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DOT announces plan for Conduit corridor
3-mile area to get overhaul driven by community input; workshops in June
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
The Conduit will get a major overhaul stemming from a community-driven study, the city Department of Transportation announced Monday.
The busy 3-mile corridor that connects Atlantic Avenue and Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn to the Belt Parkway and JFK Airport in Queens has seen more than 40 severe injuries and five traffic deaths over the last half decade, the agency said.
Heavy through-traffic and limited pedestrian infrastructure leaves community members with few options for safe travel along and across the stretch of roadway, the DOT says.
Informal, unpaved pathways across the median show a desire for improved pedestrian access, it added, while speed cameras along Conduit Boulevard consistently log the highest number of speed violations of any locations citywide, suggesting a need for a redesign that reduces instances of reckless driving behavior.
The Conduit corridor, called Conduit Boulevard in Brooklyn and Conduit Avenue in Queens, is a critical connection for freight traveling between Atlantic Avenue and Long Island, but there are just 15 signalized pedestrian crossings along the entire three
miles of roadway between Atlantic Avenue and Lefferts Boulevard, the DOT said.
To help address the concerns, the agency will host a series of community workshops, starting in June, to hear from residents about what a redesigned Conduit corridor could look and feel like.
Feedback can also be shared at tinyurl.com/mtswy6j9.
The study will build on the agency’s prior safety efforts along the Conduit, including a reduced speed limit, new speed cameras, and several new pedestrian headstart signals at major crossings. In 2023, the DOT installed a new sidewalk and signalized crosswalks along North and South Conduit Avenue at 79th Street in Lindenwood to safely connect pedestrians to Linden Center, a nearby shopping plaza.
Community members interested in giving feedback should attend the workshops. The first will be on June 10 at Robert Goddard Junior High School, at 13830 Lafayette St. in Ozone Park, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The second, a virtual workshop, will be on June 12 from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
“Our community deserves infrastructure that puts safety and connectivity first.”
— State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr.
For more information on the Conduit corridor plan, or to register for the workshops, visit tinyurl.com/conduitcorridor.
“As an advocate for safer neighborhoods with better acces-
The
city Department of Transportation on Monday announced a community-driven study for safety and accessibility improvements to the Conduit corridor, which spans three miles and links Brooklyn and Queens.
sibility, I support the DOT’s initiative to redesign Conduit Avenue,” state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) said in a statement. “Our community deserves infrastructure that puts safety and connectivity first, all while taking into account the thoughts and concerns of the residents. I will work with all stakeholders to ensure a safer and more equitable Conduit corridor that will benefit future generations.”
“For too long, the city has ignored the need for safer cross-
ings and better infrastructure along this corridor, so it’s encouraging to finally see that changing,” said Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park). “These new improvements will go a long way towards ensuring the safety of everyone, and avoiding any more unnecessary tragedies in the future.”
“For years, the Conduit has been one of the most dangerous corridors in our city — falling significantly short of meeting the safety needs of drivers, cyclists
and pedestrians alike,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said. “But thanks to the advocacy of many city and community partners, I’m proud to say that a study to redesign Conduit Avenue is finally getting underway. No matter how you use our roadways, you deserve to get to your destination safely. ... I encourage everyone from South Queens or East Brooklyn to make your voices heard as we center the surrounding community in reimagining this critical corridor.” Q
Schulman’s district gets wins for schools
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
For the second consecutive year, Richmond Hill won big in participatory budgeting, according to Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills). The process lets community members vote to decide how to allocate funds in their own district. This year, nearly 2,000 votes were cast, Schulman said.
In District 29, Schulman’s district, three schools will get upgrades.
Richmond Hill High School will receive $350,000 for a gymnasium renovation,
Schulman said Tuesday at a Community Board 9 meeting at Queens Borough Hall.
PS 66, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, Schulman said, will get $200,000 toward a hydroponics lab, a specialized laboratory designed to teach students about growing plants without the use of soil.
The High School for Construction, Trades, Engineering and Architecture, which is in Ozone Park but near the border of Richmond Hill, will get $350,000 for a renovation of its auditorium.
In other board news, Schulman gave awards to CB 9’s second vice chair, Cristal
Rivera, and its chairwoman, Sherry Algredo, for being outstanding women of distinction.
The board also voted in agreement with its Cannabis Committee to give a negative opinion to the Office of Cannabis Management on two licensed dispensary applications in Woodhaven, at 95-31 and 86-22 Jamaica Ave. Q
Councilmember Lynn Schulman on Tuesday announced the results of her district’s participatory budgeting at Community Board 9’s monthly meeting.
PHOTO BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO
PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN
Deputy mayor for public safety talks crime, addresses concerns CB 9 gets a surprise visit from Daughtry
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Kaz Daughtry, the deputy mayor for public safety, made an unexpected but welcome appearance at Community Board 9’s monthly meeting on Tuesday.
Though his visit was not on the agenda, which is published weeks ahead of the meeting at Queens Borough Hall, the board members capitalized on the opportunity to listen to Daughtry talk and express their own concerns on crime and quality of life.
On the topic of retail theft, Daughtry, formerly a top NYPD official, said, “I get a lot of complaints when I travel throughout the city about people constantly walking into stores, taking commodities that don’t belong to them.”
He lamented that many essential items in stores, such as baby formula, deodorant and toothpaste, are locked in cases that an employee must unlock, or held behind the cash register.
“It’s not fair,” Daughtry said.
He commended the actions of Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz in her efforts to combat the issue.
“A phenomenal partner,” he said. “She’s aggressively going after these recidivists.”
Daughtry said the city is testing something called Fusus — technology that would give the authorities the ability to use their phones to look into stores in real time and observe what’s happening.
“So far we have tested it in a couple stores throughout the city, and it’s working really, really well,” Daughtry said.
The deputy mayor pointed out that there are many vacancies for public safety jobs in the city.
“There’s the Parks Department, there’s the Fire Department — there’s a lot of jobs that nobody’s really taking advantage of,” Daughtry said. To get the word out, he’s hosting hiring halls and posting about it on social media.
The board’s chairwoman, Sherry Algredo, took the opportunity to tell Daughtry about her issues with the Summer All Out program, which deploys NYPD officers to neighborhoods where more police are needed during the warmer months. In South Queens, that means many cops with the 102nd and 106th precincts head to the Rockaways.
