Politics & Government

Community Leaders Fear Cuts to Schools, Seniors

CB 11 Members Say City Should Not Balance Budget By Laying Off Teachers, Closing Senior Centers

Community Board 11 members said they were concerned about how city budget cuts would affect everything from education to senior services during the board’s meeting last night.

But Jerry Iannece, CB 11’s chairman, said the neighborhood had a reason to celebrate following the wrapping up of a massive sewer project for Douglaston and Bayside.

Councilman Mark Weprin, D-Oakland Gardens, told board members that he believed Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s was not the best means of balancing the city’s budget.

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“I’m surprised that’s where the mayor is going,” he said. “He’s using teachers as hostages. If he said he was cutting a bunch of bureaucrats, no one would be upset. Teachers should be the last resort for any cuts.”

The councilman also slammed a city plan that would grade teachers at schools in the five boroughs through new tests for students.

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“At least in the past, they were pretending to test the students,” Weprin said. “Now, the newest tests are for the teachers. The students are like guinea pigs. I find it outrageous, at least in this economy.”

Board members were also upset about proposed city budget cuts for senior services. They believed the cuts would be harmful to northeast Queens, which they said was already under-served.

“Our community board has the least amount of senior services in the borough,” Board member Steve Newman said. “Now, there are proposed cuts to about 20 to 30 senior centers around the city because they have attendances of less than 30 people.”

But Iannece said Douglaston and Bayside had at least one cause for celebration. The city’s Department of Environmental Protection is putting the final touches on a $130 million project that encompasses 16 acres along Northern Boulevard.

The project, which will prevent flooding in northeast Queens, includes a facility that will collect up to five million gallons of combined sewage that was previously discharged into Alley Creek and Little Neck Bay during rainstorms.

“This was something that was initiated in this building by this board and was spearheaded by the Bayside Hills Civic Association,” Iannece said. “It took 15 to 20 years to complete. But we should be really proud of it.”

There will be a ribbon cutting for the project at 56th Avenue and Springfield Boulevard at 11:30 a.m. on July 11. Iannece said the final stages of the project, which include the rehabilitation of five spots around Oakland Lake, should be completed by next fall.


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