The City Council released its Schedule C budget—more commonly known as pork spending—on Tuesday. Council Members divided $50 million to distribute to local non-profits and community groups.
There are various complaints with the city’s current pork spending. Last winter, some Council Members felt their political ties to Council Speaker Christine Quinn heavily influenced the member item distribution.
There is also a fear of scandal; politicians may fund sham non-profits that filter money back into political campaigns or a new house. The New York Daily News reports that this may be happening again this year. The Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council, which faced a corruption probe last year, will receive $607,000.
But pork spending mostly offer crucial services for Council Members’ constituents. Below is a sampling of the organizations local Council Members supported.
Council Member Eric Ulrich gave
$5,000 each to the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Senior Center and the Ozone Park Senior Center run by Catholic Charities to subsidize services.
$30,000 to the Forest Park Senior Center for recreational activities, meal services and veteran services.
$5,000 to Our Lady of Grace Church for a youth soccer league.
$50,000 to the newly opened South Queens Boys and Girls Club for after-school and summer programs.
$5,000 to the Woodhaven Residents Block Association to help cover the costs of community outreach and monthly meeting expenses.
$5,000 to Bobbi and the Strays to perform community education against animal cruelty in local schools.
$10,000 to the Community Association for Jewish At-Risk Cemeteries, which has led the fight to clean Bayside Cemetery in Ozone Park.
$10,000 to the Greater Woodhaven Development Corp. for general office assistance and $25,000 to fund a graffiti-cleaning program.
Council Member Elizabeth Crowley gave
$5,000 to the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Senior Center run by Catholic Charities.
$10,000 to Maspeth Town Hall to help fund senior classes and services.
$20,510 to the Peter Cardella Senior Citizen Center in Ridgewood to support a multi-service center that feeds approximately 250 seniors daily.
$20,000 to the Rabbi Israel Meyer Hacohen Rabbinical Seminary of America to fund the Middle Village Adult Center.
$20,000 to the Ridgewood Older Adult Center and Services to help maintain the building and fund services.
$17,240 to the Selfhelp Maspeth Senior Center for senior classes.
$10,000 to the Forest Hills Football League to help offset registration costs for interested residents.
$5,000 to Bobbi and the Strays to help educate the community about animal cruelty.
Council Member Karen Koslowitz gave
$7,500 to Maspeth Town Hall for senior classes.
$18,000 to the Queens Community House to fund enhanced programs at the Rego Park Senior Center and the Forest Hills Senior Center.
$5,000 to help fund a transportation program for Selfhelp Maspeth Senior Center.
$35,000 to Young Israels of Forest Hills to provide congregate meals.
$10,000 to the Forest Hills Little League to help subsidize their baseball and softball programs.
$3,500 to the newly opened South Queens Boys and Girls Club for after-school programs.
$5,000 to Community Board 6 for operational expenses.
$3,000 to the 112th Precinct Community Council for overall expenses.
by Eric Yun