“It’s not working in this district,” Algredo told Daughtry. “We have deaths, we have robberies.”
She expressed frustration at the loss of community affairs officers, whom many residents lean on for support.
“You don’t need to take our community affairs officers as well,” Algredo said. “We need to work on a compromise.”
Daughtry agreed with Algredo.
“We should leave the community affairs
officers in their precinct,” he said. “I will support that, and I promise you, I’ll look at that. ... I will have a conversation with the commissioner tomorrow in regards to that.”
Board member Steve Forte echoed Algredo’s concerns about losing cops to beach detail dur-
ing the summer.
“That’s wrong,” Forte said. “You should not be pulling them out of the precincts with shorthanded numbers.”
Another member of the board, Vanessa Fuentes, asked Daughtry about enforcement regarding fare evasion.
“I just feel like most of the time, there’s always five people in front of me who don’t pay their fare,” Fuentes said.
Daughtry responded, “I’m happy you brought that up.”
He acknowledged that it is unfair that those with a fixed income have to budget for their fares while others hop turnstiles.
“But when we tell the department that we want to aggressively go after these turnstile jumpers, the administration gets hit with all of these activists saying that the subway should be free, lots of tree huggers,” Daughtry said.
He said the MTA is in the process of getting funds to make large turnstile doors so people will be unable to jump over them.
“There’s got to be some sort of consequences,” Daughtry said. “And I’m not saying that fare evaders should have to do 20 years in jail, but something has to be done.”
Though some members still had questions, the board had to proceed with the agenda — but the deputy mayor promised to return for the next meeting. Q
The Meat Market NYC marks grand opening
Business given special accolade by Boar’s Head, one of 39 in country
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
The Meat Market NYC, at 161-10 Cross Bay Blvd. in Howard Beach, celebrated its grand opening last Saturday with plenty of food and fun.
Though the business has been open for a few months now, the finishing touches inspired a ribbon-cutting and mini party in the parking lot in front of the building.
“We didn’t want to have the grand opening right away,” Rob Pisani, one of the owners, told the Chronicle. “We wanted to get everything set, with the remodeling and everything. Now that we’re finally finished, we’re ready to start showcasing everything.”
The Meat Market NYC is open Mondays through Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Sundays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The location also provides deliveries. For more information, call (718) 835-7508.
Market was smooth.
“It didn’t skip a beat,” he said. “We renovated in like, 10 days, and when we reopened, it was right back to business as usual, and we’ve been getting great feedback about the changes we made.”
The store offers prime cuts of meat, organic-grass fed beef, poultry, veal and pork, along with a wide selection of imported Italian specialities and fresh pastas, such as ravioli and manicotti, and even organic produce.
For those hungry but running low on time, The Meat Market also has a menu of hero suggestions to be made on its freshbaked semolina bread, as well as premade dinners ready to grab and go.
The grand opening was extra special, as The Meat Market celebrated being named a Market of Distinction by Boar’s Head.
Pisani owns the business with his brother, Al Pisani, and Joseph Gagliardotto. The site was formerly Brother’s Italian Food World, but Pisani said the transition to The Meat
“There’s only 39 of them in the United States,” Pisani said. “They make sure you give great service, carry certain products they have and check that it’s cleaned nice.”
He said a Boar’s Head employee comes in to secret shop prior to the decision.
“I had been trying to get it since 1998, really,” Pisani said. He received his first Market of Distinction honor for his other business, All American Bagel and Barista in Rockaway, and said he’s proud to have been given the same distinction for The Meat Market.
“It’s a great honor,” Pisani said. Saturday’s event saw plenty of families visiting the shop to peruse the selections, and
heading outside to enjoy the festivities, which included a live DJ, face painting and food, such as hot dogs, sliders, knishes and various cured meats and cheeses. Attendees were able to spin a wheel, sponsored by Boar’s Head, to earn free prizes, such as a branded cutting board, pen, lanyard or football. Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) was among those in attendance. Q
The Meat Market NYC, at 161-10 Cross Bay Blvd. in Howard Beach, marked its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting on May 10. PHOTOS BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO
Kaz Daughtry, the deputy mayor for public safety, on Tuesday answered questions from members of Community Board 9 during its monthly meeting. PHOTO BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO
New budget and new concerns in Albany
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Critics say $254B agreement doesn’t account for federal aid reductions
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
Gov. Hochul last Friday signed the budget for the 2026 fiscal year into law, 39 days after the April 1 deadline.
Hochul’s office released a transcript of her announcement and later accompanying press releases on how the $254 billion budget agreement deals with specific topics such as criminal justice discovery reform, the mental health crisis and tax reductions for residents and small businesses.
But it did not provide updated supporting documentation either on Hochul’s website or on that of the state Division of the Budget. Her office said the figures would be provided within 30 days.
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“Despite the chaos and uncertainty that is constantly emanating out of Washington, we still delivered for the people of New York,” Hochul said in a video posted on her official X account. “We still got it done.”
“This budget is far more than a financial document, It’s a declaration of our shared values — who we are, who we’re fighting for and a road map for a brighter future. We’ve made strategic choices and investment to reflect what matters most. As I said back in January, your family is my fight. This budget honors that promise.”
On changes to discovery reforms that took effect Jan. 1, 2020, Hochul said in a press release that new rules will reduce the number of cases that have been thrown out on minor technicalities that either had no material impact on a case or were not the result of bad faith actions on the part of police or prosecutors.
“So cases will no longer be thrown out over trivial errors that have no bearing on someone’s guilt or innocence, like hitting the wrong button on a surveillance video or submitting a police personnel file just a day late,” Hochul said. “Doesn’t matter. Doesn’t matter. But that’s what the law was, that they had to throw those out. Or leaving out a minor report that already has a duplication, has no bearing on the case at all.”
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz concurred in Hochul’s press release.
“The 2020 changes were the right step forward, but they have led to unintended consequences with thousands of cases statewide dismissed for technical violations of the discovery statute,’ Katz said “The dismissals left victims of crime unprotected and without justice. The negotiated changes in the State Legislature will preserve the rights of the accused while improving public safety and protecting victims.”
On mental health, Hochul said the state is adding 100 new inpatient beds on Wards Island in New York City alone; expanding funding for outpatient treatment under Kendra’s Law; and has broadened a judge’s discretion to order involuntary commitment for someone whose condition creates a “likelihood to result in serious harm.”
