Michael and Jonathan Manta

By Forum Staff

Howard Beach high school student, Michael Manta, last year established his own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization aimed at getting fellow students to mentor middle schoolers on the high school application process and help with test prep.

And with the aid of an area elected official, Manta hopes to expand his program.

Manta is the co-founder and CEO of NYCMentors.org. He created the program in 2018 as a way to help his younger brother, Jonathan, navigate the high school admission process and expand his search outside of the local high schools. With Michael’s help, Jonathan was eventually accepted to The McCallie School in Tennessee.

Manta’s NYCMentors.org partners high-achieving underserved middle school students with high school students who are looking to give back and help these middle schoolers with the high school admission process, give them advice, and help with test prep, because many underserved middle school students do not have access to those resources, Manta noted.

“I really wanted to do something to give back,” he added. “There’s not really a program in New York City that has this type of mentorship. Having high school students working directly with middle school students, it gives them an older brother or older sister to get advice from. You don’t get that from just tutoring and test prep.”

Manta is now looking to grow his organization and has reached out to State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) for help.

“When Michael came to me with his program and told me he is looking to expand the number of students he would be able to reach, I knew I had to help,” said Addabbo, a member of the Senate Education Committee. “I have a daughter in high school and another in middle school, and I know how much of a resource my oldest will be for when my youngest daughter makes that jump into high school. I would love to be able to help students who may not have anyone to help them figure out the complex application process, and what other things a student may need to get into the high school they want—like joining clubs and extracurricular activities.”

Currently, NYCMentors.org can pair only 25 middle school students with high school mentors. They are looking for grants that will help them expand the student pool, but also keep the quality of mentorship. Manta is also looking to sign up additional mentors and mentees.

Manta also announced that NYCMentors.org will have a table at the 19th Annual Chess-in-the-Park Rapid Open on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Bethesda Fountain, Central Park and 72nd Street. NYCMentors.org will be at the event from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. signing up high school and middle school students who wish to participate in the program.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about the program or who may want to volunteer to be a mentor can find more information at nycmentors.org, or can reach out via email at info@nycmentors.org.

The mayor also touted past initiatives taken by his administration to prevent and address youth homelessness, including Marsha’s House in the Bronx, the first-ever DHS shelter for LGBTQ young people in the five boroughs.

By Forum Staff

The City will adopt new investments to help youth experiencing homelessness transition off the streets into shelter and from shelter into permanent housing, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Friday.
According to the administration, through collaboration across multiple agencies, including the Department of Youth and Community Development, the Department for the Aging, and the Department of Social Services, youth experiencing homelessness will have access to an array of new resources, including a new mobile service that will help youth experiencing homelessness find and access relevant support. Hizzoner said he will also establish a senior advisor for Youth Homelessness responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and expansion of the interagency initiatives.
The new resources include:
• The Department for the Aging for the first time will connect youth experiencing homelessness to housing opportunities through their Home Sharing program (program already operating, effective immediately);
• A new mobile service that will help homeless youth more easily find and access support. The design of the service will be informed by youth with lived experiences of homelessness in the five boroughs, developed through a human-centered design process led by the Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, with $200,000 allocated for research, scoping, and design to begin this fall;
• A new cohort of pregnant or parenting youth participating in the outcome-driven Parent Empowerment Program through the Department of Youth and Community Development, which provides access to childcare to young parents while they pursue their high school equivalency diploma and earn workforce credentials.
According to de Blasio, his administration is:
• Piloting the provision of DSS prevention resources within a DYCD 24-hour drop-in center in Queens
• Working with DYCD to connect certain eligible young people transitioning out of DYCD shelters and entering Department of Homeless Services shelters with CityFHEPS rental assistance
• Bidding out a two-year contract through the Department of Social Services-Human Resources Administration to support the NYC Youth Action Board, which will integrate people with lived experience within the NYC Coalition on the Continuum of Care
• Ensuring that DYCD providers are trained by DSS-HRA in applying to NYC Supportive Housing units;
• Partnering with members of the NYC Youth Action Board, DYCD and homeless service providers so that HRA can update the assessment for Supportive Housing applications to include specific eligible experiences of young people; and
• Relaunching the Youth Experiencing Homelessness page on Generation NYC, co-designed by Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity with members of the NYC Youth Action Board, DYCD, and homeless service providers so that there is an online resource guide specific to youth experiencing homelessness (no cost, to launch this summer, the mayor noted).
On Friday, de Blasio also touted past initiatives taken by his administration to prevent and address youth homelessness, including the NYC Unity Project, a $9.5 million investment to prevent and address homelessness for LGBTQ youth across the five boroughs; 500 new beds for homeless youth and expansion of youth drop-in centers; Marsha’s House in the Bronx, the first-ever DHS shelter for LGBTQ young people in New York City; and the commitment to allocate 1,700 supportive housing units for youth through the Supportive Housing NYC 15/15 Initiative.

“You are going to have to go back and study the history books to come up with a session that did more good than this session did,” Gov. Cuomo declared on Friday.

