The City Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Design and Construction (DDC) has begun a comprehensive $5.7 million project to rehabilitate the retaining walls of the Cooper Avenue underpass in Glendale, but a proposal to convert 74th Street one-way northbound has drawn criticism from the community. The street is currently one-way southbound.

Council Member Elizabeth Crowley (D-30, Queens) opposes the proposed street conversion and wrote a letter to DOT Queens Borough Commissioner Maura McCarthy asking the department to reverse its decision.

“I strongly urge the DOT to listen to the wishes of the community and postpone the proposed change for 74th Street,” said Council Member Crowley. “The attempt to calm traffic and improve safety is admirable, but the DOT is using outdated numbers.”

“This plan does not best represent the needs of the community. Local businesses have been operating under the current configuration for two or three generations and they have voiced their opposition to this plan,” said Assemblyman Mike Miller. “Residents have circulated a petition against this proposal. Any street conversion, such as this one, should be brought to the attention of the community for more intensive scrutiny. The local residents are opposed to this plan. The plan is seeking to remedy a safety situation that may not even exist once P.S./I.S. 119 is converted. I am calling on the DOT to cancel this planned conversion.”

“The current plan to reroute 74th Street will be detrimental to the small businesses that have been operating in the community for generations,” said State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. “It will also increase traffic volumes on the surrounding streets making them more dangerous for the pedestrians and school children that use those streets on a daily basis. I strongly urge the DOT to reconsider this proposal and yield to the community of Glendale by not disrupting their safety and quality of life.”

The DOT’s traffic study determined there was a dangerous conflict from drivers turning left off Cooper Avenue to 74th Street at I.S. 119. However, the study was conducted two years ago when the school acted as the middle school for numerous elementary schools around Glendale and Middle Village.

With the recent conversion of I.S. 119 to a locally zoned K-8 school, as well as other similar school conversions throughout the district, the traffic patterns will be vastly different then what the DOT studied. The new enrollment at P.S./I.S. 119 could create new traffic conflicts on 78th Avenue and 73rd Place if the 74th Street is converted one-way southbound. Council Member Crowley is calling on the DOT to wait until P.S./I.S. 119 is at full capacity and conduct another traffic study.

Council Member Crowley, Senator Addabbo, and Assemblyman Miller all sent a letter to the DOT urging the department to reconsider its plans. The three legislators also sent a joint letter to constituents alerting them that they stand with the community against the change to 74th Street and will continue pressuring the DOT.

Op-Ed by Council Member Elizabeth Crowley

In 2010, the New York City Department of Education was slapped with a lawsuit for its failure to comply with Title IX regulations and provide equal athletic opportunities for girls and boys in New York City high schools. In an attempt to correct this imbalance, the Department of Education has put an embargo on the creation of new boys’ teams altogether — effectively discriminating against boys in new schools and continuing to disparage girls in existing schools.

In New York City there is nearly an 8 percent difference between the number of girls who are enrolled in the district and the number of female student-athletes. If this gap were closed, it would allow an additional 17,000 girls to participate in a sport. In order to close it, the DOE is relying on new schools to establish a better balance. By granting solely girls’ teams in new schools, and denying opportunities for boys, the administration hopes the imbalance will work itself out over time.

A more fitting solution would be to evaluate each school based on its individual merits. Just as the NCAA would not punish St. John’s University if Ohio State were non-compliant, the DOE should not punish a brand-new school with no established imbalance because another has a large participation gap. The discrepancies between boys’ and girls’ sports teams need to be evaluated on a school-by-school basis so that we can target the individual schools with well-documented inequalities and allow new schools to grow diverse, robust sports programs.

The logic behind the current DOE plan is not only flawed, but extremely disappointing to thousands of young people who wish to partake in their favorite extracurricular activities — ones which can help them focus more on academics and make them more attractive candidates to prospective colleges. Athletics offer young people the chance to build social skills, develop friendships and open themselves up to future educational and athletic opportunities.

This year, I have urged Chancellor Walcott to deal with the gender-based inequalities throughout New York City. What the Department of Education must realize is that the current policy fails to tackle gender inequality in the schools it is currently happening in, and this jeopardizes everyone’s chance at participating in extracurricular athletics. This is a passive and ineffective approach which has been largely unsuccessful in solving a decade-long issue and prevents New York City schools from providing a well-rounded education to all of its students.

Title IX regulations were established so that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity.” In other words, we must provide equal opportunities to male and female students in proportion to their enrollment rate. Only through evaluating schools on an individual basis will we be able to do this effectively.

Council Member Elizabeth S. Crowley (D-30, Queens) visited P.S. 68, on Wednesday, February 08, 2012 to welcome the inaugural class at the school’s new computer lab. The lab features more than 30 new Apple computers for the students.

“Computer skills are crucial for educational and career success,” Council Member Crowley stated. “I know the staff at P.S. 68, led by Principal Scalfaro, will use this new lab to better enrich the students’ education.”

The new computers were purchased thanks to a technology grant provided by Council Member Crowley during the Fiscal Year 2012 budget. More than $2 million have been allocated to local schools throughout the 30th Council District to fund technology rooms, libraries, and other school improvements in the 2012 budget. Since Council Member Crowley took office, she has allocated more than $5 million to neighborhood schools.