Gov. Hochul signed the state’s 2026 budget into law Friday morning in front of students in Johnson City, nearly six weeks after its official deadline.
A statement issued by the New York State Senate Democratic Conference listed a number of benefits for residents including a threeyear expansion of child tax credits; $50 million for hunger prevention and food assistance; $2.2 billion in block grant funding for affordable child care; a $120 million increase in foundation aid to school districts for a total of $26.4 billion; increased capital funding for SUNY and CUNY schools; and more than $750 million for nursing homes, assisted living programs and distressed hospitals.
Albany Republicans, however, were far less enthused. State Sen. Minority Leader Robert Ortt (R-Lockport) called the budget’s priorities offensive.
“The so-called criminal justice fixes are toothless,” Ortt said in a press release. “The discovery and mask laws passed will continue to let violent offenders dodge accountability and walk free, putting the public and law enforcement at risk.” He said taxes to fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority “could be a tipping point” for businesses already considering a move out of state.
“But the most outrageous move is the creation of a taxpayer-funded slush fund to cover the private legal bills of politicians,” he said. “It’s Albany corruption at it worst, giving political insiders a blank check while working families foot the bill.”
Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Syracuse) called the budget a reckless escalation in spending that does little to improve the state’s fiscal stability.
“This spending plan, the latest in 15 years and $13 billion more than last year, continued Albany’s pattern of closed-door dysfunction and lack of transparency,” Barclay said in a press release. “Most of the policies that held up budget talks for more than a month repre-
continued on page 22
PHOTO BY DARREN MCGEE / NYS
EDITORIAL AGEP
Online-only CB meetings are illegal
The New York State Open Meetings Law is vital to maintain the public’s right to know what its government is doing. In short, it allows the public to attend the meetings of government agencies and requires that advance notice of them be given. The OML and the Freedom of Information Law, which provides access to government documents, are together colloquially known as the Sunshine Laws. You know, as in the best disinfectant.
Government agencies ignore the FOIL on a regular basis, because New York, unlike some states, provides for no punitive action when they are taken to court over it. Surprise: Not every official operates with the public interest at heart, and some even think they know better than you. Less common, perhaps, because it is harder to do, at least in the city, is violating the OML. The City Council could hardly hold secret sessions without being found out. Yet here in Queens, we have ongoing violations of the OML at one of our community boards, and periodic ones at another.
CB 13 in Eastern Queens continues to hold its monthly meetings solely online, in defiance of the OML. CB 4 in mid-Queens sometimes holds its meetings online only. This is not legal, and none of the other 12 community boards in Queens does it. Several of them include an online element — letting people join in via Zoom or Webex, or letting them watch live via YouTube, which is fine — but
only Boards 13 and 4 hold completely virtual meetings. That means there is no quorum present at any physical location, which violates the OML, as the Queens Chronicle exclusively reported last week in a story on CB 13. Credit goes to member David Pecoraro for calling out the board on its disregard for the law.
One of CB 13’s leaders, attorney Corey Bearak, makes his personal case for the legality of virtual meetings in a letter to the editor this week. But his argument fails. Its central tenet is that the board is within its rights because the board adopted a resolution saying so. That resolution claims CB 13 is meeting virtually in the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act, along with other reasons that sound nice but carry no legal weight. The ADA does not in any way require that meetings be held online. That truth is self-evident.
CB 13 is simply acting as if the emergency rules enacted over the Covid-19 pandemic were never repealed. But they were. Former Gov. Cuomo suspended the OML’s in-person meeting requirements in Executive Order 202.1 on March 12, 2020. The order was rescinded on June 25, 2021. Ever since, meetings of public bodies, including New York City’s community boards, must be held in physical locations, with a quorum present. All boards should allow people to tune in online, in what is called a hybrid meeting. None should hold their meetings online only, in what is called a violation of the law.
Rikers hope
It seems counterintuitive, but the pending takeover of Rikers Island by a U.S. court-appointed administrator could redound to the benefit of the city, including Mayor Adams.
The jail complex is horrible for everyone involved. It has been for a long time, and the city has been unable to fix it. So let Chief District Judge Laura Taylor Swain give it a shot. Maybe she can find just the right person to clean up the mess there.
We want better conditions for both the guards and the inmates. We also want Rikers to be rebuilt, not replaced, and for immigration officers to be present there. But prevailing winds blow the other way on those things, and we’ll take what we can get — such as letting Adams busy himself governing the rest of city.
MARK WEIDLER
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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
Cyclists obey no law
Dear Editor:
Re “Ridgewood cyclists pitch road upgrades,” May 8, multiple editions:
I would like to ask Mr. Duncan Ballantine and his fellow cyclists who use Woodward Avenue in Ridgewood if they stop at the 11 stop signs and the seven traffic lights when traveling to Metropolitan Avenue. Cyclists always know how to play the victims, but none of them follow or believe any of the traffic laws pertain to them.
David Conlin Howard Beach
Nassau tokes up
Dear Editor:
I just read your May 1 article “Queens buys a lot of pot,” which states that Queens is second in cannabis sales.
That is misleading since we have seen a proliferation of state licensed dispensaries in Eastern Queens because Nassau County opted out of having dispensaries in its county.
While I am not authorized to speak on behalf of either Queens Community Board 13 or its Public Safety Committee (I sit on both), nor the Rosedale Civic Association (where I serve as secretary), as a 59-year resident of Rosedale, I have seen a disproportionate number of license applications that are clearly motivated by proximity to the county line — some just steps away
from Nassau. In general these applicants are not residents of the area where they intend to sell their wares.
This is even more troubling because the NYS Office of Cannabis Management is now considering permitting the distance between dispensaries to be decreased from the current 1,000 feet to an unacceptably close 500 feet.
In 2023 I personally asked our state senators and state assemblymembers if they would support establishing a 500-foot protective zone between dispensaries and libraries, playgrounds and parks, and all four Southeast Queens representatives unequivocally said yes. I am still awaiting legislation to implement this protection.
David S. Pecoraro Rosedale
CB 13 meetings are legal
Dear Editor:
On May 8, after reading an article with a totally inaccurate headline questioning
Queens Community Board 13’s legal an d practical process to meet virtually, I reached out to the Chronicle to correct the article (“CB 13 in violation of Open Meetings Law,” multiple editions).