By Michael V. Cusenza

Ever since the 2019 Legislative Session wrapped up last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Democrat-led Legislature have seemingly been on a victory lap, touting “historic progressive accomplishments” notched during what Cuomo has called the most productive Albany legislative confab “in modern political history.”
Even Mayor Bill de Blasio was effusive in his praise of the Executive and the Legislature.
“We haven’t seen a session this daring, productive, and progressive in decades,” Hizzoner gushed Friday.
Hyperbole aside, said “accomplishments” included:
• Passed the Jose R. Peralta DREAM Act, giving undocumented New York students the same advantages afforded to their citizen peers, including access to the Tuition Assistance Program and State-administered scholarships.
• Passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, creating what Cuomo has characterized as “the most aggressive climate change program in the nation” with goals to: reach zero carbon emissions in the electricity sector by 2040; and directs State entities to work toward a goal of investing 40 percent of clean energy and energy efficiency resources to benefit disadvantaged communities. Additionally, the law creates the Climate Action Council comprised of the leaders of various state agencies and authorities as well as legislative appointments to develop a plan outlining how the State will achieve an 85 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2050, and eventually net zero emissions in all sectors of the economy.
• Made permanent the 2 percent property tax cap, building upon the approximate $25 billion in taxpayer savings since it was implemented in 2012.
• Funded the Metropolitan Transportation Authority with an estimated $25 billion raised through a promised congestion pricing plan, a new progressive mansion tax, and the elimination of the internet tax advantage.
• Enacted legislation in support of LGBTQ rights, including the elimination of the gay and trans panic defense—closing a loophole in State law that allowed individuals to use the gay and trans panic defenses after attacking another based upon that victim’s gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. The governor also signed into law the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act and a ban on LGBTQ conversion therapy.
• Enacted additional sexual harassment protections via a package of reforms that will lower the high bar set for employees to hold employers accountable under the New York Human Rights Law for sexual harassment by amending the requirement that conduct be “severe or pervasive” to constitute actionable conduct; extend the statute of limitations for employment sexual harassment claims filed with the Division of Human Rights from one year to three years; and protect employees’ rights to pursue complaints by mandating that all non-disclosure agreements in employment contracts include language stating that employees may still participate in government investigations conducted by local, state, and federal anti-discrimination agencies
• Enacted legislation extending the statute of limitations for second- and third-degree rape and expanding the civil statute of limitations for claims related to these offenses, allowing victims greater opportunity to obtain justice.
• Increased school aid by more than $1 billion, bringing total school aid to a record $27.9 billion. In addition, Cuomo noted that new reporting requirements will address imbalances in the distribution of resources by prioritizing funding at the individual school level in order to advance a more transparent, equitable education system.
• Delivered criminal justice reform by, among other aspects, eliminating cash bail for misdemeanors and non-violent offenses, ensuring the right to a speedy trial, and transforming the discovery process.
“This was I believe, the most productive session in modern political history. You are going to have to go back and study the history books to come up with a session that did more good than this session did,” Cuomo added on Friday in an end-of-session media availability in the Red Room of the Capitol. “We laid out a 100-day agenda back in last December and said that this is a moment where we can make great change. You know change comes when the planets line up and the people are ready for change. Change is hard. The status quo is very difficult to overcome. It takes a lot of energy. It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of advocacy. And it takes a lot of intelligence because it is not just, I want to change. Change to what? And what are the consequences of that change? It’s not just the political intent to make a change. It’s the legal effect of what that change is. It goes from politics to government. The political part is easy. I want to make change. Okay, the governmental part is hard. How do you do it and what are the consequences, et cetera? But we did it and the people were ready for change.”

According to the report, job losses were partially offset by employment gains in construction.

By Forum Staff

The City economy apparently hit the snooze button late last year, as gross city product grew only 1.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017 (October through December), according to an analysis released on Thursday by Comptroller Scott Stringer.
In the final three months of 2017, during which the national economy expanded by 2.6 percent, private-sector employers in the five boroughs shed 17,300 jobs, including 15,700 gigs in mediфum-wage industries, according to the comptroller’s Quarterly Economic Update. For all of 2017, Big Apple private-sector employers added jobs 71,400 in 2017, compared to 83,600 new private-sector jobs in 2016. However, as Stringer pointed out, employment losses were partially offset by job gains in construction industries and financial activities.
Further findings in the fourth quarter update include:
Unemployment Declines across City: The unemployment rate fell in all five boroughs to their lowest fourth-quarter levels in at least 12 years, with Queens leading the way at 3.7 percent.
Average Hourly Earnings and Personal Income Tax Collections Rose: Changes to the U.S. tax code at the beginning of 2018 appear to have had a significant impact on personal income tax collections at the end of 2017, Stringer noted. Beginning in tax year 2018, taxpayers will lose the ability to deduct more than $10,000 in state and local taxes, he warned.
On a year-over-year basis, personal income taxes withheld from paychecks rose 16.2 percent to more than $2.2 billion in the fourth quarter, while estimated tax payments, which reflect trends in taxpayers’ non-wage income, including interest earned, rental income, and capital gains, more than doubled.
Average hourly earnings of all private NYC employees, another proxy for personal income, rose 3.7 percent on a year-over-year basis to $35.52 in the last quarter of 2017, the biggest fourth-quarter gain since 2008.
Housing Market Prices Increase in Outer Boroughs: Unlike Manhattan, housing market prices increased slightly in Brooklyn to $948,706. Similarly in Queens, the average sales price rose 8.9 percent to $624,698.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bus Ridership Continued Decline: Average weekday ridership on MTA NYC Transit fell 0.9 percent in October and November of 2017 from a year ago, as bus ridership fell 3.4 percent. During the same period, ridership on the Long Island Rail Road fell 0.5 percent, but increased 0.1 percent on Metro North.
For the entirety of 2017 through November, Stringer noted, average weekly ridership fell 1.2 percent on MTA subways and 5.5 percent on the buses.
Leading Economic Indicators are Positive: The City’s leading economic indicators were mixed, but implied continued expansion, according to the comptroller. The current business condition index provided by ISM-New York, Inc. (which measures the current state of the economy from the perspective of business procurement professionals) fell to 55.3 percent in the fourth quarter, below the 56.4 percent in the prior quarter. However, Stringer explained that a reading greater than 50 percent indicates growth.
“The weakness in employment growth should serve as a reminder that the robust rate of job creation in the city over the last several years won’t continue forever,” Stringer added. “We will continue to monitor the economy’s condition closely, but this quarter’s results highlight the need for prudence in the management of our finances.”

 AG Schneiderman on Monday released his third annual Working for Justice Labor Day report.

By Forum Staff

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman on Monday issued his third annual Labor Day report, “Working for Justice,” which covers the enforcement actions of the AG’s Labor Bureau and, as Schneiderman put it, the policies he has promoted on behalf of the labor force.

“As Attorney General, I remain steadfastly committed to ensuring that workers are paid for the work they do, that their pay lifts them out of poverty, and that undue obstacles aren’t placed in their path to job security and economic advancement,” Schneiderman said. “I celebrate the progress we made over the past year, and will continue fighting for the working men and women who contribute so much to our great state.”

Some of the more notable achievements on behalf of workers over the past 12 months include:

• Recovering almost $5.7 million for more than 3,300 low-wage workers, including fast-food employees, home health aides, taxi drivers, restaurant employees, and construction workers, among others. Since taking office, Schneiderman said he and his staff have recovered nearly $27 million for more than 20,000 workers victimized by wage theft, and levied $2.5 million in penalties against unscrupulous employers.
• A first-of-its-kind lawsuit against Domino’s Pizza as a joint employer responsible along with three franchisees for repeated violations of law and underpayment of workers at the three franchisees’ restaurants. Since taking office, A.G. Schneiderman has recovered $1.5 million for some 1,200 workers at 61 Domino’s stores across New York. His lawsuit against Domino’s corporate enterprise rightfully seeks to hold the company responsible for the wage theft endemic to its franchises nationwide, given the level of control exercised by Domino’s over franchisees’ operations, including labor relations.
• Successfully pursuing criminal prosecution for particularly egregious violators, including a home-health-care-agency owner who repeatedly failed to pay his employees; a Papa John’s franchise owner who created fake records after being investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor; and, in joint investigations with the New York City Department of Investigations and the Inspector General of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey,  contractors on public works projects that paid below the legally required prevailing wage rates.
• Obtaining agreements from six retail corporations comprising 13 brands, such as the Gap, Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, and J. Crew, to end the harmful practice of “on-call scheduling,” in which workers are required to call in to work a few hours in advance to find out if they are needed; such shifts require employees to obtain child care and forego other employment and educational opportunities without compensation.
• Ending unscrupulous non-compete agreements for workers at multiple companies, including Law360 and Jimmy John’s, after investigations by the AG’s Labor Bureau. According to Schneiderman, non-compete clauses are legal in New York only when a worker has highly specialized skills or access to trade secrets.