Following a string of graffiti vandalism in Middle Village, Council Member Elizabeth Crowley and State Senator Joseph Addabbo reiterated their commitment to fighting graffiti in the community.

According to police, three males spray-painted graffiti on public and private property on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 along Juniper Valley Road and surrounding streets in Middle Village. Thirteen different locations were vandalized, and officers from the 104th Precinct arrested the suspects following a 911 call.

“These vandals defaced trees, light poles, and private property, but thanks to the dedicated work of the 104th Precinct, they were quickly arrested,” Council Member Crowley said. “We must continue to send a strong message to vandals: Your graffiti will not be tolerated and you will be caught and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I commend the 104th Precinct for making graffiti arrests a priority.”

“These bold acts of vandalism involving both public and private property were cowardly assaults on our quality of life,” said Senator Addabbo. “I’d like to thank the 104th Precinct for their quick response and arrest of the vandals responsible for such widespread blight, as well as the precinct’s tireless efforts to combat graffiti in our community.”

The 104th Precinct has one of the best anti-graffiti task forces in the City. Last year, the precinct made more than 400 graffiti related arrests.

Council Member Crowley and Senator Addabbo announced that both offices will donate supplies for a community cleanup of the graffiti on Friday, February 10, 2012.

If anyone would like to volunteer or has a location they want cleaned, call Council Member Crowley’s office at (718) 366-3900 or Senator Addabbo’s office at (718) 497-1630.

CROWLEY, BROOKLYN DA HYNES, RALLY WITH SANITATION WORKERS CALLING FOR INCREASED PENALTIES FOR ASSAULT

Council Member Elizabeth S. Crowley, Chair of the Criminal Justice Committee, introduced a City Council Resolution calling on the state legislature to pass a pending bill that would make assaulting a New York City sanitation worker assault in the second degree, a Class D felony. State law already provides these protections for many high-risk and valuable jobs including traffic enforcement agents, registered nurses, emergency medical service personnel, firefighters, and police officers.

Council Member Crowley announced the resolution at a press conference on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday, February 1, 2012 with Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes, Uniformed Sanitationmen’s President Harry Nespoli, and sanitation workers. Also joining them were Council Member Letitia James, Chair of the Sanitation and Solid Waste Committee, and the sponsors of the bill in Albany: Assembly Members Joe Lentol, Michael DenDekker, Rory Lancman, and State Senator Martin Golden. Council Members Leroy Comrie, Jimmy Van Bramer, Diana Reyna, Ruben Wills, Dan Halloran, Ydannis Rodriguez, James Sanders, and Darlene Mealy also came to show support for the legislation.

“It’s time we give New York’s Strongest the same legal protections as the Bravest, Boldest and Finest. This legislation would strengthen the message that sanitation workers are a valued part of our City and that assaulting a member of the department will result in severe consequences,” said Council Member Elizabeth Crowley. “Sanitation workers are on the streets every day and are vulnerable to physical and verbal altercations from impatient drivers. I want to thank the sponsors of the bill in Albany, Assembly Members Joe Lentol, Michael DenDekker, Rory Lancman, and State Senator Martin Golden for advocating for this important piece of legislation.”

“As District Attorney of Kings County, I have zero tolerance for violent attacks against the City’s uniformed civil service workers while they are trying to do their jobs,” said District Attorney Charles J. Hynes. “The hard working sanitation workers that work hard to keep our City clean need to know that we are behind them and that we will not tolerate any violence against them. The New York City Council is expressing this solution by introducing Councilwoman Crowley’s resolution. It’s time for the State Legislature to pass this bill and send a message that assaulting a sanitation worker will result in the most serious penalties.

There has been an increase in the number of sanitation workers assaulted while performing their duties. In one incident, a motorist attacked sanitation worker Juan Ramos with a shovel because the motorist could not pass the sanitation truck. Mr. Ramos suffered extensive injuries including multiple broken ribs. Another incident involved sanitation worker Vincent DeBlasio who was assaulted in Brooklyn following a verbal fight between a man and Mr. DeBlasio’s partner.

“I want to thank District Attorney Hynes and the Council Members for their support,” said union president Harry Nespoli. “Sanitation workers are tired of being assaulted while on the job, and this law is long past due. Giving my members the same protection as other uniformed personnel raises the bar for anyone who wants to assault a sanitation worker. It will make people think twice before getting abusive.”

“I commend Council Member Crowley for her support of legislation I have sponsored to protect New York’s Strongest,” said Senator Martin Golden, the Chairman of the Senate Civil Service and Pensions Committee and the sponsor of Senate Bill 3809. “This is the year that we must stand up against physical violence against the men and women who are the more than 6,000 members of the New York City Our Sanitation workers who serve our City so well, and their families, deserve this safety to guard them as they do their work.”