The article also failed to report the full content of the board’s adoption of a Septembe r 2024 resolution shared with the reporter. That document makes clear that the federal Americans with Disability Act prevails as a deciding factor in how QCB 13 holds its meeting.
The resolution included this finding: “Public Health Accessibility and Mobility concerns must prevail over holding any meetings in-person requirement.” Please refer to Titles II and III of the act. That analysis remains undisputed.
The article’s glaring omission of the applicability the ADA to QCB 13 leaves readers with a false impression when in fact the board strives to use its virtual meetings to further accessibility to its meetings.
As you and many readers know, prior to embarking on my private practice as a government and public affairs counsel, I served as
LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
counsel/chief of staff to a City Council member, legislative counsel to two borough presidents and director of policy, planning and budget and acting general counsel to one borough president. Those experiences inform the analysis and response in this letter in my personal capacity and not as a member or representative of QCB 13 to correct the record and make clear QCB 13 operates consistent with all applicable law.
Thank you for this opportunity.
Corey
B. Bearak Glen Oaks
The writer is an attorney.
Daylighting’s drawbacks
Dear Editor:
Regarding universal daylighting, Mr. Edwin Eppich is not aware of all the implications (“Daylight for safety, Letters, May 8).
The Community Board 5 Transportation Committee is not opposed to daylighting, because it is an important safety measure in certain situations. What we are against is universal daylighting at every single intersection in every borough on every block in New York City. For example, there is no need for it on a one-way street heading away from the intersection. And it is ridiculous to have daylighting in quiet residential neighborhoods that have little traffic.
As you recognize, daylighting on all corners reduces the number of parking spaces by between eight and 16 cars. This will create more traffic, as drivers circle around looking for a place to park. Additionally, the city intends to install permanent physical barriers at each location, which will create other problems, such as where to plow all the snow after a storm.
The Department of Transportation itself is against universal daylighting, saying that in some instances there were more accidents where it was implemented. As its January 2025 report on daylighting found, “[I] ncreased visibility can also give a driver the sense that all possible risks are known, encouraging faster speeds, reduced caution and less attention to the road. This reflects a common concept in behavioral science known as ‘risk compensation.’”
As one might expect, one size does not fit all.
Lee Rottenberg Middle Village
Drivers’ dilemmas
Dear Editor:
Edwin Eppich’s May 8 response (“Daylight for safety”) to my May 1 letter against universal daylighting (“Buses, pain and automobiles”) is a perfect example of someone who is just anti-car wanting to rid the city of all cars by bashing “many drivers” as “complete maniacs.”
If Mr. Eppich actually read my letter instead of being so quick to criticize cars and drivers, he would have noticed that I stated no one is against increased safety, and I am for daylighting where necessary. Anyone who has driven is aware of the hazards of inching out due to an SUV being parked too close to an intersection and wishing it were not there. I even honk my
horn in such situations.
Then he criticizes me for asking Councilperson Julie Won to connect her citation of 253 deaths to how many were caused by the lack of daylighting. What is wrong with asking for that data? Yes, a very few drivers are complete maniacs, those who cause most of the crashes and deaths, but the overwhelming majority, exceeding 95 percent, are responsible drivers, a far greater percentage than bike riders. Yet Eppich wants all drivers to suffer under universal daylighting, which bans far more parking spaces than necessary.
Most areas already have a critical shortage of parking. A friend recently spent 90 minutes just looking for a space, the most she ever has. Is this what Eppich wants to become the norm for the city?
Driving and the ability to park are necessities as long as the MTA refuses to provide adequate transit service and insists on making bus service less accessible by eliminating thousands of stops and having more buses not in service. Just yesterday my short bus round trip took me an extra 25 minutes, because of these two MTA policies, not because of traffic.
Allan Rosen Brooklyn
Where’s Willets? Bayside.
Dear Editor:
Re “Steel work complete on first Willets apts.,” May 8, multiple editions: Willets Point is in Bayside, where Fort Totten is.
When the developers were taking over the auto junkyards in Flushing they didn’t like the unofficial name of Iron Triangle so they borrowed Willets Point from the Willets Point Boulevard station on the 7 line. Willets Point is in Bayside.
Phil Fries
Bayside
Trains not green but toxic
Dear Editor:
Re “LIC firm offers green concrete options,” May 8, multiple editions:
It’s sad to see this “greenwashing” PR for this project in the Queens Chronicle. There is no acknowledgment of how high-polluting and noisy the New York & Atlantic Railway’s trains are; how cement plants in the city are polluting communities even without using more toxic coal-fired power plant fly ash; how unresponsive the rich guys behind NYA and Precision Terminal Logistics have been to community health and quality-of-life problems from their rail operations; how their profits have been subsidized by the use of public lands and facilities and the health of workers and communities; and how Bruce Lieberman, one of the rich owners, did this before in the Long Island Rail Road’s Farmingdale Yard; setting up a construction-and-demolition by rail business with Tunnel Hill Partners.
That transfer station, like this new fly ash one, was built by private, for-profit companies on MTA-LIRR public property. Since the NYA owner started up the C&D one in 2008, open rail cars of C&D with drains in the bottoms have been polluting neighborhoods with C&D continued on next page
LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
continued from previous page
blowoff, leachate and gas that the state Department of Environmental Conservation presumes to be toxic.
The NYA owners and their customers are defying a NYS law passed to simply cover these rail cars, with rail and waste organizations suing in federal court to stop this modest protection for residents and workers. There is nothing much “green” for the public at large to celebrate here — although more greenbacks will go into private pockets, subsidized by taxpayers, and by residents’ and workers’ health and quality of life.
Mary Parisen-Lavelle Chairperson, Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions Oyster Bay, LI
The writer was a longtime resident of Glendale, where she co-founded CURES.
Do not cut Medicaid
Dear Editor:
The U.S. Congress must reject Republicans’ plans to cut a devastating $880 billion from our nation’s cherished Medicaid program.
Medicaid is an essential healthcare program for more than 72 million Americans, including children, families, seniors, new parents, people with disabilities and lowincome people across the country. Having worked as a Head Start director for several decades, I know firsthand the important role Medicaid plays in the lives of children and their families.