“While my office relies on existing law to protect workers and hold unscrupulous and exploitative employers accountable, we are also on the cutting edge to surmount new or seemingly intractable challenges in the workplace,” Schneiderman noted in the report’s introductory remarks . “We strive daily to ensure that workers rise above poverty wages, are paid for the work they do, are treated with dignity and respect, and can aspire to a life of financial security and greater opportunity.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

In the span of roughly 60 hours, last Friday evening to Monday morning, it seemed that Jon Greenfield put the finishing touches on the coda to one chapter of his professional life, and embarked on the introduction to a new one.

Friday marked Greenfield’s last day as communications director and policy advisor for Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach), who announced in June that he will serve out the rest of his third term in office and not seek reelection.  And on Monday, Greenfield joined Democratic consulting firm Red Horse Strategies as communications manager for the Brooklyn-based organization’s election and advocacy work across the state.

“I’m honored to join the Red Horse family and bring my experiences in communications to their work across the state,” Greenfield said. “Red Horse has set the standard for engaged, successful media campaigns in New York politics and being a part of this process is an exciting opportunity for me. I look forward to applying the lessons learned during my time with Assemblyman Goldfeder to this new chapter.”

Greenfield told The Forum on Tuesday that he soaked up as much as possible in his three years in the 23^rd Assembly District.

“I was proud to have been a part of each and every effort by Assemblyman Goldfeder to improve the community and fight for the issues that mattered most to families,” he said. “It was a truly great experience for me to witness firsthand the Assemblyman’s depth of knowledge and passion for making the community a better place. It was a lesson in public service that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Goldfeder said Red Horse now boasts one of the best in the business.

“I have always highly valued my communications operation as the best way to connect with families in southern Queens and Rockaway, and drive the conversation on issues that matter most,” said Goldfeder, who is slated to step in next year as director of Government Relations for Yeshiva University. “Jon was a tremendously valuable member of my staff, a first class Communications Director and most importantly, a great friend. He brought such professionalism and creativity to his role with my office that he made my work easy. He has a bright future ahead of him and I wish him all the best in this new role.”

As part of his work for Red Horse, Greenfield will be providing press and communications support for Stacey Pheffer Amato, who is seeking to succeed Goldfeder; and with Adrienne Adams, who is running for State Senate in the 10th District, which overlaps Goldfeder’s district.

Asked what event, issue, project from his time serving AD 23 really resonated with him, Greenfield said it’s difficult to pick just one, “though I am especially proud of our fight to reactivate the Rockaway Beach Rail Line because improving transportation touches so many parts of people’s lives. It opens up access to new employment opportunities, helps spur economic growth for neighborhoods still struggling from [Superstorm] Sandy, and connects families across the borough. I spent so much time on the fight to reactivate the line – from attending rallies, walking the length of the right-of-way, digging up old planning documents and meeting with advocates – that it will always stand out in my mind.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) this week announced her bipartisan Made in America Manufacturing Communities Act, which aims to grow the manufacturing industry and help create good-paying jobs in Queens by crafting a permanent program that designates local regions as “Manufacturing Communities,” putting them in the front of the line to receive federal economic development funding specifically for the purpose of investing in manufacturing.

“New York City has one of the most diverse and talented workforces in the entire country, and that makes us perfectly positioned for a manufacturing boom,” Gillibrand said on Monday as she toured Boyce Technologies in Long Island City. “This bipartisan legislation would unlock millions of dollars in federal economic development funds for smart investments in high-impact projects and leverage public-private partnerships to help create good-paying manufacturing jobs in Queens, jumpstart new businesses, and grow our economy for years to come.”

The manufacturing sector in New York City has stabilized and is beginning to grow again after a decade of decline, according to the Center for an Urban Future. Gillibrand said her bill would help the manufacturing industry in the city continue to grow by creating a permanent program to competitively award regions with the “Manufacturing Communities” designation. This designation would give these communities preferred consideration when applying for up to $1.3 billion in currently available federal economic development funding for manufacturing. The proposed law encourages a regionally-driven approach to strengthening the manufacturing industry. To compete for funding through this program and earn the “Manufacturing Communities” designation, communities would create regional partnerships with key stakeholders such as local and state economic development officials, local governments, manufacturers, labor organizations, and higher education or other training providers.

In order to earn the Manufacturing Communities designation, Gillibrand explained, communities would demonstrate the significance of manufacturing in their region and develop strategies to utilize their “Manufacturing Communities” designation in making investments in six areas:

• Workforce training and retraining;
• Advanced research;
• Infrastructure and site development;
• Supply chain support;
• Promotion of exports and foreign direct investment; and
• Operational improvement and capital access for manufacturers that supports energy or process efficiency, equipment or facility upgrades, or the development of business incubators, among other activities.

“The most important business issues we face here in Queens revolve around diversity, innovation and jobs,” said Thomas Grech, executive director, Queens Chamber of Commerce. “This bill sponsored by Senator Gillibrand will go a long way to help keep and grow businesses in Queens. Boyce Technologies is a wonderful example of each of these three key components. The Queens Chamber is steadfast in its resolve to support initiatives that encourage and allow businesses such as Boyce to flourish; locally, domestically and internationally.”

By Forum Staff

The administration last Sunday released “AccessibleNYC” – the City’s first-ever report on the state of people with disabilities, and interagency plans to improve the quality of life for the population across the five boroughs.

According to Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities is collaborating with dozens of City agencies to catalog current and forward-looking efforts to enhance accessibility and inclusion in transportation, education, employment and health, as well as City services, institutions and resources.

“Being a life-long New Yorker and a wheelchair user, I understand from experience the complexity that people with disabilities face on a daily basis – from navigating our streets to obtaining needed services,” said MOPD Commissioner Victor Calise, an Ozone Park native. “This is truly an unprecedented undertaking: never in the history of NYC government have so many City agencies worked together on a comprehensive report to advance the interests of New Yorkers with disabilities. I am confident that the progress we make will be unprecedented as well.”

