1142 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROBURPO O• KALPYRNIL M 2E9 D- IMAA GYR 5O, 2U0P1 6• MARCH 6 GO BACK TO THE editorial A LOOK BACK compiled Gary Nilsen and (USPS 248.800) DRAWING BOARD ▲ This week we look back 54 years to the Norwegian Day Parade of May 1962. That year’s Miss Norway was Sonia Jacobsen, at right. Back then the parade was held on Eighth Avenue. It later moved to Fifth Avenue for many years and now takes place on Third Avenue, where it will step off this year on Sunday, May 15, led by Miss Norway of Greater New York Lene Samuelsen and Miss Heritage of Greater New York Susannah O’Shea. 14 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP • MARCH 6 - MARCH 12, 2014 editorial A LOOK BACK compiled by And the award goes to… Bay Ridge, which has provided the backdrop for many movies and television shows over the years, from “Blue Bloods” and “Saturday Night Fever” to “Mad Men” and, in 2006, to “Then She Found Me,” starring Helen Hunt and Bette Midler, seen above in a September, 2006, Home Reporter photo taken on location on Shore Road at 77th Street. Midler performed at the most recent Oscars, singing “Wind Beneath My Wings” during the awards show’s In Memoriam segment. “Then She Found Me,” which also starred Matthew Broderick, was also shot inside a historic home on 88th Street. ▲ GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD Photo by Gardiner Anderson B20E R- M 1A4 R- CNHO V26E,M 2B0E14R •2 0B,R 2O01O3K • LBYRNO OMKELDYINAM GERDOIAUGPR OUP ▲ MNAORVCEHM B20E R- M 1A4 R- CNHO V26E,M 2B0E14R •2 0B,R 2O01O3K • LBYRNO OMKELDYINAM GERDOIAUGPR OUP ▲ MNAORVCEHM B20E R- M 1A4 R- CNHO V26E,M 2B0E14R •2 0B,R 2O01O3K • LBYRNO OMKELDYINAM GERDOIAUGPR OUP ▲ BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/fi le photo Would you support the Education Investment Tax MNAORVCEHM NOVEMBER 14 - NOVEMBER 20, 2013 • BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP ▲ NOVEMBER 14 - NOVEMBER 20, 2013 • BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP ▲ guest op-ed NOVEMBER 14 - NOVEMBER 20, 2013 • BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP ▲ guest op-ed guest op-ed guest op-ed guest op-ed JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 5, 2014 • BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP ▲ JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 5, 2014 • BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP ▲ JANUARY 30 - FEBRUARY 5, 2014 • BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP ▲ “Bridge the gap” “Bridge the gap” guest op-ed guest op-ed “Bridge the gap” guest op-ed our “Hall Veteran Veteran status now available on NYS driver’s licenses NOVEMBER 14 - NOVEMBER 20, 2013 • BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP ▲ guest op-ed HOMEREPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS status now available Veteran status now available on NYS driver’s licenses HALL OF SHAME NOVEMBER 14 - NOVEMBER 20, 2013 • BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP ▲ our “Hall Making guest op-ed BY COUNCILMEMBER VINCENT GENTILE on NYS driver’s licenses BY COUNCILMEMBER VINCENT GENTILE BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER BY ALAN MAISEL BY (Estab. 1953) New York Last State is week home in to more the than City 900,000 Council,military What do you think about What do the you dog think ban at about Shore the Road dog Park ban at at Brooklyn Borough veterans President and their Eric Adams and I introduced a resolution calling upon the Metropolitan Transit Authority to consider the impact of the current pricing scheme on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on both the residents of Brooklyn and Staten Island – contending that it is crucial that any decision regarding the pricing of bridges and tunnels in New York City include an impact analysis for residents on both sides of the span. families. Their sacrifices have safeguarded our way of life, and without them our country 9733 FOURTH AVE. • BROOKLYN, NY 11209 wouldn’t be nearly what it is today. As a Co-Publisher ... Victoria Schneps-Yunis Co-Publisher ... Joshua A. Schneps member of the state Assembly, I’m committed Editor in Chief ... Helen Klein Telephone 718-238-6600 to honoring and helping those who Fax 718-238-6630 What’s your favorite part BY BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALAN MAISEL What do you think about the dog ban at Shore HALL Incidents of graffiti our readers, to “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if for induction Send all high and a contact Help us take Veteran Bridge is their sole means of vehicular access to the rest of New York City. ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALAN MAISEL ASSEMBLYMEMBER FELIX W. ORTIZ Last week in Bridge is their sole means of vehicular access to the rest of New York City. New York State is home to more than 900,000 military or by mail.To qualify, you will need to provide the City Council, verification that you received an While the plan may result in Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and I introduced a resolution calling upon the Metropolitan Transit Authority to consider the impact of the current pricing scheme on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on both the residents of Brooklyn and Staten Island – contending that it is crucial that any decision regarding the pricing of bridges and tunnels in New York City include an impact analysis for residents on both sides of the span. honorable discharge from military service or were released from military service under honorable conditions. If you would like to apply in person, you will need to provide an original document, which will be returned to you; if you apply by mail, you can include a photocopy. Acceptable forms of verification include a U.S. Department of Defense form DD- 214 that indicates an honorable discharge; veterans and their meaningful relief for Staten Islanders, it fails to recognize the importance of the Verrazano to Brooklynites who travel to Staten Island and New Jersey. That said, I have always believed Staten Islanders deserve toll discounts due to their unique travel burdens. This is not the issue that Brooklyn Borough President Adams and I are addressing. The issue is the burden Brooklynites face in getting onto Staten Island! When we say we want a fair toll in Brooklyn, we’re talking about visiting our families, going to school, getting to work, seeing our grandparents and paying respects at the graves of our dead. meaningful relief for Staten Islanders, it fails to recognize the importance of the Verrazano to Brooklynites who travel to Staten Island and New Jersey. That said, I have always believed Staten Islanders deserve toll discounts due to their unique travel burdens. This is not the issue that Brooklyn Borough President Adams and I are addressing. The issue is the burden Brooklynites face in getting onto Staten Island! When we say we want a fair toll in Brooklyn, we’re talking about visiting our families, going to school, getting to work, seeing our grandparents and paying respects at the graves of our dead. families. Their sacrifices have safeguarded our way of life, and without them our country BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALAN MAISEL New York State is home to more than 900,000 military have served our country in the military. Last month, a law took effect that allows eligible residents to have their status as a veteran designated on their New York State driver’s license (Ch. 487 of 2012). Those who qualify can have the word “Veteran” printed on the upper left corner of their newly issued license, learner permit E-mail [email protected] guest op-ed NOVEMBER 14 - NOVEMBER 20, 2013 • BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP ▲ HALL Incidents of graffiti our readers, to submit “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a for induction into Send all high resolution and a contact Help us take our Making guest op-ed BY COUNCILMEMBER VINCENT GENTILE ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALAN MAISEL BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALAN MAISEL What do you think about the dog ban at Shore BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER FELIX W. ORTIZ BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER FELIX W. ORTIZ What’s your favorite part of the BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALAN MAISEL What do you think about