Medicaid makes up 30 percent of state budgets, meaning cuts to federal support would force every state to make impossible choices: Slash healthcare for those who need it most or gut other core programs that states fund. This program allows families to stay healthy and financially stable, keeps our state budgets steady and keeps the doors of the hospitals that we all depend on open.
The impact of these massive cuts would be far-reaching, further disrupting the economy and care in all communities across all life stages: Nearly half of the nation’s births; approximately 62 percent of longterm care residents in nursing homes; and one in three people with disabilities get the care they need through Medicaid. Plus, Medicaid cuts are deeply unpopular — 88 percent of voters are against cutting federal funding for Medicaid!
Maria Contreras Collier Jamaica Estates
More social workers now
Dear Editor:
Ride the subway, visit addiction centers, talk to teachers, and there’s no doubt we’re experiencing a serious mental health crisis. We are undergoing a mental health workforce crisis. Social service agencies have an unprecedented number of unfilled positions, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a demand for social workers through 2031. The city reports high rates of
unemployment in public human service departments. In 2022, 80 percent of New York City schools did not meet the requirements for social workers. More social workers are desperately needed.
The governor and all mayoral candidates plan to expand mental-health services. Where will we find the workforce since social workers deliver 75 percent of all mental-health services?
Social workers serve schools, hospitals, communities and shelters, helping people with depression, trauma and life challenges. At some point everyone will need a social worker.
Licensed master social workers must earn a master’s of social work degree from a stateaccredited program, complete an internship and specialized training, and pass the Association of Social Work Board’s LMSW licensing examination.
However, there is no scientific evidence that the ASWB exam measures a social worker’s competence. In 2022, ASWB revealed significant, national and longstanding racial disparities in exam pass rates. While 85 percent of white graduates passed, only 44 percent of Black social work graduates and 62 percent of Latino graduates did so. It is a needless barrier to an expanded and diversified professional workforce.
The Social Work Workforce Act will eliminate the exam, as 17 other states have done. It is supported by 46 legislators and over 50 organizations and unions. Illinois gained 10,000 new social workers in two years when it removed the exam without an increase in practice violations. Passing the act will allow us to deploy qualified social workers to meet the needs of New Yorkers.
Jacqueline Mondros Manhattan
The writer is professor emeritus and dean emeritus of the Stony Brook University School of Social Work, and founder and interim executive director of Social Workers for Justice.
Farming is beneath us
Dear Editor:
Consider this a possible conversation between a typical MAGA teen and a typical MAGA parent following the expulsion of illegal immigrants from the United States.
“Gee mom, isn’t it great? Now I can get the job I always wanted milking cows and shoveling manure all day. Aren’t you proud of me?”
Stew Frimer Forest Hills
Leavin’ on a jet plane
Dear Editor:
Qatar is doing the U.S. illegal migrants a favor by giving this $400 million jet to President Trump, aka the United States. When they get deported to El Salvador they will have the ride of their lives, and Trump will get a tax write-off.
Ray Hackinson Ozone Park
Students impress in STEM
More than 800 attendees headed to the Hyatt Regency at Resorts World New York in South Ozone Park on April 30 for Queens South High Schools’ second annual STEM Expo. The event united students, educators and industry leaders to celebrate the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and featured a dynamic schedule of hands-on activities and exhibits.
The expo opened with a keynote address by Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, above center, and Josephine Van-Ess, second from right, the superintendent of Queens South High Schools.
All 29 high schools in the district partici-
pated, showcasing a wide array of STEM programs, including drone piloting, aviation, robotics and artificial intelligence.
A standout feature of the event was the “STEM in the South” initiative, a program unique to QSHS, which allows students to explore STEM programs at other district schools.
The expo also featured collaborations with major industry partners, such as Amazon, Microsoft, Samsung and First Robotics, and support from area elected officials, including Councilmembers Nantasha Williams and Joann Ariola, and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. — Kristen Guglielmo
Autism awareness walk, 5/31
All are welcome to the annual Autism and Developmental Disabilities Walk and Resource Fair on Saturday, May 31 at Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto Park in Richmond Hill. From 2 to 5 p.m., participants will walk four times around the park to help raise awareness of autism and other developmental disabilities.
Those who wish to participate should meet at the corner of 95th Avenue and 125th Street.
Resources, educational materials and services will be available.
The event is sponsored by state Sen.
Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) and Community Board 9, with support from Assemblymember David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows), Coucilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills), the NYPD and EmblemHealth.
“It’s a walk to show the level of caring we carry for all people with developmental disabilities,” Community Board 9 wrote on its Facebook page. “We are their voices.”
In the event of rain, the walk will be rescheduled for June 8. Q — Kristen Guglielmo
QDA, NYPD and State Police announce indictments of 20 alleged auto thieves Authorities bust $4.6M car theft ring
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Following a three-year investigation, dubbed Operation Hellcat, 20 people were indicted in connection with an auto theft ring, authorities announced on May 8.
The New York State Police, NYPD and Queens District Attorney’s Office at a joint press conference said the defendants are variously charged in a wide-ranging scheme to steal cars, from Hondas and Dodges to Mercedes-Benzes and Land Rovers, throughout New York City and its suburbs.
The thefts started in a low-tech manner targeting cars that were left unlocked with the key fobs inside, authorities said. The alleged thieves then progressed to breaking into locked vehicles by using a screwdriver to punch out the driver’s side door lock or by breaking car windows to gain access.
Once inside, the defendants allegedly used a handheld device to connect to a car’s onboard diagnostics system and program a new key fob.
The theft crew disabled the car’s navigation system and searched for, and disposed of, any tracking devices so the owner could not pinpoint the vehicle’s location.
Some stolen cars were parked for a short time on public streets so that if a tracking system was still operable and police found the vehicle, it would not be traced to them.
The group also obscured the cars’ vehicle identification numbers or changed the license plates to fake or stolen tags.
Brokers quickly flipped the cars without altering the VINs, thus commanding belowmarket prices — from approximately $1,000 to $6,000 per car, the DA’s Office said.
The vehicles, valued at more than $4.6 million, were often sold through advertisements on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and Telegram, or to brokers within the organization’s network.
The stolen cars included 38 Acuras, 24 Hondas, 23 BMWs, 20 Dodges and three Jeeps.
Of the cars, 52 were stolen in Queens, 25 in Brooklyn, 14 in Nassau County, 10 in the Bronx, 10 in Westchester County, nine in Staten Island, three in Suffolk County, one in Manhattan, one in New Jersey and one in Massachusetts.