The range of programming, policies, and initiatives in the 98-page analysis include:

• Disability Service Facilitators in key City Agencies: The City has created additional full-time positions in key agencies that work closely with MOPD and act as liaisons to New Yorkers with disabilities, including the Department of Transportation, the Human Resources Administration, TLC, and the Department of Parks and Recreation.
• Business Development Council: MOPD’s Business Development Council provides strategic advice on best practices in outreach, recruitment, training, hiring and promotion of people with disabilities in the workforce.
• Expanding employment opportunities: MOPD’s NYC: AT WORK initiative, with support from the Poses Family Foundation, will connect talent to businesses and provide access to employment opportunities for a minimum of 700 unemployed or underemployed people with disabilities. The Department of Education is also partnering with MOPD to build transition centers across the City to prepare students with disabilities for successful employment opportunities in the future.
• Upholding 55-a Civil Service Titles: MOPD and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services are collaborating to encourage agencies to utilize the 55-a Program – which permits applicants for non-competitive positions to bypass the Civil Service Exam – to employ qualified individuals with disabilities.
• Creating more accessible housing for NYC: MOPD will host a housing day for builders and developers to ensure they understand the New York City Building Code requirements, the federal Fair Housing Act, and the implications of receiving City, State, and federal funds.
• Accessible vehicles for all, on call: By working with TLC, the City is expanding dispatch services for wheelchair users across the five boroughs so that residents can have an accessible taxi dispatched on-demand or by reservation.
• Supporting students with disabilities: MOPD is working in partnership with the Department of Education to provide support to students with disabilities, families and educators to offer work-based learning opportunities and professional learning experiences to ensure that students graduate prepared for their post-secondary plans, including college, career and independent living.

“In the past, the needs and rights of people with disabilities were considered by government on a piecemeal basis. The creation of a Disability Agenda for NYC should provide a blueprint for the future that insures integration, participation, social opportunity and employment for New Yorkers with disabilities,” added James Weisman, president and CEO of the United Spinal Association.

By Michael V. Cusenza

Resorts World Casino New York City has mapped out a massive, $400 million expansion that its parent company hopes will transform the highly successful South Ozone Park entertainment facility into a Big Apple destination.

Ryan Eller, president of Resorts World NYC, presented the proposal last week to the State Franchise Oversight Board. The State must approve the plan before any shovels hit dirt.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the 750,000 square-foot expansion project calls for the creation of a 400-room hotel, 140,000 square-foot convention space, a spa, and food and retail amenities.

Additionally, the gaming floor will expand as well, with 1,000 more video lottery terminals to be phased in on top of the 5,500 VLTs already humming at the racino that opened on the Aqueduct Racetrack grounds in the fall of 2011.

“Resorts World is extremely proud to be one of the largest contributors to New York’s education system, having already generated more than $1.5 billion for the state’s education fund in less than five years of operation,” said Michael Levoff, senior vice president of Public Affairs for Genting Americas. “This new expansion, and its corresponding increase in visitation to our facility, will result in a boost in revenue for both New York’s education fund and the state’s horse racing industry – while also acting as a catalyst for additional economic development in our local Queens community. Beyond providing additional revenue, this expansion will also add approximately 1,500 good-paying careers for New Yorkers and thousands of construction jobs.”

South Queens community leaders seem to be giving the plan a preliminary thumbs-up.

“Plans for expansion at Resorts World are a step forward towards the concept of a destination resort that has been part of the discussion with them since that concept was presented to the community back in 2010,” said Betty Braton, long-time chairwoman of Community Board 10. “We look forward to working with them as current plans take shape to ensure they are sensitive to community concerns and impact is positive. Our experience during the last five years with casino officials is that our concerns do factor into their decision making. We’re certain that will be the case as this new project moves ahead.”

State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) said he sees a lot of positives.

“The proposal…has the potential to reap huge economic benefits on not only the surrounding neighborhood of Ozone Park, but the entire borough of Queens and state. This project would create over a thousand jobs in construction, design and other fields during the planning and building stages as well as thousands of long-term positions at each of the new facilities once the project is completed. Local job creation is crucial to our economy and such a large influx of job opportunities is rare. With a portion of gaming money from casinos across New York being given every year to fund and support education, an additional 1,000 VLTs and gaming at the site would also benefit schools throughout the state, as that funding would continue to grow. Resorts World is already the biggest contributor to this fund in all of New York State, illustrating the popularity of the gaming facilities at this location and how expanding the opportunity to play and experience the new amenities would only lead to more crucial dollars for state education and revenue.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

Resorts World Casino New York City wants to expand.

And for two very important, yet simple reasons, we say: Let ‘em.

We can hear your cynical sneers now: You’re blindly giving this ginormous (yes, that’s a real word) expansion project the green light because the casino has been a loyal advertiser in The Forum for years.

It’s true – RW NYC has rented a half-page in this trusted newspaper for many weeks. What’s not even remotely accurate is the assumption that said business relationship has anything to do with our decision to support their growth.

We all know what assuming does…

Our preliminary stamp of approval is based on two cornerstones:

1. All signs point to this expansion being a very good thing for Queens – and if it’s good for our home, then we’re all for it. Ostensibly it will create thousands of crucial temporary and permanent job opportunities, put billions back into education, and make the borough a destination.
2. Resorts World, for the most part, has been a solid south Queens neighbor since the racino opened in 2011. Yes, there have been some incidents – but they are few and far between. We have no reason to expect any sort of dramatic change in demeanor or decorum from this establishment and its leaders.

“Our experience during the last five years with casino officials is that our concerns do factor into their decision making. We’re certain that will be the case as this new project moves ahead,” Community Board 10 Chairwoman Betty Braton said, in part, on Wednesday.

And we agree. Because RW NYC, and its parent company, Genting Americas, haven’t shown us anything but respect, responsibility, and accessibility since they broke ground at Aqueduct.

“This new expansion, and its corresponding increase in visitation to our facility, will result in a boost in revenue for both New York’s education fund and the state’s horse racing industry – while also acting as a catalyst for additional economic development in our local Queens community,” said Michael Levoff, senior vice president of Public Affairs for Genting Americas. “Beyond providing additional revenue, this expansion will also add approximately 1,500 good-paying careers for New Yorkers and thousands of construction jobs.”

Uh oh – queue the ominous music. Mr. Evil Corporate Person has spoken.

Nope. Our neighbor with a durable track record has reassured us.