the dog ban at Shore Road Veteran status now available on NYS driver’s licenses HALL Incidents of graffiti have risen. The our readers, to submit photos of vandalism “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a home or business for induction into our “Hall of Fame.” Send all high resolution JPG images and a contact number. Otherwise,Help us take our borough back from Veteran Last week in the City Council, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and I introduced a resolution calling upon the Metropolitan Transit Authority to consider the impact of the current pricing scheme on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on both the residents of Brooklyn and Staten Island – contending that it is crucial that any decision regarding the pricing of bridges and tunnels in New York City include an impact analysis for residents on both sides of the span. HALL OF SHAME Bridge is their sole means of vehicular access to the rest of New York City. While the plan may result in meaningful relief for Staten Islanders, it fails to recognize the importance of the Verrazano to Brooklynites who travel to Staten Island and New Jersey. That said, I have always believed Staten Islanders deserve toll discounts due to their unique travel burdens. This is not the issue that Brooklyn Borough President Adams and I are addressing. The issue is the burden Brooklynites face in getting onto Staten Island! When we say we want a fair toll in Brooklyn, we’re talking about visiting our families, going to school, getting to work, seeing our grandparents and paying respects at the graves of our dead. families. Their sacrifices have safeguarded our way of life, and without them our country While the plan may result in What do you think about the dog ban at Shore Road BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER ALAN MAISEL ALAN MAISEL What do you think about the dog ban at Shore wouldn’t be nearly what it is today. As a or by mail.To qualify, you will need to provide member of the state Assembly, I’m committed veterans and their member of the state Assembly, I’m committed verification that you received an to honoring and helping those who honorable discharge from military service or were released from military service under honorable conditions. If you would like to apply in person, you will need to provide an original document, which will be returned to you; if you apply by mail, you can include a photocopy. Acceptable forms of verification include a U.S. Department of Defense form DD- 214 that indicates an honorable discharge; have served our country in the military. Last month, a law took effect that allows eligible residents to have their status as a veteran designated on their New York State driver’s license (Ch. 487 of 2012). Those who qualify can have the word “Veteran” printed on the upper left corner of their newly issued license, learner permit families. Their sacrifices have safeguarded our way of life, and without them our country Periodical postage paid at Brooklyn, N.Y. Published weekly by Brooklyn Media Group, Inc. Single copies, 50 cents. $35 per year by mail, $40 outside Brooklyn. On June 8, 1962, the Bay Ridge Home Reporter (founded 1953) and the Brooklyn Sunset News, a continuation of the Bay Ridge News (founded 1943) were merged into the HOME REPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS. wouldn’t be nearly what it is today. As a Postmaster: Send Address Changes To: member of the state Assembly, I’m committed Home Reporter and Sunset News 9733 Fourth Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11209 to honoring and helping those who Entire contents copyright 2014 by Home Reporter and Sunset News wouldn’t be nearly what it is today. As a have served our country in the military. Last month, a law took effect that allows eligible residents to have their status as a veteran designated on their New York State driver’s license (Ch. 487 of 2012). Those who qualify can have the word “Veteran” printed on the upper left corner of their newly issued license, learner permit honorable discharge; or honorable discharge have served our country in the military. Last month, a law took effect that allows eligible residents to have their status as a veteran designated on their New York State driver’s license (Ch. 487 of 2012). Those who qualify can have the word “Veteran” printed on the upper left corner of their newly issued license, learner permit All letters sent to the HOME REPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS should be brief and are subject to condensing. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, a form DD-215 that indicates an forms WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, The Verrazano serves as the The Verrazano serves as the as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. or non-driver photo identification card The Verrazano serves as the WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD or NAVCG 553. This law I helped pass will make it easier primary connection for motorists traveling between Brooklyn and Staten Island. There was a time when I drove across the Verrazano nearly every day back when I represented parts of Staten Island as a member of the New York State Senate. I still have friends, family, favorite restaurants and places I often visit on the “other side” of the Verrazano. primary connection for motorists traveling between Brooklyn and Staten Island. There was a time when I drove across the Verrazano nearly every day back when I represented parts of Staten Island as a member of the New York State Senate. I still have friends, family, favorite restaurants and places I often visit on the “other side” of the Verrazano. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, AS WELL AS OP-ED PIECES IN NO WAY REFLECT THE PAPER’S POSITION. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of the HOME REPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to the HOME REPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. Brooklyn Media Group, Inc. assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser primary connection for motorists traveling between Brooklyn and Staten Island. There was a time when I drove across the Verrazano nearly every day back when I represented parts of Staten Island as a member of the New York State Senate. I still have friends, family, favorite restaurants and places I often visit on the “other side” of the Verrazano. or non-driver photo identification card a form DD-215 that indicates an and more convenient for those who honorable discharge; or honorable discharge HOMEREPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS at no additional charge. The standard $12.50 license replacement fee applies if a veteran chooses to replace his or her current have served our country to get the benefits at no additional charge. The standard $12.50 license replacement fee applies if a veteran chooses to replace his or her current agrees to hold the HOME REPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to such advertisement. Photo by Gardiner Anderson And the award goes to… Bay Ridge, which has provided the backdrop for many movies and television shows over the years, from “Blue Bloods” and “Saturday Night Fever” to “Mad Men” and, in 2006, to “Then She Found Me,” starring Helen Hunt and Bette Midler, seen above in a September, 2006, Home Reporter photo taken on location on Shore Road at 77th Street. Midler performed at the most recent Oscars, singing “Wind Beneath My Wings” during the awards show’s In Memoriam segment. “Then She Found Me,” which also starred Matthew Broderick, was also shot inside a historic home on 88th Street. Each day, thousands of people depend on SUNY Downstate Medical Center for emergency medical care and vital health care services. But this state-operated public hospital has been in danger of being closed or privatized for more than two years. Hundreds of jobs have been lost, and numerous health care services have been cut or curtailed due to the hospital’s ill-prepared “Sustainability Plan.” The MTA runaway train Veteran status now available HALL on NYS driver’s licenses Incidents of graffiti our readers, to submit “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a for induction into Send all high resolution and a contact Help us take our Now, there is language in the 2014-15 proposed state budget that would open the door to as many as five corporations BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS to operate SUNY’s public hospitals. United University Professions, the union that represents nearly 3,000 employees at SUNY Downstate, has been fighting to keep SUNY Downstate a fully operational staterun New York State is home to more than 900,000 military facility. However, UUP isn’t fighting the battle alone. The SUNY Downstate Coalition of Faith, Labor and veterans and their Community Leaders has become an important ally. The coalition has staged a number of rallies and protests over the past 18 months to save health care services and jobs at SUNY Downstate and keep it a public facility. The latest such effort is a 48-hour interfaith fast. It will begin Sunday, March 9, at 3 p.m., in front of Downstate’s 470 Clarkson Avenue entrance. Interfaith leaders and members of the community will participate to show their strong support for this beacon in Brooklyn and call attention to the threats it faces. to honoring and helping those who You can take part in the fast or find out more about it by calling 718-270-1519, or sending an email to [email protected]. We strongly urge you to join our campaign. Take part in the fast, or come out and show your support. Together, we can deliver a strong message that SUNY Downstate must remain a full-service, state-operated public hospital. or non-driver photo identification card The threats facing SUNY Downstate are real. The at no additional charge. The standard $12.50 license replacement fee applies if a veteran chooses to replace his or her current SUNY Board of Trustees has openly discussed the possibility forms WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, they deserve. The brave men and women of our military of closing SUNY Downstate. There is also language in the Executive Budget, which would allow to control SUNY’s public hospitals; one affiliate with an academic medical institution hospital. SUNY Downstate has teaching hospital. Privatizing or closing SUNY Downstate the state to save dollars is shortsighted We believe the answer to Brooklyn’s health lies in the “Brooklyn Hospitals a UUP-backed initiative to stabilize and care throughout Brooklyn. This plan would preserve SUNY Downstate several financially unstable hospitals including Interfaith Medical Center, Island College Hospital and Kingsbrook Center. You can see the proposal http://www.brooklynhospitalplan.org. It calls for the creation of a network care centers, and would be controlled with 14 other Brooklyn hospitals. be the network’s hub, educating and and medical staff to the care centers with doctors at the other hospitals. It’s a simple, effective plan and, if given will work. New York has a responsibility to provide care needs its citizens. The Brooklyn Net Plan—our plan and the community’s viable, workable option for long-term Brooklyn. That’s something that Brooklyn residents need. Frederick E. Kowal is president of United Professions, the union representing 35,000 staff at SUNY’s 29 state-operated campuses, SUNY’s public teaching hospitals and health in Brooklyn, Buffalo, Long Island and Syracuse. With the city deciding to move forward on most of the school co-locations approved late last year, as Mayor Bloomberg prepared to vacate City Hall, parents in southwest Brooklyn are not only disappointed but angry. While the Department of Education under Mayor de Blasio wisely opted to back out of a planned co-location of a new high school inside Gravesend’s John Dewey High School, the DOE decided to move ahead with two others: the co-location of a charter school inside Seth Low Intermediate School in Bensonhurst and another inside Joseph B. Cavallaro Intermediate School in Bath Beach. These – like others in the borough and the city – are both fiercely opposed by parents, educators, students and the local Community Education Councils, all of whom contend that the co-locations would steal necessary space from students already attending the schools, and those who will be going to them in the near future. While the city has said it only considers under-utilized schools for co-locations, area education advocates say that both Cavallaro and Seth Low are well utilized, and likely to become more crowded as students now in elementary school in both District 20 and District 21 move up to middle school. Indeed, District 20 is one of the most crowded school districts in the city, so much so that the city built a host of new schools for it in the past decade, with more being planned, meaning that public school students in both District 20 and District 21 are likely to feel the squeeze should they have to share space with students from a charter school. That strikes us as patently unfair. While some of the charter schools poised to open in September, 2014 may be worthy additions to the city’s educational offerings, their needs should not trump the needs of existing schools with existing students. And, indeed, when a charter school is put inside a public school, the process must involve the school communities at both educational institutions, and parents must also be involved. The city must go back to the drawing board and come up with alternative arrangements for the charter schools planned for Seth Low and Cavallaro as well as other schools where they are opposed.. The students who attend those schools deserve no less. guest op-ed Keep SUNY Downstate open and BY FREDERICK E. KOWAL WOOD IS GOOD Compiled by Gary Nilsen and Jaime DeJesus A LOOK BACK We salute the grass-roots efforts currently underway to get Coney Island’s historic Riegelmann Boardwalk landmarked. Several years after the city Parks Department replaced some of the crumbling wooden boards with concrete meant to simulate wood, an allout effort to make sure that the remainder of the venerable structure is preserved as it was meant to be is now gathering steam. That effort is being led by Councilmember Mark Treyger, who represents the seaside neighborhood, and who has introduced a resolution in the Council – supported by all but one of his colleagues, as well as Public Advocate Letitia James – calling for the historic stretch to be designated by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. Such designation would mean that any changes to the structure would have to be thoroughly reviewed before they could be made, to make sure they adhere to preservation standards. Also leading the charge is Coney Island historian Charles Denson, who joined Treyger in fi ling an application with LPC a year and a half ago. Treyger’s goal with City Council resolution is to make it clear to the city how many people want to see this piece of the city’s heritage preserved. Our history is important. As Treyger said, “too much has been lost already.” But, that is just the beginning of the Boardwalk’s signifi cance. Beyond harking back to another time, of which sadly very few remnants remain, it is also a central icon in a neighborhood that is now undergoing a major economic resurgence. The Coney of today is not the Coney of 20 years ago – thanks to thriving amusement parks, a minor league stadium that draws crowds to the neighborhood and soon the long-awaited amphitheater that is already generating excitement among music lovers, as well as popular eateries and the beloved New York Aquarium, all of which bring people in, in droves, as they came a century or more ago. In our opinion, choosing expedience over historic accuracy could endanger that renaissance, which is revitalizing the area and creating jobs. Saving a few bucks on maintaining the historic structure is too steep a price to pay. It is something that Coney Island, Brooklyn and the City of New York simply cannot afford. Earlier this month, state legislators adopted a budget that authorizes the agency to increase its debt limit to a whopping $55 billion from an already unsustainable $37 billion. The number is staggering, unconscionable and shocking, even more so when you consider that lawmakers have now allowed this single state authority to issue more debt than the entire State of New York’s bond cap – $47 billion – provides. The MTA is the fi fth-largest government debtor in the nation, with an estimated $36.5 billion in outstanding debt, $10 billion more than a decade ago, when adjusted for infl ation. Over the same period, the authority’s operating costs have increased 50 percent and unaffordable capital plans have been approved as if the 12 counties of the MTA service territory