The defendants are charged with the larceny and criminal possession of 126 cars, 44 of which were purchased by undercover officers.
The undercover officers also bought three firearms — a semiautomatic rifle and two pistols. The investigation involved the use of court-authorized wiretaps and resulted in the seizure of the weapons.
Of the defendants, 14 are charged in a 289-count indictment with enterprise corruption, grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and conspiracy. Four of those defendants are additionally charged in separate indictments. Six others are charged separately.
Four were arraigned Wednesday, May 7, and nine were arraigned the following day before Supreme Court Justice David Kirschner. Two defendants have not been apprehended.
Advisory for JFK Airport’s T4
As of May 13, from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m., for-hire vehicle pickup at JFK Airport’s Terminal 4 will be relocated to the Lot 66 Ride App & Car Services Pickup location until further notice, the Port Authority announced.
The relocation is expected to reduce traffic congestion at the terminal during the busy travel season and peak airport construction activity.
Passengers in Terminal 4 seeking for-hire vehicle service, such as Lyft and Uber, will have to take a free shuttle bus departing from the terminal arrivals level every one to two minutes
The defendants include Justin “Cupcake” Santiago, 33, of 86th Street in Ozone Park; Adrian “Ben Bills” Villegas, 32, of 80th Street in Lindenwood; Enrique “Finesse” Lopez, 24, of Marvin Street in Far Rockaway; Nyron Ramkhelawan, 25, of 219th Street in Queens Village; and Brayahan Agudelo, 31, of Austin Street in Forest Hills.
Villegas was arrested May 7 near his home in Lindenwood, drawing a large police presence to the area, including state troopers, a SWAT team, snipers and drones.
to Lot 66 Ride App & Car Services Pickup, according to the Port Authority.
Passengers should order their forhire vehicle ride no more than 5 minutes prior to arriving at the lot.
Prominently located signage will direct passengers to pickup locations.
Taxi service and ADA accessible rideshares will remain at the terminal frontage at all times.
Before traveling to JFK, the PA says, visit construction.jfkairport.com for the latest updates and travel advisories. Q
nized auto theft rings we have ever uncovered in New York City,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. “With these indictments, we have dismantled a criminal enterprise that stole at least $4.6 million worth of vehicles from our streets and driveways.”
“The NYPD will not tolerate those who target our communities.”
— NYPD Comissioner Jessica Tisch
Witnesses told the Chronicle they heard flash grenades and witnessed Villegas being escorted out of his home in only shorts by the authorities.
“This is one of the most prolific and orga-
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, “These criminals stole hundreds of vehicles, trafficking them across state lines and exploiting technology to bypass security. Thanks to the NYPD’s Auto Crime Unit, our law enforcement partners, and the Queens District Attorney’s office, these individuals are now facing justice. The NYPD will not tolerate those who target our communities and will use every resource to hold them accountable.” Q
Step into the rhythm on May 24
Tap your way over to the Forest Park Bandshell on May 24 at 11 a.m. for a day of fancy footwork, live music and fun at the ninth annual National Tap Dance Day celebration.
The event is presented by the Taplife Hero Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission of producing, creating and promoting positive, thoughtful and insightful opportunities for people to experience tap dance.
Tickets are free and can be reserved online at tapdance.ticketleap.com. Those with questions should send an email to taplifehero@gmail.com.
The celebration will feature worldrenowned performers, area artists and dance studio teachers and students. There will be live family friendly music by DJ Martin Gargulio of MRG Productions, and a special collaborative performance by singer-songwriter Frank Persico and Taplife. One community leader will be honored as a “champion for tap dance.”
Attendees will also be treated to interactive classes throughout the day, led by Queens native Anthony LoCascio, the artistic director of Taplife. Q — Kristen Guglielmo
Authorities after a three-year investigation, dubbed Operation Hellcat, charged 20 people in connection with an auto theft ring. More than $4.6 million worth of vehicles were allegedly stolen by the defendants.
PHOTO COURTESY QUEENS DA
Adrian Villegas, right, was arrested by State Police last Wednesday at his home in Lindenwood for his alleged involvement in a vehicle theft ring. He is one of 20 defendants.
SCREENSHOT VIA FACEBOOK / PJ MARCEL
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Pols push to expand street vendor licenses
Bills aim to facilitate compliance with the law; city agents doubtful
by Stephanie G. Meditz
Associate Editor
Street vendors are a mainstay of commercial hubs in Queens neighborhoods such as Jackson Heights, Corona and Flushing. Many of the sellers are immigrants, both with and without legal status.
Some City Council members and activists at a May 6 Consumer and Worker Protection Committee hearing continued the push for the city to issue more licenses and help vendors comply with the law instead of emphasizing enforcement. Several argued that, for all street vendors contribute to the economy, outdated licensing caps bar them from doing business legally.
“When immigrants who are at risk of deportation have encounters with the police for any reason, their risk of getting funneled into detention and deportation increases, regardless of the outcome of the case,” Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez, deputy director of the Street Vendor Project, said at the hearing. The organization posted on Instagram that it was among hundreds of vendors, activists and Council members who rallied outside City Hall that morning to support some vending-related bills on the agenda.
Intro. 408, introduced by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, would create a division in the city’s Department of Small Business Services to provide vendors with resources and education on safe practices.
Williams said at the hearing that the city must work to end the “criminalization” of street vendors by offering more licenses, services and training rather than increasing enforcement. The NYPD and Department of Sanitation last year nearly doubled the number of vendingrelated tickets issued in 2023, he said.
“The president in particular, and too often, unfortunately, with the support of our mayor, are quickly leading our communities and our
economy into extreme hardship and undue criminalization,” Williams said. “We must provide our communities with ways to support themselves and their loved ones.”
But Haris Khan of SBS had his doubts — he encouraged taking advantage of the department’s services but said they are already inclusive and adding a division would divert limited time and resources.
A bill by Councilmember Pierina Ana Sanchez (D-Bronx), Intro. 431, would raise the number of licenses granted each year for five years, followed by a complete removal of the current limit. Licenses to sell merchandise other than food are capped at 853.
Sanchez said there are more than 10,000 people on a waiting list that is now closed, leading many vendors to operate without a license due to “a system that locks them out.”