We’re going to take them at their word. Because they’ve never given us a reason not to.

By Forum Staff

From the Lower Chamber to higher education.

Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder’s (D-Howard Beach) next stop will be Yeshiva University, according to the school, which made it official on Tuesday.

The District 23 representative is slated to step in as director of Government Relations for the Manhattan-based research institution.

“I have dedicated my life in public service to ensuring a better future for all our families. This begins by providing our children with a world-class education that will enable them to be successful and contribute to the community,” said Goldfeder. “I’m excited to utilize my diverse experience to advance the mission and goals of the University.”

Goldfeder stunned colleagues and constituents earlier this month when he announced that he would not seek a fourth term. He has officially endorsed Rockaway Democratic district leader Stacey Pheffer Amato as his successor in the Assembly.

“It has been a real pleasure to serve alongside Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx). “Phil’s departure, while a tremendous loss for the Assembly, will be a great gain for Yeshiva University. His leadership, energy and enthusiasm have been an invaluable contribution to the Assembly and to the state of New York. I wish him all the best in this new role.”

Goldfeder’s career in public service began as a community liaison for the City Council. He went on to become Queens director for the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit under Michael Bloomberg. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) later hired him as his office’s director of Intergovernmental Affairs. In September 2011, Goldfeder emerged victorious from special election for the D23 seat.

“I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Phil for many years from the time he worked in the Mayor’s Office, through his work with Senator Schumer and most recently as a New York State legislator,” said Andrew (Avi) Lauer, vice president for Legal Affairs and general counsel at YU. “I look forward to working closely with him and have every confidence that he will represent YU with the same passion, professionalism and vigor as he has his constituents for so many years.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

The de Blasio administration recently released new renderings of the Citywide Ferry vessels that will be hitting New York’s waterways when Phase I of the service sets sail next summer.

Nineteen boats will be operating at 21 landings across the five boroughs. Mayor Bill de Blasio boasted about some of the specs and features for each vessel, which include:

• Capacity for 149 passengers along with space for bikes, strollers, and wheelchairs.
• ADA accessibility and compliance.
• Boats are 26 meters vs. the standard 22 meters.
• Ferries primarily being built out of aluminum, which is light weight and increases fuel efficiency.
• Use of T3 Engines to reduce emissions and noise.
• Innovative hull design to limit wake and maximize fuel efficiency.
• Free Wi-Fi throughout the vessel.
• Heated decks that increase each vessel’s resiliency and durability, especially during winter months.

“The overall concept of these new vessels reflects our desire to deliver a system that builds on our strong record of environmental efficiency, sustainability and resiliency,” said Cameron Clark, vice president and general manager of Hornblower, the California-based operator of the CFS.

De Blasio announced in March that the seaborne service is on track for a 2017 start date. The Phase I Rockaway, Astoria, and south Brooklyn routes will be ready for the first 2017 voyages. When fully operational by 2018, the Citywide Ferry Service will carry an estimated 4.6 million trips per year across six routes.

Additionally, the CFS is expected to generate at least 155 “new, good-paying jobs” in New York Harbor, de Blasio said.

“The greatest city in the world deserves the greatest ferry system in the world. That’s exactly what New Yorkers are getting with these modern, efficient boats that come with Wi-Fi, charging stations, and plenty of space to move around comfortably,” the mayor noted. “Most importantly, when we launch Citywide Ferry next summer we will be connecting New Yorkers in transit-starved neighborhoods with good jobs and opportunities all over the city.”

The plan still is for the ferry to be pegged to the price of a MetroCard, and launch at $2.75 per trip. The project is expected to cost approximately $325 million. The City has said that it is investing $55 million in infrastructure upgrades, including building 10 new ferry landings and rehabilitating six others; and that it is also providing $30 million in operating support per year, over a period of six years.

“The addition of citywide ferry service will give locals and visitors more reasons to explore the City’s vibrant and multicultural neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs. We welcome the new service and look forward to providing our visitors even better access to all of the excitement New York City has to offer,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company, the City’s official destination marketing organization.

“Ferries have been an underused part of our transit system for nearly a century. Having new ferries to support the mayor’s water transport plan will go a long way toward correcting that imbalance,” added Sam Schwartz, president and CEO of Sam Schwartz Engineering and former City Department of Transportation commissioner.

The administration also recently announced that five New Yorkers who take a two-minute survey about Citywide Ferry through the website will automatically be entered to win one of five annual Citywide Ferry passes once service commences next year. Winners of the annual passes will be announced as Citywide Ferry gets closer to launch with one entry per person. For more information, visit CitywideFerry.NYC.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz has allocated $3.64 million of her Fiscal Year 2017 discretionary money to fund capital projects at four of the City University of New York public institutions of higher learning in the World’s Borough: Queens College in Flushing, York College in Jamaica, Queensborough Community College in Bayside, and LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City.

This year’s $3.64 million allocation, Katz noted, comes on top of the $8.75 million previously allocated by the Borough President’s Office between Fiscal Years 2015 and 2016 toward CUNY capital projects.

“As the third-largest university system in the United States, CUNY offers a high-quality and remarkably affordable and competitive higher education that enables the pursuit of the American Dream,” Katz said. “CUNY has been a critical door to opportunities for millions of New Yorkers and their families, and here in Queens we’re proud to be home to some of the best of CUNY schools. This multi-million dollar allocation of public funding is a direct investment into the public colleges of our borough so that CUNY remains able to meet the educational needs of its hard-working students.”

The allocation breaks down like this:

• $1 million to fully fund the construction of recording studios for the new Music and Production Certificate program at Queens College. The money will provide multi-use facilities for classrooms, rehearsal and performance spaces, and laboratories for performers, composers and teachers. Additionally, Katz said, the project will provide the proper acoustical components – sound absorbers, diffusers and ceiling elements – creating spaces conducive to live musical performances and high-quality audio recordings. The studios also will be ideally suited for distance learning applications and webcasting for music students as well as for the college community. Anticipated completion: January 2019.
• $1 million toward the construction of the Center for Career and Employment Training at LaGuardia Community College. The facility, Katz said, will serve as a central location for all LaGuardia students to connect to a network of employers and have access to real-time labor market data. The Center will also offer students advisement and training. The total projected cost of the facility is $6 million, with $2 million possibly coming from the City Council, and $3 million from the State Legislature. Design to begin July 2017, with construction set to start January 2018. Anticipated completion: August 2018.
• $1 million toward creating a modern kitchen and dining hall at Queensborough Community College that will replace the college’s current undersized basement dining hall. The allocation is toward the balance of City funding needed for Phase 2 based on current estimates, with $1 million possibly coming from Albany. Anticipated completion: March 2019.
• $640,000 toward renovating the greenhouse at York College.