make up some sort of utopia where money grows on trees. Mismanaged WD Ever projects AGO since the abound.Verrazano It is was estimated that another 53-55, NAVPERS built, Brooklyn 78PD $6 billion or and NAVCG Staten will 553. be Island needed 553, to NAVMC have enjoyed construct Phase 2 of a the symbiotic Second This law Avenue relationship,I helped Subway,pass will connected make 10 years it easier by and $4.45 billion much after more construction than a of bridge.Phase But 1 began.that The appetite relationship for will costly likely megaprojects end if our tolls hasn’t shown any rise signs to $20 of waning.in the next Governor few years. Cuomo now has his sights on connecting LaGuardia Airport to the 7 line and building a third track for the Long Island Rail Road. These ideas are not bad ones, but will come with a steadily increasing price tag. We must remember that, in order to maintain and upgrade the buses, subways, railways, bridges and tunnels the MTA already has, it must spend an estimated $29 billion every fi ve years. So where will the money come from? For years, New York’s straphangers have continued Ever since the Verrazano was built, Brooklyn and Staten Island have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship, connected by much more than a bridge. But that relationship will likely end if our tolls rise to $20 in the next few years. license prior to its expiration date. Rather than carrying official military paperwork wherever they go, these special or non-driver photo identification card have made enormous sacrifices for license prior to its expiration date. Rather than carrying official military paperwork wherever they go, these special (Estab. 1953) at no additional charge. The standard $12.50 license replacement fee applies if a veteran chooses to replace his or her current Brooklyn and Staten Island have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship, connected by much more than a bridge. But that relationship will likely end if our tolls rise to $20 in the next few years. license prior to its expiration date. Rather than carrying official military paperwork wherever they go, these special all of us, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to support them. For more information on the veteran status designation, you can visit dmv.ny.gov/armedforces.htm. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 718-968-2770 or email [email protected]. Alan Maisel represents the 59th A.D. and more convenient for those who have served our country to get the benefits licenses will allow veterans to show licenses will allow veterans to show proof of their service anywhere they bring their wallets. As a result, it will be easier for veterans to take advantage of many of the programs, benefits and discounts that are available to them. If you are an eligible veteran, you can apply for the status designation in person at a Department of Motor Vehicles office license prior to its expiration date. Rather than carrying official military paperwork wherever they go, these special licenses will allow veterans to show they deserve. The brave men and women of our military proof of their service anywhere they bring their wallets. As a result, it will be easier for veterans to take advantage of many of the programs, benefits and discounts that are available to them. If you are an eligible veteran, you can apply for the status designation in person at a Department of Motor Vehicles office In February, Governor Andrew proof of their service anywhere they bring their wallets. As a result, it will be easier for veterans to take advantage of many of the programs, benefits and discounts that are available to them. If you are an eligible veteran, you can apply for the status designation in person at a Department of Motor Vehicles office We’re not asking that Staten In February, Governor Andrew In February, Governor Andrew have made enormous sacrifices for Cuomo announced a plan to reduce the toll on the Verrazano for residents in Staten Island, and the MTA board adopted an action item to increase the rebate available to Staten Islanders. Island’s discount be taken away or reduced; what we are asking for is some relief on the other side of the bridge so that the toll burdens on Brooklyn are also recognized and so we can keep up the relationship we’ve built with Staten Island. City Councilmember Vincent Gentile represents the 43rd Council District. Cuomo announced a plan to reduce the toll on the Verrazano for residents in Staten Island, and the MTA board adopted an action item to increase the rebate available to Staten Islanders. licenses will allow veterans to show proof of their service anywhere they bring their wallets. As a result, it will be easier for veterans to take advantage of many of the programs, benefits and discounts that are available to them. If you are an eligible veteran, you can apply for the status designation in person at a Department of Motor Vehicles office Cuomo announced a plan to reduce the toll on the Verrazano for residents in Staten Island, and the MTA board adopted an action item to increase the rebate available to Staten Islanders. all of us, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to support them. For more information on the veteran status designation, you can visit dmv.ny.gov/armedforces.htm. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 718-968-2770 or email [email protected]. Alan Maisel represents the 59th A.D. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus According to the MTA, the reason According to the MTA, the reason for the increased rebate is that Staten Island residents are uniquely disadvantaged in that the Verrazano According to the MTA, the reason for the increased rebate is that Staten Island residents are uniquely disadvantaged in that the Verrazano Ever since the Verrazano was built, 76th Street and Third Avenue Fort Hamilton Pkwy. and 97th Street. BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo Incidents of graffiti have risen. The Home Reporter and Brooklyn Spectator our readers, to submit photos of vandalism – or addresses where you see graffiti “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a home or business has “cleaned up its act,” submit a photo for induction into our “Hall of Fame.” Send all high resolution JPG images (300 DPI) to [email protected] We’re not asking that Staten 76th Street and Third Avenue We’re not asking that Staten BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photo Incidents of graffiti have risen. The Home Reporter and Brooklyn Spectator our readers, to submit photos of vandalism – or addresses where you see graffiti “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a home or business has “cleaned up its act,” submit a photo for induction into our “Hall of Fame.” Send all high resolution JPG images (300 DPI) to [email protected] and a contact number. Otherwise, contact us at 9733 Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn,Help us take our borough back from the vandals! Island’s discount be taken away or reduced; what we are asking for is some relief on the other side of the bridge so that the toll burdens on Brooklyn are also recognized and so we can keep up the relationship we’ve built with Staten Island. City Councilmember Vincent Gentile represents the 43rd Council District. for the increased rebate is that Staten Island residents are uniquely disadvantaged in that the Verrazano Island’s discount be taken away or reduced; what we are asking for is some relief on the other side of the bridge so that the toll burdens on Brooklyn are also recognized and so we can keep up the relationship we’ve built with Staten Island. City Councilmember Vincent Gentile represents the 43rd Council District. What do you think about the dog ban at Shore Road Park at 88th Street? street talk to shell out more money for less service. Commuters Compiled by Jaime DeJesus I think it’s unfair. As long as they’re on a leash, it should be fine. Lots of people have seen tolls on MTA crossings rise to I think it’s unfair. You should be allowed to be there before 9 a.m. It’s a giant compiled by Jaime DeJesus among the highest in the nation. We’re realizing an unintended consequence in the willingness of the MTA and its enablers in Albany to continue feeding the beast with unsavory debt instead of controlling spending and using some of the state’s surplus and bank settlement funds to begin