“For New Yorkers, maintaining a clean city and environment is of the highest priority. We expect our Sanitation workers to do the hard work of enforcing the laws we pass—even against individuals who can become abusive and violent,” said Assemblyman Joseph Lentol. “These workers need the protection of the law for themselves as well.  We need to send a clear message to anyone who believes they can assault Sanitation workers and get away with it. Under my bill, they will be prosecuted and charged with a felony—their conduct won’t be tolerated. I thank Council Member Crowley and my colleagues for supporting this measure.”

“The roadside work performed by sanitation workers is dangerous enough without the threats of violence and harassment they endure from the public,” said Assemblyman Rory Lancman, chairman of the Assembly Subcommittee on Workplace Safety. “All employees, especially those who help keep our wonderful city clean, deserve a safe and secure workplace.”

“As a former sanitation worker and supervisor of the New York City Department of Sanitation, I know firsthand how dangerous the job can be,” said Assemblyman DenDekker. “Many annoyed motorists have threatened or assaulted workers in the past for simple performing their duties such as household collection or snow removal operations. For too long the professional performance of our DSNY workers and supervisors has been negatively impacted by the threat of assault by residents.  This legislation will better protect our Sanitation workforce and should act as a deterrent to those who do not appreciate the backbreaking daily work they perform in all kinds of weather to keep our City clean and healthier.”

Council Member Elizabeth Crowley received an award from the New York Fire Alarm Association. They render a great service to the City by working with firefighters, building engineers, architects and technicians on the proper operation of fire alarm systems and equipment.

On Saturday, January 7, 2012 Council Member Elizabeth Crowley (D-30, Queens) attended a local fundraiser for the daughters of Police Officer Peter Figoski organized by Middle Village business owners and local advocates Mike Kelly, Rich Scherne, Walter Clayton, and Giancarlo Barricella.

Officer Figoski was shot and killed in the line of duty on Monday, December 12, 2011. A 22-year veteran of the NYPD in the 75th Precinct in Brooklyn, Officer Figoski stayed on the force to help pay for his daughters’ education, according to family friends.

Since the tragic shooting, New Yorkers have generously donated funds to a college fund for Officer Figoski’s four daughters: Carolyn, 16, Corrine, 14, Christine, 20, and Caitlyn, 18. The Middle Village fundraiser was held at Kelly’s Bar, 82-11 Eliot Avenue.

Council Member Elizabeth Crowley said, “The death of Officer Peter Figoski highlights the dangers New York’s Finest put themselves in every day. The flood of support from New Yorker’s for his family, including right here in Middle Village, has been tremendous and shows that we truly appreciate the hard work our police officers perform every day.”

Pictured: Council Member Elizabeth Crowley with local residents and event organizers Walter Clayton and Mike O’Hara at a fundraiser at Kelly’s Bar in Middle Village for the daughters of Police Officer Peter Figoski.

Dear Friends,

Last year we have accomplished a great deal toward improving our communities and setting goals for the future. Despite a difficult budget season, we fought to keep fire companies open, save 4,000 teachers, and fund projects that help encourage small businesses growth throughout New York City.

While we have accomplished a lot in the past two years, we are continuing with projects that will further improve our neighborhoods. In 2011 I have invested over $2 million in local schools to ensure that children throughout the district will have access to the highest quality education.

My office is committed to working hard and solving problems for our neighborhoods. This means working closely with the Department of Transportation to improve infrastructure throughout the area and pressuring the Department of Environmental Protection to address problematic flood zones.

As we head into the New Year I am excited for the changes that will be coming our way. The purpose of this website is to be a resource  about what is happening in your communities. If you have any ideas for improving my site, let me know by clicking here.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth S. Crowley
Council Member 30th District

The new paint creates a distinct difference in the neighborhood.

In 2009, Council Member Elizabeth Crowley stood with State Senator Joe Addabbo, Assemblyman Mike Miller, and Maria Thomson, executive director of the Woodhaven Business Improvement District to demand that the MTA repaint and renovate the elevated tracks along Jamaica Avenue.

The rusting tracks were an eyesore that hurt local businesses, and loose bolts and chipped paint fell from the tracks creating a safety risk to pedestrians.

In July 2010, the MTA announced capital funds were allocated to the project, and work began in the spring of 2011. To date, the entire Woodhaven portion of the line has been repainted!

Going forward in 2012, Council Member Crowley will continue to push the MTA to expediently finish the Richmond Hill portion of the tracks.

Photo courtesy of Joey Wendell

Council Member Elizabeth Crowley recently introduced a bill that would provide greater reporting statistics from the NYPD regarding domestic violence. In an Op-Ed for the Huffington Post, Council Member Brad Lander outlines many of the reasons why this bill is so crucial:

Unlike other crimes, police often fail to take victims seriously. As the Village Voice reported in 2010, the NYPD has downgraded cases of sexual assault in order to improve crime statistics. Too little public information is provided about crimes targeting women, so I am proud co-sponsor on a bill (proposed by Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley) that would require the NYPD to report such crimes on the web. But at least the NYPD does test all the rape kits it collects – something that does not happen in many other cities. The FBI still uses an archaic definition of rape that excludes most rapes from being recorded by the agency. With this level of official indifference, many victims are discouraged from even reporting sexual assaults.

Read  the full article.