“Queens Borough President Katz had provided critical and generous funding for CUNY projects that will enhance program quality, student experience and college value at Queens, York, LaGuardia and Queensborough Community colleges,” said CUNY Chancellor James Milliken. “I deeply appreciate her commitment to CUNY, which has such a positive impact on the borough and city.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

More budget bliss at City Hall as Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council last week announced that they have reached an early agreement on a balanced Fiscal Year 2017 financial plan, marking the earliest handshake between the two branches in 15 years, according to the administration.

The $82.1 billion budget, according to the mayor and the Council, makes targeted investments in cultural organizations and libraries, youth workforce development and public safety, while strengthening the City’s long-term fiscal health through the bolstering of unprecedented reserve funds and an even larger Citywide Savings Program.

“This budget is not only on time – it’s the earliest agreement since 2001, because the administration and Council worked together to produce tangible, timely results for New Yorkers,” said de Blasio, perhaps taking a veiled shot at the previous administration, which was known for its annual budget tug-of-war, replete with threats to shutter Fire companies and cripple senior services. “We’ll grow to 60,000 slots in our Summer Youth Employment Program, continue six-day library service, invest in our cultural institutions, provide our district attorneys with the funds they need to continue combating crime and addressing heroin and prescription drug use, all while protecting the City’s fiscal health. Thank you to Speaker Mark-Viverito and all of her colleagues in the Council for their partnership as we reached this agreement.”

This fiscal year’s pact includes:

• $39 million a year in baselined funding for the Summer Youth Employment program, which provides youth employment and work readiness to youth ages 14-24, allowing the program to grow to 60,000 slots this summer, up from 50,000 last summer.
• $21 million a year in additional baselined funding to continue six-day service at public libraries.
• $22 million a year in new city funding for FY17 and beyond for all five district attorneys
• $5 million in FY17 for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, allowing for a 40 percent increase in the purchase to support the needs of 450 food pantries and community kitchens throughout the City.
• $3 million in additional funding to continue Vision Zero public outreach campaigns.
• $10 million in FY17 in additional funding for cultural organizations.
• $1.7 million in FY17 to extend beach and pool season one week past Labor Day at many beaches and pools citywide.
• $17.5 million in FY17 for 26,000 summer seats for middle school youth.
• $17.6 million in FY17 to provide elementary after-school programming for 9,000 children.
• $1.8 million in baselined funding for senior case management, aimed at addressing the waitlist for the Department for the Aging’s case management program, which provides support to 20,000 low-income and homebound seniors.

“Mayor de Blasio and the City Council have demonstrated a deep understanding of the fundamental good public libraries offer the community,” said Queens Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott. “By insuring six days of service for the future, Queens Library can offer even more residents the tools for success. Thanks to Mayor de Blasio, Speaker Mark-Viverito, Finance Chair Ferreras-Copeland, Majority Leader Van Bramer, Libraries Chair King and the entire City Council for their leadership and for investing in New Yorkers by investing in libraries.”

Mark-Viverito added, “With this budget agreement, this City Council has proven once again to be a champion for all New Yorkers in all five boroughs. Whether you are young person who will gain their first paid work experience through the expanded Summer and Year Round Youth Employment Programs an undocumented New Yorker who will have access to free, comprehensive legal assistance and adult literacy services, or a struggling parent who will have an easier time putting food on the table with help from the Emergency Food Assistance Program, this is a budget for everyone. I thank Mayor de Blasio, Finance Committee Chair Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, my Council colleagues, and all the New Yorkers who made this equitable, responsible budget possible.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

The union representing nearly 40,000 striking Verizon workers announced on Sunday that it has reached an agreement with the company.

Members of the Communications Workers of America that are employees of the telecom giant have been on strike since April 13. According to the CWA, Verizon will add 1,300 new east coast call center jobs, and reverse several other outsourcing initiatives that will create new field technician jobs. The four-year proposed agreement provides 10.9 percent in raises, a $1,250 signing bonus in the Mid-Atlantic; and a $1,000 signing bonus plus a $250 healthcare reimbursement account in the Northeast; $2,800 minimum in profit sharing, pension increases, and a first contract for Verizon Wireless retail store employees in Brooklyn, N.Y. and Everett, MA.

Striking workers returned to their jobs on Wednesday.

Highlights from the proposed agreement, which will be presented to members for a ratification vote after the return to work, include:

• A 10.9 percent raise over the next four years with compounded interest, including 3 percent upon ratification, and 2.5 percent on each anniversary of the contract.
• A minimum of $700 in corporate profit sharing payments in each of the next four years.
• All call centers that had been threatened with closure in the Mid-Atlantic region will remain open. Three of the five threatened call centers in upstate New York will also remain open; the six workers affected in the other two centers will be offered jobs locally in the company.
• The new contract guarantees that an increased percentage of customer service work will be handled by unionized workers. As a result, Verizon will add 1,300 call center jobs, 850 in the Mid-Atlantic region and 450 in the Northeast.
• Several major contracting initiatives will be reversed, sustaining work for union members in their communities and returning a significant amount of pole maintenance work to the unionized workforce in New York State. There will be a 25 percent increase in the number of unionized crews doing pole work in New York.
• Existing Job security language will be preserved, as will existing language on transfer and seniority protections for retirement incentives. All of the company’s proposals on forced interstate transfers of technicians were withdrawn.
• All proposed reductions of pensions were withdrawn by the company, and there will be three 1-percent increases in the defined benefit pensions over the life of the agreement.
• The company agreed to terminate a performance supervisory program in effect in the five boroughs that workers found extremely abusive, and both parties will work with an outside consultant to develop a non-punitive program.
• Proposed cuts in accident and disability benefits were withdrawn. The parties agreed to changes to active and retiree healthcare that generate savings to the company while protecting plan designs for medical care.

“CWA appreciates the persistence and dedication of Secretary Perez, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director Allison Beck and their entire teams. The addition of good new jobs at Verizon is a huge win not just for striking workers, but for our communities and the country as a whole. This contract is a victory for working families across the country and an affirmation of the power of working people,” said Chris Shelton, president of the Communications Workers of America. “It proves that when we stand together we can raise up working families, improve our communities and advance the interests of America’s working people.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

The City’s Superstorm Sandy employment initiative will be making additional free pre-apprenticeship training opportunities available to low- and middle-income residents of Sandy-impacted areas, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week.