paying down the debt, Governor Cuomo is kicking the “mortgage can” down the road to the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of today’s straphangers. History and basic economic theory teach us that sustained economic growth is not perpetual. With this most recent increase, the MTA has become a runaway train. To add insult to injury, every time the MTA issues a bond, it is forced to pay a bond fee to the State of New York, costing the agency millions. The annual compounding of these costs puts more pressure on tolls and fares. These fees have amounted to over $100 million since 2006. Meanwhile, the City of New York proposes to decriminalize fare-beating. The MTA loses a reported $95 million each year through theft of service. If fare-beaters know they can get away with it, that number will rise. The only thing that would make this mess worse is if Albany’s latest move caused the MTA’s debt rating to be downgraded, resulting in higher interest a charges.contact number. Otherwise, contact us at 9733 Fourth Avenue, Brooklyn,Help us take our borough back from the vandals! It is inevitable that the can of debt will now be kicked so far down the road it will never come back. We will see the current trend of robbing Peter to pay Paul continue as the MTA uses more of its operating funds to make debt service payments. The current costs to use MTA services is just a drop in the bucket compared to what fares and tolls will be in the future, and we’ll have Governor Cuomo and the state legislature to thank. Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis represents the 64th A.D. street talk street talk Maybe they can do a time frame . I don’t even think that’s legal to stop them. It’s a public It’s dogs vicious someone. long What do you think about the dog ban at Shore Road Park at 88th Street? I think it’s unfair. or by mail.To qualify, you will need to provide verification that you received an honorable discharge from military service or were released from military service under honorable conditions. If you would like to apply in person, you will need to provide an original document, which will be returned to you; if you apply by mail, you can include a photocopy. Acceptable forms of verification include a U.S. Department of Defense form DD- 214 that indicates an honorable discharge; a form DD-215 that indicates an honorable discharge; or honorable discharge forms WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD or NAVCG 553. This law I helped pass will make it easier and more convenient for those who have served our country to get the benefits they deserve. The brave men and women of our military have made enormous sacrifices for all of us, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to support them. For more information on the veteran status designation, you can visit dmv.ny.gov/armedforces.htm. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 718-968-2770 or email [email protected]. Alan Maisel represents the 59th A.D. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus street talk our kids the biggest winners In Albany earlier this month, I joined with celebrities from NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” Time Warner Cable representatives and State Senate Co-Leader Jeffrey Klein to double down on public/private efforts to reverse rising obesity trends among children and young adults in New York. We want all our children to have the chance to be “The Biggest Winners” in good health. The stakes are high. According to health experts, including the U.S. Surgeon General, obesity, especially among children and minority populations, is approaching epidemic proportions. The percentage of American children who are obese has doubled since the 1980s. One in four obese children has early signs of Type II diabetes formerly seen only in adults. Overweight children as young as eight have been found with risk factors for heart disease. We need to tackle the problem to protect the children in our communities. A study conducted in New York City elementary public schools found that 43 percent of the students weigh more than they should. The city’s survey of obesity found significant differences among the races and ethnic groups; among Hispanic children the rate of obesity is 31 percent. I am proud that last month Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law my legislation to increase direct marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables (Assembly bill A.6628). This law will increase direct marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables in areas of New York with high levels of adult and child obesity, create obesity awareness sessions in schools and encourage the expansion of community gardens to increase the availability and affordability of local produce. We must build on this and other initiatives to promote healthy and active lifestyles, proper nutrition and rigorous exercise in underserved communities. As parents, we must provide our children with the tools they will need to be prosperous and successful; an important aspect of this is to highlight the importance of healthy eating and an active lifestyle. Together, we can raise awareness to an even higher level and become part of a healthy solution in which all New Yorkers are winners. Assemblymember Felix W. Ortiz represents the 51st Assembly District, encompassing Sunset Park, Red Hook, Bay Ridge, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, the Columbia Street Waterfront District and Borough Park. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus street talk status now available on NYS driver’s licenses New York State is home to more than 900,000 military veterans their families. Their sacrifices have safeguarded our way of life, and without them our country wouldn’t be nearly what it is today. As a member of the state Assembly, I’m committed to honoring and helping those who have served our country in the military. Last month, a law took effect that allows eligible residents to have their status as a veteran designated on their New York State driver’s license (Ch. 487 2012). Those who qualify can have the word “Veteran” printed on the upper left corner of their newly issued license, learner permit or non-driver photo identification card at no additional charge. The standard $12.50 license replacement fee applies if a veteran chooses to replace his or her current license prior to its expiration date. Rather than carrying official military paperwork wherever they go, these special licenses will allow veterans to show proof of their service anywhere they bring their wallets. As a result, it will be easier for veterans to take advantage of many of the programs, benefits and discounts that are available to them. If you are an eligible veteran, you can apply for the status designation in person at a Department of Motor Vehicles office or by mail.To qualify, you will need to provide verification that you received an honorable discharge from military service or were released from military service under honorable conditions. If you would like to apply in person, you will need to provide an original document, which will be returned to you; if you apply by mail, you can include a photocopy. Acceptable forms of verification include a U.S. Department of Defense form DD- 214 that indicates an honorable discharge; a form DD-215 that indicates an honorable discharge; or honorable discharge forms WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD or NAVCG 553. This law I helped pass will make it easier and more convenient for those who have served our country to get the benefits they deserve. The brave men and women of our military have made enormous sacrifices for all of us, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to support them. For more information on the veteran status designation, you can visit dmv.ny.gov/armedforces.htm. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 718-968-2770 or email [email protected]. Alan Maisel represents the 59th A.D. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus street talk I think it’s unfair. You should be allowed to be there before 9 a.m. It’s a giant HALL OF Incidents of graffiti have risen. The our readers, to submit photos of vandalism “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a home or business for induction into our “Hall of Fame.” Send all high resolution JPG images and a contact number. Otherwise,Help us take our borough back from I think it’s unfair. Maybe they As long as they’re a time frame on a leash, it don’t even think should be fine. that’s legal to Lots of people them. It’s a public Veteran status now available on NYS driver’s licenses New York State is home to more than 900,000 military veterans and their families. Their sacrifices have safeguarded our way of life, and without them our country wouldn’t be nearly what it is today. As a member of the state Assembly, I’m committed to honoring and helping those who have served our country in the military. Last month, a law took effect that allows eligible residents to have their status as a veteran designated on their New York State driver’s license (Ch. 487 of 2012). Those who qualify can have the word “Veteran” printed the upper left corner of their newly issued license, learner permit or non-driver photo identification card at no additional charge. The standard $12.50 license replacement fee applies if a veteran chooses to replace his or her current license prior to its expiration date. Rather than carrying official military paperwork wherever they go, these special licenses will allow veterans to show proof of their service anywhere they bring their wallets. As a result, it will be easier for veterans to take advantage of many of the programs, benefits and discounts that are available to them. If you are an eligible veteran, you can apply for the status designation in person at a Department of Motor Vehicles office or by mail.To qualify, you will need to provide verification that you received an honorable discharge from military service or were released from military service under honorable conditions. If you would like to apply in person, you will need to provide an original document, which will be returned to you; if you apply by mail, you can include a photocopy. Acceptable forms of verification include a U.S. Department of Defense form DD- 214 that indicates an honorable discharge; a form DD-215 that indicates an honorable discharge; or honorable discharge forms WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD or NAVCG 553. This law I helped pass will make it easier and more convenient for those who have served our country to get the benefits they deserve. The brave men and women of our military have made enormous sacrifices for all of us, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to support them. For more information on the veteran status designation, you can visit dmv.ny.gov/armedforces.htm. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 718-968-2770 or email [email protected]. Alan Maisel represents the 59th A.D. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus compiled by Jaime DeJesus street talk street talk I think it’s unfair. HALL OF SHAME BROOKLYN Incidents of graffiti have risen. The Home Reporter our readers, to submit photos of vandalism – or addresses “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a home or business has “cleaned up for induction into our “Hall of Fame.” Send all high resolution JPG images (300 DPI) to editorial@and a contact number. Otherwise, contact us at 9733 Help us take our borough back from the vandals! Veteran status now available on NYS driver’s licenses New York State is home to more than 900,000 military veterans and their families. Their sacrifices have safeguarded our way of life, and without them our country wouldn’t be nearly what it is today. As a member of the state Assembly, I’m committed to honoring and helping those who have served our country in the military. Last month, a law took effect that allows eligible residents to have their status as a veteran designated on their New York State driver’s license (Ch. 487 of 2012). Those who qualify can have the word “Veteran” printed on the upper left corner of their newly issued license, learner permit or non-driver photo identification card at no additional charge. The standard $12.50 license replacement fee applies if a veteran chooses to replace his or her current license prior to its expiration date. Rather than carrying official military paperwork wherever they go, these special licenses will allow veterans to show proof of their service anywhere they bring their wallets. As a result, it will be easier for veterans to take advantage of many of the programs, benefits and discounts that are available to them. If you are an eligible veteran, you can apply for the status designation in person at a Department of Motor Vehicles office or by mail.To qualify, you will need to provide verification that you received an honorable discharge from military service or were released from military service under honorable conditions. If you would like to apply in person, you will need to provide an original document, which will be returned to you; if you apply by mail, you can include a photocopy. Acceptable forms of verification include a U.S. Department of Defense form DD- 214 that indicates an honorable discharge; a form DD-215 that indicates an honorable discharge; or honorable discharge forms WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD or NAVCG 553. This law I helped pass will make it easier and more convenient for those who have served our country to get the benefits they deserve. The brave men and women of our military have made enormous sacrifices for all of us, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to support them. For more information on the veteran status designation, you can visit dmv.ny.gov/armedforces.htm. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 718-968-2770 or email [email protected]. Alan Maisel represents the 59th A.D. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus street talk HALL OF SHAME BROOKLYN Incidents of graffiti have risen. The Home Reporter our readers, to submit photos of vandalism – or addresses “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a home or business has “cleaned up for induction into our “Hall of Fame.” Send all high resolution JPG images (300 DPI) to editorial@and a contact number. Otherwise, contact us at 9733 Help us take our borough back from the vandals! Making our kids the biggest winners In Albany earlier this month, I joined with celebrities from NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” Time Warner Cable representatives and State Senate Co-Leader Jeffrey Klein to double down on public/private efforts to reverse rising obesity trends among children and young adults in New York. We want all our children to have the chance to be “The Biggest Winners” in good health. The stakes are high. According to health experts, including the U.S. Surgeon General, obesity, especially among children and minority populations, is approaching epidemic proportions. The percentage of American children who are obese has doubled since the 1980s. One in four obese children has early signs of Type II diabetes formerly seen only in adults. Overweight children as young as eight have been found with risk factors for heart disease. We need to tackle the problem to protect the children in our communities. A study conducted in New York City elementary public schools found that 43 percent of the students weigh more than they should. The city’s survey of obesity found significant differences among the races and ethnic groups; among Hispanic children the rate of obesity is 31 percent. I am proud that last month Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law my legislation to increase direct marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables (Assembly bill A.6628). This law will increase direct marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables in areas of New York with high levels of adult and child obesity, create obesity awareness sessions in schools and encourage the expansion of community gardens to increase the availability and affordability of local produce. We must build on this and other initiatives to promote healthy and active lifestyles, proper nutrition and rigorous exercise in underserved communities. As parents, we must provide our children with the tools they will need to be prosperous and successful; an important aspect of this is to highlight the importance of healthy eating and an active lifestyle. Together, we can raise awareness to an even higher level and become part of a healthy solution in which all New Yorkers are winners. Assemblymember Felix W. Ortiz represents the 51st Assembly District, encompassing Sunset Park, Red Hook, Bay Ridge, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, the Columbia Street Waterfront District and Borough Park. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus What’s your favorite part of the “big game?” Would you support the Education I think Investment it’s unfair. Tax Credit if passed? or by mail.To qualify, you will need to provide verification that you received an honorable discharge from military service or were released from military service under honorable conditions. If you would like to apply in person, you will need to provide an original document, which will be returned to you; if you apply by mail, you can include a photocopy. Acceptable forms of verification include a U.S. Department of Defense form DD- 214 that indicates an honorable discharge; a form DD-215 that indicates an honorable discharge; or honorable discharge forms WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD or NAVCG 553. This law I helped pass will make it easier and more convenient for those who have served our country to get the benefits they deserve. The brave men and women of our military have made enormous sacrifices for all of us, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to support them. For more information on the veteran status designation, you can visit dmv.ny.gov/armedforces.htm. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 718-968-2770 or email [email protected]. Alan Maisel represents the 59th A.D. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus street talk our kids the biggest winners In Albany earlier this month, I joined with celebrities from NBC’s “The Biggest Loser,” Time Warner Cable representatives and State Senate Co-Leader Jeffrey Klein to double down on public/private efforts to reverse rising obesity trends among children and young adults in New York. We want all our children to have the chance to be “The Biggest Winners” in good health. The stakes are high. According to health experts, including the U.S. Surgeon General, obesity, especially among children and minority populations, is approaching epidemic proportions. The percentage of American children who are obese has doubled since the 1980s. One in four obese children has early signs of Type II diabetes formerly seen only in adults. Overweight children as young as eight have been found with risk factors for heart disease. We need to tackle the problem to protect the children in our communities. A study conducted in New York City elementary public schools found that 43 percent of the students weigh more than they should. The city’s survey of obesity found significant differences among the races and ethnic groups; among Hispanic children the rate of obesity is 31 percent. I am proud that last month Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law my legislation to increase direct marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables (Assembly bill A.6628). This law will increase direct marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables in areas of New York with high levels of adult and child obesity, create obesity awareness sessions in schools and encourage the expansion of community gardens to increase the availability and affordability of local produce. We must build on this and other initiatives to promote healthy and active lifestyles, proper nutrition and rigorous exercise in underserved communities. As parents, we must provide our children with the tools they will need to be prosperous and successful; an important aspect of this is to highlight the importance of healthy eating and an active lifestyle. Together, we can raise awareness to an even higher level and become part of a healthy solution in which all New Yorkers are winners. Assemblymember Felix W. Ortiz represents the 51st Assembly District, encompassing Sunset Park, Red Hook, Bay Ridge, Greenwood Heights, Gowanus, the Columbia Street Waterfront District and Borough Park. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus street talk status now available on NYS driver’s licenses New York State is home to more than 900,000 military veterans and their families. Their sacrifices have safeguarded our way of life, and without them our country wouldn’t be nearly what it is today. As a member of the state Assembly, I’m committed to honoring and helping those who have served our country in the military. Last month, a law took effect that allows eligible residents to have their status as a veteran designated on their New York State driver’s license (Ch. 487 of 2012). Those who qualify can have the word “Veteran” printed on the upper left corner of their newly issued license, learner permit or non-driver photo identification card at no additional charge. The standard $12.50 license replacement fee applies if a veteran chooses to replace his or her current license prior to its expiration date. Rather than carrying official military paperwork wherever they go, these special licenses will allow veterans to show proof of their service anywhere they bring their wallets. As a result, it will be easier for veterans to take advantage of many of the programs, benefits and discounts that are available to them. If you are an eligible veteran, you can apply for the status designation in person at a Department of Motor Vehicles office or by mail.To qualify, you will need to provide verification that you received an honorable discharge from military service or were released from military service under honorable conditions. If you would like to apply in person, you will need to provide an original document, which will be returned to you; if you apply by mail, you can include a photocopy. Acceptable forms of verification include a U.S. Department of Defense form DD- 214 that indicates an honorable discharge; a form DD-215 that indicates an honorable discharge; or honorable discharge forms WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD or NAVCG 553. This law I helped pass will make it easier and more convenient for those who have served our country to get the benefits they deserve. The brave men and women of our military have made enormous sacrifices for all of us, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to support them. For more information on the veteran status designation, you can visit dmv.ny.gov/armedforces.htm. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 718-968-2770 or email [email protected]. Alan Maisel represents the 59th A.D. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus street talk I think it’s unfair. You should be allowed to be there before 9 a.m. It’s a giant HALL Incidents of graffiti our readers, to submit “Hall of Shame.” Conversely, if a for induction Send all high resolution and a contact Help us take our I think it’s unfair. As long as they’re on a leash, it should be fine. Lots of people New York State is home to more than 900,000 military veterans and their families. Their sacrifices have safeguarded our way of life, and without them our country wouldn’t be nearly what it is today. As a member of the state Assembly, I’m committed to honoring and helping those who have served our country in the military. Last month, a law took effect that allows eligible residents to have their status as a veteran designated on their New York State driver’s license (Ch. 487 of 2012). Those who qualify can have the word “Veteran” printed on the upper left corner of their newly issued license, learner permit or non-driver photo identification card at no additional charge. The standard $12.50 replacement fee applies if a veteran chooses to replace his or her current license prior to its expiration date. Rather than carrying official military paperwork wherever they go, these special licenses will allow veterans to show proof of their service anywhere they bring their wallets. As a result, it will be easier for veterans to take advantage of many of the programs, benefits and discounts that are available to them. If you are an eligible veteran, you can apply for the status designation in person at a Department of Motor Vehicles office or by mail.To qualify, you will need to provide verification that you received an honorable discharge from military service or were released from military service under honorable conditions. If you would like to apply in person, you will need to provide an original document, which will be returned to you; if you apply by mail, you can include a photocopy. Acceptable forms of verification include a U.S. Department of Defense form DD- 214 that indicates an honorable discharge; a form DD-215 that indicates an honorable discharge; or honorable discharge forms WD AGO 53, WD AGO 55, WD AGO 53-55, NAVPERS 553, NAVMC 78PD or NAVCG 553. This law I helped pass will make it easier and more convenient for those who have served our country to get the benefits they deserve. The brave men and women of our military have made enormous sacrifices for all of us, and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to support them. For more information on the veteran status designation, you can visit dmv.ny.gov/armedforces.htm. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact me at 718-968-2770 or email [email protected]. Alan Maisel represents the 59th A.D. Compiled by Jaime DeJesus compiled by Jaime DeJesus Would you support the Education Investment Change to 2015 ▲ ▲ Gary Nilsen and Helen Klein (USPS 248.800) 9733 FOURTH AVE. • BROOKLYN, NY 11209 Co-Publisher ... Victoria Schneps-Yunis Co-Publisher ... Joshua A. Schneps Editor in Chief ... Helen Klein Telephone 718-238-6600 Fax 718-238-6630 E-mail [email protected] Periodical postage paid at Brooklyn, N.Y. Published weekly by Brooklyn Media Group, Inc. Single copies, 50 cents. $35 per year by mail, $40 outside Brooklyn. On June 8, 1962, the Bay Ridge Home Reporter (founded 1953) and the Brooklyn Sunset News, a continuation of the Bay Ridge News (founded 1943) were merged into the HOME REPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS. Postmaster: Send Address Changes To: Home Reporter and Sunset News 9733 Fourth Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11209 Entire contents copyright 2014 by Home Reporter and Sunset News All letters sent to the HOME REPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS should be brief and are subject to condensing. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, AS WELL AS OP-ED PIECES IN NO WAY REFLECT THE PAPER’S POSITION. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of the HOME REPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to the HOME REPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. Brooklyn Media Group, Inc. assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold the HOME REPORTER AND SUNSET NEWS and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to such advertisement. Each day, thousands of people depend on SUNY Downstate Medical Center for emergency medical care and vital health care services. But this state-operated public hospital has been in danger of being closed or privatized for more than two years. Hundreds of jobs have been lost, and numerous health care services have been cut or curtailed due to the hospital’s ill-prepared “Sustainability Plan.” Now, there is language in the 2014-15 proposed state budget that would open the door to as many as five corporations to operate SUNY’s public hospitals. United University Professions, the union that represents nearly 3,000 employees at SUNY Downstate, has been fighting to keep SUNY Downstate a fully operational staterun facility. However, UUP isn’t fighting the battle alone. The SUNY Downstate Coalition of Faith, Labor and Community Leaders has become an important ally. The coalition has staged a number of rallies and protests over the past 18 months to save health care services and jobs at SUNY Downstate and keep it a public facility. The latest such effort is a 48-hour interfaith fast. It will begin Sunday, March 9, at 3 p.m., in front of Downstate’s 470 Clarkson Avenue entrance. Interfaith leaders and members of the community will participate to show their strong support for this beacon in Brooklyn and call attention to the threats it faces. You can take part in the fast or find out more about it by calling 718-270-1519, or sending an email to [email protected]. We strongly urge you to join our campaign. Take part in the fast, or come out and show your support. Together, we can deliver a strong message that SUNY Downstate must remain a full-service, state-operated public hospital. The threats facing SUNY Downstate are real. The SUNY Board of Trustees has openly discussed the possibility of closing SUNY Downstate. There is also language in the Executive Budget, which would allow corporations to control SUNY’s public hospitals; one corporation must affiliate with an academic medical institution or teaching hospital. SUNY Downstate has Brooklyn’s only teaching hospital. Privatizing or closing SUNY Downstate as a way for the state to save dollars is shortsighted and unnecessary. We believe the answer to Brooklyn’s health care shortcomings lies in the “Brooklyn Hospitals Safety Net Plan,” a UUP-backed initiative to stabilize and deliver health care throughout Brooklyn. This plan would preserve SUNY Downstate and save several financially unstable hospitals in Brooklyn, including Interfaith Medical Center, Brookdale, Long Island College Hospital and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center. You can see the proposal online at http://www.brooklynhospitalplan.org. It calls for the creation of a network of satellite ambulatory care centers, and would be controlled by and affiliated with 14 other Brooklyn hospitals. Downstate would be the network’s hub, educating and supplying physicians and medical staff to the care centers and working with doctors at the other hospitals. It’s a simple, effective plan and, if given a chance, it will work. New York has a responsibility to provide for the health care needs of its citizens. The Brooklyn Hospitals Safety Net Plan—our plan and the community’s plan—is a viable, workable option for long-term health care in Brooklyn. That’s something that Brooklyn residents desperately need. Frederick E. Kowal is president of United University Professions, the union representing 35,000 faculty and professional staff at SUNY’s 29 state-operated campuses, including SUNY’s public teaching hospitals and health science centers in Brooklyn, Buffalo, Long Island and Syracuse. With the city deciding to move forward on most of the school co-locations approved late last year, as Mayor Bloomberg prepared to vacate City Hall, parents in southwest Brooklyn are not only disappointed but angry. While the Department of Education under Mayor de Blasio wisely opted to back out of a planned co-location of a new high school inside Gravesend’s John Dewey High School, the DOE decided to move ahead with two others: the co-location of a charter school inside Seth Low Intermediate School in Bensonhurst and another inside Joseph B. Cavallaro Intermediate School in Bath Beach. These – like others in the borough and the city – are both fiercely opposed by parents, educators, students and the local Community Education Councils, all of whom contend that the co-locations would steal necessary space from students already attending the schools, and those who will be going to them in the near future. While the city has said it only considers under-utilized schools for co-locations, area education advocates say that both Cavallaro and Seth Low are well utilized, and likely to become more crowded as students now in elementary school in both District 20 and District 21 move up to middle school. Indeed, District 20 is one of the most crowded school districts in the city, so much so that the city built a host of new schools for it in the past decade, with more being planned, meaning that public school students in both District 20 and District 21 are likely to feel the squeeze should they have to share space with students from a charter school. That strikes us as patently unfair. While some of the charter schools poised to open in September, 2014 may be worthy additions to the city’s educational offerings, their needs should not trump the needs of existing schools with existing students. And, indeed, when a charter school is put inside a public school, the process must involve the school communities at both educational institutions, and parents must also be involved. The city must go back to the drawing board and come up with alternative arrangements for the charter schools planned for Seth Low and Cavallaro as well as other schools where they are opposed.. The students who attend those schools deserve no less. guest op-ed Keep SUNY Downstate open and public BY FREDERICK E. KOWAL Entire contents copyright 2015 by Home Reporter and Sunset News
HRR04282016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above