homebound seniors in KGH.
Kosher meals are available. For information about
services for KGH seniors, call SNAP,718-454-2100.
Senior centers convenient for KGH
seniors are: Young Israel of Queens Valley-Senior League
-141-55 77 Avenue Pomonok Senior Center, 67-09 Kissena
Boulevard - 718 591-3377 Kew Gardens Community Center,
80-02 Kew Gardens Road - 718 268-5960
Visit our website at:
www.kghca.org
FREE CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS
Residential Security Survey
Auto Glass VIN Etching
Combat Auto Theft
Bike Registration & Etching
For information, call
107th Precinct Crime Prevention Unit
718 969-5998
|
2009… 2009… 2009… 2009… 2009
$18 $18 $18
As the city and state cut services to
neighborhoods like KGH, you will need KGHCA more than
ever to speak out for KGH’s fair share of public
services and to keep a lid on taxes.
Mail your 2009 dues to: KGHCA, Box
670085, Kew Gardens Hills, NY 11367
PLEASE PRINT
Name_____________________________________________________
Address___________________________________________________
Email______________________________________________________
Here’s something extra for the KGH Library, senior
and youth programs or beautification. $
SAVE MONEY - DRIVE SAFELY
Pomonock Senior Center,
67-09 Kissena Boulevard offers SAFE DRIVING courses by
AARP for persons over age 60. Completing the course will
make you a better driver and save on your car insurance.
May 20 & 27
June 17 & 24
September 16 & 23
For more information, call 718
591-3377
* * * * * *
KGH LIBRARY
72-33 Vleigh Place The KGH branch
of the Queens Library is the mostpopular public space in
Kew Gardens Hills. Every dayhundreds of local
residents—and folks from other neigh-borhoods—use the
library’s collections of current booksand periodicals
and its special collections of Judaica,children’s
material as well as participating in library pro-grams
not available elsewhere. The Queens Library, beset with
budget cuts and moreto come in Mayor Bloomberg’s 2011
budget endedweekend service in fourteen branches in
February. CityHall is planning to cut more funds from
Queens Librarythat may result in local branches being
open only twoor three days a week. Meantime, the KGH
library isopen five days a week and is keeping to its
regularschedule. Queens Borough Helen Marshall assures
KGHCAthat plans to expand the KGH library remain on
targetwith construction to begin in mid-2011. Borough
Presi-dent Marshall is providing most of the funds for
theexpansion project. Keeping the library open at least
five days is a majorpriority for KGHCA.
¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨
THINGS YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW
If you really want to know what the
new neighbors down the street paid for their house,
check out www.queens.blockshopper.com
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