“This legislation will bring more vendors into the formal economy and incentivize compliance with the rules New Yorkers actually care about: food that is sanitary, streets that are clean and safe and neighborhoods where prosperity is shared,” Sanchez said.
Citing quality-of-life concerns, Carlos Ortiz of the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection opposed lifting the cap.
Another bill introduced by Majority Leader Amanda Farías (D-Bronx) would take steps toward raising the number of supervisory licenses issued to mobile food vendors annually. While some Council members deem enforcement measures ineffective, others are pushing to improve them.
Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) had legislation on the agenda that would require the Office of Street Vendor Enforcement to create a portal for agencies to track street vending enforcement.
continued on page 22
Street vendors rallied outside City Hall before a May 6 hearing for several vending-related bills, including ones that aim to help sellers comply with the law. PHOTO VIA STREET VENDOR PROJECT / INSTAGRAM
Unproven complaints vs. cops target of bills
Measures would seal unsubstantiated, false, pending claims; two sides differ
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
Between 1976 and 2021, New York State Civil Rights Law 50-a sealed disciplinary records of police officers, correction officers and firefighters, considering them personnel records that were confidential unless an individual agreed to release them.
In 2020, then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill repealing 50-a over the stringent objections of police unions and others. The repeal had a great deal of support from elected officials in New York City, particularly then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, and police reform groups.
A pair of bills pending in Albany, however, would, if passed, seal complaints against law enforcement officers that are determined to be unfounded resulting in acquittal; unsubstantiated by evidence one way or the other; or still are pending.
Assembly bill A2074A is sponsored by Assemblyman Sam Berger (D-Flushing) and has 26 listed co-sponsors on the Assembly’s website, including members Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach), Jenifer Rajkumar (D Woodhaven), Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills) and Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows).
The companion bill in the state Senate, S4117, is sponsored by Sen. Jessica SarcellaSpanton (D-Staten Island). Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) is a co-sponsor.
Berger, in a recent interview with the Chronicle, said it is something he has been examining for a while.
“The repel of 50-a opens to the public any claim against any officer,” Berger said. “And there is a need for transparency. There was a growing desire for transparency among law enforcement agencies. But there is a difference between a substantiated claim, a legitimate claim with evidence against the officer, versus a fake claim.”
Berger said he has spoken with officers who have had unfounded or unsubstantiated claims come up when they are seeking another job or doing things such as applying for loans, because it is all in the public record. Websites such as 50-a.org also list all complaints, substantiated or not, with the outcome.
Two
public access.
The organization back ing 50-a.org did not respond to emails requesting an interview or comment.
Berger said he believes one of the problems that the NYPD has with retaining and recruiting officers is the idea that anyone can lodge a complaint for any reason, with even dismissed charges coming up in officers’ professional and civilian lives.
“There is a method by which you can fix that,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is rectify that in a way that balances the need for public transparency with the need for law enforcement officers to be able to go about their daily lives.”
Robert Klein, a retired NYPD homicide detective, told the Chronicle that he and officers he knows have been victimized by the present system.
He said he knows of instances in which false claims even surfaced with officers using dating apps.
“I was victimized by a [Civilian Com-
plaint Review Board] investigation where the investigator essentially engaged in misconduct throughout my investigation,” Klein said. “I was involved in some arrests. A person made a complaint against me which was false, but that was substantiated by the CCRB investigator.”
He was not permitted to see the investigator’s findings.
With the NYPD, disciplinary complaints examined by the CCRB, are, if substantiated, forwarded to the Police Commissioner’s Office to determine if further investigation or discipline is warranted.
Klein said once the commissioner declined to go any further with his case, he forgot about it — until he was preparing to testify in murder trial, and the defense confronted him with the details of the substantiated case.
troducing conditions that the repeal was intended to stop — unless a bill going to Gov. Hochul’s desk is carefully crafted.
The source said blocking access to information from pending cases, for example, could hinder civilians seeking updates on progress of their cases.
Another difficulty would arise in cases involving multiple officers in which some had charges unsubstantiated or even dismissed, while others are found culpable.
Yet another could theoretically involve the constitutional rights of a criminal defendant whose lawyer might seek evidence deemed necessary to cross-examine a police officer or try to impeach his or her testimony, or credibility.
Clare Platt, a spokesperson for the CCRB, told the Chronicle in a recent email that the agency will continue to do its job, whatever the outcome in Albany.
“The CCRB is committed to transparency and accountability in police oversight,” she said. “Current law requires the agency to provide public access to NYPD disciplinary records, including complaints that are determined to be unfounded or within guidelines. If the NY Assembly Bill A2074 becomes law, the agency will follow all new legal requirements while continuing to ensure independent and fair oversight of the NYPD.”
Democratic leadership in the state Senate and Assembly does not enjoy the most copfriendly reputation, though Berger said he is confident that the bills will get fair treatment.
Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD sergeant from Queens, former commander of the Bronx Cold Case Squad and professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, has his doubts about that, and whether it would make a difference anyway.
“To me the damage has already been done,” Giacalone said in an interview last week.
“I was victimized by a CCRB investigation.”
— Retired NYPD Det. Robert Klein
“The investigator changed my statements,” he said. He fought back — which he said too few officers do — seeking everything he could through Freedom of Information laws and eventually getting the ruling overturned.
“Now in my case, the system worked,” Klein said. “Which you would think is great, right? Because it worked. The problem is, with the repeal of 50-a, the CCRB can put forth a really terrible product that assails a reputation, and even if the system works, you’re still stuck with basically a defamatory document which exists online in perpetuity.”
But a source familiar with the police disciplinary process said even if one concedes that the 50-a repeal led to unintended consequences, that a blanket ban would have consequences of its own — some possibly rein-
“When de Blasio was pushing this through unions specifically said this would be used against cops for a variety of things.” He said he too, being in the public eye for commenting on police and crime matters, still gets his share of blowback online. He called it part of the hangover from de Blasio’s copbashing days.
He also pointed out that no other profession is subject to such disclosures.
“Like teachers and their rubber rooms,” he said of the nickname given to assignments for Department of Education employees whom the city cannot or will not fire, but whom officials choose not to assign to classrooms.