For the first time, select Sandy Recovery Workforce1 pre-apprenticeship training programs will host certain classes in these Sandy-impacted communities, de Blasio noted last Friday.

“Since the beginning, we have been committed not just to our recovery, but to providing opportunities to New Yorkers in our hardest-hit neighborhoods,” he added. “Build it Back has thus far connected 680 Sandy-impacted New Yorkers to high-quality employment, including many to the construction trades through union pre-apprenticeship vouchers. We are now increasing our capacity so that more Sandy-impacted New Yorkers can access these life changing opportunities.”

De Blasio launched Sandy Recovery Workforce1 in 2014 as part of an overhaul of the City’s Build it Back program and larger reconstruction effort. The program is part of the broader mission of the Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations to connect Sandy-impacted residents with careers in the unionized construction industry and jobs related to the recovery and rebuilding of these communities. According to the administration, residents from the affected communities have been hired through Workforce1 and Build it Back for jobs such as construction managers, procurement managers, residential construction inspectors, administrative assistants, and customer service representatives.

Through the Sandy Recovery Hiring Plan, the de Blasio administration has urged recovery construction managers to hire locally. They have been encouraged to work with community groups and job-training programs to identify candidates for construction-related work.

As a result of collaboration between the City, the NYC Building and Construction Trades Council and pre-apprenticeship training providers, New Yorkers will be able to enroll in designated classes, de Blasio said.

The pre-apprenticeship offerings include: a class in May which will have its first week hosted in the Rockaway Workforce1 Career Center on Rockaway Beach Boulevard, run by The Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills; a class in June run by NYC District Council of Carpenters Building Works open to Sandy-impacted communities; and a class in July for women in Sandy-impacted communities run by Nontraditional Employment for Women.

Additionally, HRO indicated that Sandy Recovery Workforce1 will continue its partnership with New York City Helmets to Hardhats, which serves as a direct entry pathway into construction unions for veterans. Each provider has State Department of Labor-approved direct entry agreements with DOL-registered and City Building and Construction Trade Council-affiliated apprenticeship programs.

All pre-apprenticeship vouchers are funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery Program. To date, according to the administration, 84 vouchers have been distributed and 66 people have graduated from the programs using our vouchers, preparing them for union work as roofers, metal lathers, painters, laborers, and carpenters.

Residents in Sandy-impacted ZIP codes interested in taking advantage of the pre-apprenticeship opportunities should visit their nearest Sandy Recovery Workforce1 office at sandyrecoveryopportunities.com. Sandy-impacted Queens ZIP codes are: 11102, 11414, 11420, 11422, 11433, 11434, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694, and 11697.

By Michael V. Cusenza

New York City’s economy grew significantly faster than the national economy during the first quarter of this year, according to City Comptroller Scott Stringer, who also identified harbingers of a looming fiscal slowdown last week as he released the Quarterly Economic Update.

Strong gains in private-sector payroll jobs helped the Big Apple’s economy expand by an estimated 3.4 percent over the first three months of 2016, Stringer noted. But signs of a cooling economy emerged as average hourly earnings in the private sector were flat and venture capital fell for the first time since 2012.

“The City’s job market was a bright spot in the first few months of 2016 as more New Yorkers joined the workforce, but there are signs of a slowdown on the horizon,” Stringer said. “More City residents than ever before are now employed, but too many of the jobs we’re gaining are in low-wage industries. When New Yorkers work full time and still can’t afford a decent living, it undermines our entire economy.”

              Courtesy of the Office of the City Comptroller                CLICK TO ENLARGE

The Update’s first-quarter findings include:

Continued Overall Economic Growth

The city’s economy, as estimated by Gross City Product, grew at a 3.4 percent annual rate in the first quarter of 2016. While the past two years began with similarly divergent rates, Stringer noted, over the course of those years, the gap in growth narrowed.

New York City resident employment grew by 21,200 in the first quarter, reaching a record level of more than 4 million and raising the employment-to-population ratio to 58 percent. The spread between the national and the city employment-to-population remains close to its historical low, Stringer said.

Additionally, the number of city residents working or looking for a job soared, according to the Update. About 32,000 residents joined or rejoined the labor force, the highest quarterly increase in 12 years.

Stagnating Wages

Of the total 41,700 private-sector payroll jobs added in the first quarter, nearly half were in low-wage industries, according to the report, and 36 percent were in mid-wage industries. All major sectors expanded except for the high-paid financial activities sector.

The continued dominance of low-wage job creation contributed to disappointing wage gains, Stringer said. Average hourly earnings for private-sector payroll workers grew only 0.1 percent year-over-year.

Between the end of the Great Recession and 2014, average pay in low-wage industries has fallen 3.2 percent, after adjusting for inflation. Real wages for mid-wage industries have grown 4 percent, while high-wage industries experienced 10.3 percent real wage growth in those five years.

Falling Venture Capital Investment and Weak Income Tax Collection

Venture capital investment in the New York metro area fell 6.2 percent to about $1.4 billion in the first quarter of 2016, the first year-over-year decline since 2012, Stringer noted. Nationwide, venture capital investment fell even faster, leading the New York metro area’s share of investment to grow to 11.3 percent in the first quarter of 2016 from 10.7 percent in the final quarter of 2015. Quarterly city personal income tax revenues fell 0.3 percent on a year-over-year basis, driven by a 28 percent increase in tax refunds. The steep increase in refunds was offset by modest growth in taxes withheld from paychecks and estimated payments, Stringer explained.

A decrease in financial sector bonus payments contributed to relatively weak first quarter personal income tax collections. Wall Street bonuses are estimated to have been $23 billion in the 2015 bonus season, 16 percent lower than $27.5 billion in 2014, and the lowest level since 2011. Lower bonuses coincided with a 10.5 percent drop in Wall Street profits in 2015.

Real Estate Market Growth, but Signs of Cooling

Manhattan’s vacancy rate for commercial property fell to 9 percent, the lowest first-quarter level since 2008. Vacancy rates in Midtown South dropped to 6.3 percent this quarter from 7 percent in the first quarter of 2015, as Midtown overall and Downtown recorded smaller declines.

New commercial leasing activity in Manhattan, however, fell 6 percent to 6.5 million square feet. The highest-leasing sector was technology, advertising, media and information services, accounting for nearly 37 percent of new leases 10,000 square-feet and larger.

The volume of residential home sales increased 8 percent in Manhattan and 27 percent in Brooklyn. However, home sales in Queens fell 2 percent in the first quarter, after growing 32.7 percent in the final quarter of 2015. Similarly, average home sales prices increased in Manhattan and Brooklyn, but fell in Queens, Stringer noted.

