Forum Photo by Michael V. Cusenza
Sen. Addabbo addresses constituents Tuesday night at the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic meeting.
By Michael V. Cusenza
As the featured speaker Tuesday night at the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic meeting, State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) addressed myriad issues affecting constituents throughout Senate District 15, most notably the continued incessant presence of noisy helicopters, his battle with National Grid, and the fate of Rikers Island.
Addabbo reported that the helicopters “is the most popular complaint that we get” at his Howard Beach district office.
“It’s a quality of life issue,” the senator said. “It has to be addressed. If anything—we’ve asked the helicopter companies to consider using the water.”
Addabbo also noted that there is a bill currently wending its way through the City Council that would ban non-essential helicopter flights over NYC. Companies such as Uber have been cashing in on lax copter laws, charging $200+ per trip from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
As for National Grid, Addabbo didn’t mince words Tuesday night.
“National Grid has one job to do—deliver gas to customers,” the senator said. “If they can’t even do that then we’ll deregulate them and find another utility. National Grid cannot hold us hostage.”
And on the City Council’s vote to in favor of a plan to permanently close Rikers Island and replace it with four new borough-based jails—let’s just say Addabbo’s not a fan.
“I have this general rule: If the mayor likes it, I don’t,” the senator said, eliciting raucous laughter from the crowd at St. Helen Catholic Academy. “I’m not for closing Rikers.”