“We’ll be keeping an eye on these economic indicators and continuing to focus on enacting policies that ensure every New Yorker has a fair chance to share in our city’s growth,” he added.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Office of Management and Budget, and the City Council last week announced that the data supporting the Big Apple’s $82 billion budget is now available to the general public online.

According to the administration, OMB worked with the Council to make key budget documents human and computer searchable, instead of printed or in lengthy PDFs, at nycopendata.socrata.com.

“When agencies make the commitment to make their data machine-readable, it unlocks value for users all across the City, inside government and out” said Dr. Amen Ra Mashariki, chief Analytics officer. “From the City Record Online to this important data release by the Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget, New York City continues to deliver on providing meaningful access to important data for all New Yorkers.”

The Council in April requested a searchable online budget in its official Response to the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2017 Preliminary Budget:

“The budget is the most important public policy the City regularly makes. As such its transparency is crucial to helping New Yorkers understand how the City spends and raises funding. While OMB publically provides many budget documents, all of them are in portable document format (PDF), making analysis of them cumbersome at best and impossible at worst. Like other agencies, OMB should publish Excel files of its documents such as the supporting schedules, departmental estimates, and other applicable documents.”

According to the Mayor’s Office, the data complements the extensive budget documents already published online by OMB.

“Transparency is an essential part of our continued commitment to making the Council’s work more accessible to New Yorkers,” said Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. “This update to the Open Data Portal allows the public to access more information about the City budget than ever before. I thank Finance Chair [Julissa] Ferreras-Copeland and Council Member Ben Kallos for their strong advocacy on behalf of open government and look forward to continuing to work with the de Blasio Administration to make government more accessible.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

Days after urging Mayor Bill de Blasio to find more money in the Executive Budget for the city’s libraries, Queens Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott presented Hizzoner with his very own Queens Library card.

Walcott issued the official ID on Saturday at the Woodside branch while celebrating the location’s return to six-day service. Last Tuesday, Walcott asked de Blasio and the Council to negotiate a final budget that restores public library funding to Fiscal Year 2008 levels and addresses branch maintenance woes.

“Libraries provide critical education, resources, programs and services in every community, and are so important in bridging the digital divide. Every day at my desk, I see people come into the library who are totally dependent on Queens Library for technology and so many other services. We must continue last year’s important investment in libraries,” Walcott said. “Libraries are now open six days a week in every community. We were able to hire much-needed staff, from children’s librarians to technology specialists, and purchase more homework help, ESOL and other library materials. Funding for New York’s libraries, however, is still $43 million citywide below what was needed to provide robust six days of service, while demand for services and programs continues to grow.  Keeping up with the city’s over 40 million library visits each year has stretched our library workers and facilities to their limits.  We call on the Council and Mayor to adopt a final budget that fully funds six days of service, assures that funding in future years and allocates $100 million of capital funding for critical maintenance needs.”

The libraries’ funding requests include a restoration of the $65 million cut since FY 2008, allowing libraries to increase staff, services, and programming addressing the word gap, the digital divide, etc.; restoring last year’s $43 million increase into the budget, as well as any other additional operating funding; and capital investment to address the over $250 million in “urgent maintenance needs.”

“Maintaining our 65 locations and aging infrastructure is also a short and long-term challenge for the Library,” Walcott testified at the Preliminary Budget Hearing in March. “The average community library is 61 years old. More than a third are over 50 years old. They are heavily used, and most were not constructed to accommodate the traffic that we see due to the growth in demand for our services. Additionally, the vast majority of libraries are poorly configured to meet the demands of the digital age – with too few electrical outlets, too little space for classes, group work, or space for individuals working on laptop computers. Our challenge is to modernize our facilities, maintain our critical infrastructure and to expand our public spaces in order to thrive in the 21st Century.”

Walcott took the reins from interim President and CEO Bridget Quinn-Carey just a couple of weeks before testifying at the Budget Hearing at City Hall. The borough native served in the Bloomberg administration as a deputy mayor and later as city Schools chancellor.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

A growing group of state legislators and the New York Racing Association Board are urging Gov. Andrew Cuomo to support a proposal that would transition NYRA to private, not-for-profit status and create a new Board of Directors that will include host community representatives from Queens and other respective track communities.

Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach) on Monday announced that he has joined fellow elected officials who represent other so-called racetrack communities in sending a letter to Cuomo, calling on him to get behind the new NYRA restructuring plan – which the NYRA Board voted in favor of earlier this month.

In the missive, Goldfeder presented the outline of a new governing structure for NYRA under a proposed return to private, not-for-profit status: a fresh 15-member Board of Directors that will include representatives from the state Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, state Breeders Association, and an equine veterinarian. The Board will also include the NYRA CEO, and three at-large members nominated by the Board.

For Goldfeder, the most noteworthy elements of the new Board would be the two host community representatives from Ozone Park, Elmont, and Saratoga Springs – homes of the state’s three premier racetracks: Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga, respectively. Under the plan, the six members would be appointed by the mayor or supervisor of the host community.

The proposal also requests the creation of Community Advisory Boards for each host community. NYRA officials would regularly meet with the CABs to review and take comments on policies and programs impacting the neighborhoods.

“NYRA has really hit its stride in bringing new levels of popularity and profitability to horse racing across New York State,” said Goldfeder, a member of the Assembly Committee on Racing and Wagering. “Our proposed restructuring plan will help put the state’s racetracks on an equal footing with programs across the country and give them a real run for their money. Most importantly, it will give a voice to communities around Aqueduct Racetrack and ensure the continued success of this great sports facility.”

If approved by the Legislature and Cuomo, the plan would return NYRA to private status for the first time since it was placed under state control in 2012. In the years since, the organization has experience consistent significant growth, aided in part by the surge in popularity surrounding the 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who drew record crowds to Belmont Park and Saratoga. According to a media release following the Board meeting, NYRA enjoyed back-to-back profitable years in 2014-15, with $1.7 million in profits in 2014 and $3.5 million in 2015, a first since it filed for bankruptcy in 2006.

Aqueduct has had its share of recent success. NYRA reported that during the 2016 winter meet, the South Ozone Park track’s average daily handle was up $831,590; while its total handle had increased $54.5 million year-over-year.

And following a recent agreement between Genting Group, the parent company of Resorts World New York, which is located on Aqueduct grounds, and Nassau County Off-Track Betting, the casino is set to get 1,000 new video lottery terminals, bringing the facility’s gaming capacity to approximately 6,000 VLTs.

Additionally, during Fiscal Year 2015-2016, Resorts World NYC reported $766 million in net wins and contributed $337 million to the State Education Fund.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com