“The damage has already been done,” Giacalone repeated. “If something is unfounded or substantiated and it’s proven, they should have gotten rid of it a long time ago. It should not be in the public record. If something is heinous, then OK, I can see how that goes in.” Q
bills in Albany could result in fake, unsubstantiated or pending complaints against police officers being sealed from
FILE PHOTO
Dogs rescued in Forest Hills
About 40 found crammed into ‘filthy’ apartment
by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor
Dozens of dogs were rescued from “filthy, overcrowded conditions” in Forest Hills last Thursday, according to Animal Care Centers of NYC.
Joined by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the ACC found about 40 Belgian Malinois, both puppies and adults, in an apartment at 102-45 62 Road. The ACC said the dogs did not have access to fresh air or sunlight, and some were packed into closets and cupboards.
“These dogs have reportedly lived in total confinement for their entire lives,” Tara Mercado, the ACC’s director of behavior and shelter operations, said in a statement. “We found full-grown Malinois hidden in cabinets and crammed behind furniture.”
The New York Post reported that three of the dogs had to be euthanized.
The ACC said its medical and behavioral teams are evaluating each dog, most of whom are “extremely fearful, undersocialized and in need of long-term behavioral support.” None of them are up for adoption yet.
“They’ve likely never touched grass, walked on a leash or met a stranger,” the ACC’s director of shelter medicine, Dr.
Biana Tamimi, said.
The ASPCA also is providing medical and behavioral treatment to more than a dozen of the dogs.
“This case required a strong collaborative
effort to bring these dogs to safety, and we’re grateful they’re now receiving the care they deserve,” the group said in an emailed statement.
An intelligent, energetic working breed, the Belgian Malinois will require support from experienced people and specialized rescue groups in some cases, the ACC said.
Director of Placement Jessica Vacarro said some breed-specific rescues have already offered to help find them homes.
“Every new sound, every human interaction, is overwhelming. But we’re already seeing glimmers of curiosity — and that gives us hope,” Tamimi said.
Police responded to the scene at around 11:30 that morning, an NYPD spokesperson said. An investigation by the Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad remains ongoing, and no arrests have yet been made.
Vacarro said the ACC’s dog population is at nearly triple its capacity in Queens alone, and the group is in “desperate need” of placement for the 175 additional dogs in its care. More than 150 dogs also are waiting for homes at its Manhattan and Staten Island facilities.
The ACC is currently waiving adoption fees for dogs more than 40 pounds. Q
Villa Russo to open in JFK T4
Richmond Hill’s own Villa Russo, at 101-12 Lefferts Blvd., is set to open a new outpost at JFK Airport’s Terminal 4 later this year.
Founded in 1954, the eatery began as a modest pizzeria founded by Italian immigrants, but has since evolved into one of the borough’s most respected event and catering venues.
Through a collaboration between JFK International Air Terminal, the operator of Terminal 4, and HMSHost, Villa Russo was chosen as one of seven area businesses to participate in a joint-venture partnership at the terminal.
“Since 1954, my family’s business has been rooted in the Queens community, growing from a small pizzeria opened by two sons of Italian immigrants into a full-service catering venue known for its outstanding hospitality,” owner George Russo said in a statement. “Now, through this incredible opportunity with JFKIAT, we’re proud to bring our family’s legacy and authentic Italian-American flavors to one of the nation’s busiest terminals — honoring our roots while sharing a true taste of Queens with the world.” Q
About 40 dogs were found crammed into a Forest Hills apartment last Thursday, the ACC said. PHOTO COURTESY ANIMAL CARE CENTERS OF NYC
AP test scores up in 2024, per DOE
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Scores on Advanced Placement exams
increased in 2024, the city Department of Education announced last Friday.
The agency said a record number of students took AP exams last year — nearly 70,000, up 1.4 percent from the prior year. With a maximum score of 5, the DOE said 41,513 students scored a 3 or higher on one or more exams, an increase of more than 12 percent compared to 2023.
In 2024, 16,711 Asian students scored a 3 or higher on an AP exam, a 10.7 percent increase since 2023, and 4,311 Black students scored 3 or higher, an increase of 14.9 percent. Hispanic and white students also saw increases, with 10,086 and 8,988 scoring 3 or higher, respectively, increases of 15 and 7.1 percent.
More than a quarter of all seniors passed at least one AP exam during their time in high school.
“This marks the highest number of students passing AP exams to date for New York City Public Schools,” the DOE said. In 2024, two new AP exams were introduced: AP African American Studies and
AP Precalculus. Those exams drove increases in math, and history and social sciences, the agency said.
Math had the largest increase of all subject areas in both the amount of students taking the exam, 24.5 percent, and those scoring 3 or higher, 48.8 percent, since 2023.
History and social sciences had a small increase in the number of students taking exams, 5 percent, along with a larger increase in the number of students scoring 3 or higher, 31.4 percent.
Data specific to boroughs and school districts was not available.
“I am beyond proud to commend our students on record achievements on AP exams last school year — far exceeding participation and pass rates from previous years,” Schools Chancellor Melissa AvilesRamos said in a statement. “This is truly a testament to the hard work of our students and the dedication of our outstanding educators. Today’s announcement serves as proof that when our students challenge themselves, they succeed, and show the world that they are smart, capable, and a beacon of hope for our city’s future.” Q
Estate Planning Fundamentals: Preserving the Step-Up in Basis in an Irrevocable Trust
By Cynthia J. Conza, Esq.
Clients have contacted us with questions regarding the impact of IRS Revenue Ruling 2023-2 on Irrevocable Trusts. This Revenue Ruling clarified the IRS’s position that assets received from an Irrevocable Trust are not eligible for a step-up in basis and would be subject to capital gains tax. Fortunately, proper drafting of an Irrevocable Trust can ensure beneficiaries can claim a step-up basis on their inheritance and eliminate the capital gains tax.
Step-up in basis is a tax provision under 26 U.S. Code § 1014 that provides for a step-up in cost basis on inherited property. This allows the basis of an asset to be “stepped up” to the fair market value of the asset upon the grantor’s death. For example: If a decedent purchased a home for $150,000 and it was worth $1,000,000 at the time of death, the person who inherited it would likely receive the stepped-up basis of $1,000,000. Without the step-up provision under § 1014, the unrealized capital gains would otherwise
be $850,000 ($1,000,000 market value less $150,000 cost basis).
Revenue Ruling 2023-2 caused some alarm as it stated that Irrevocable Trust assets are not eligible for a step-up in basis, and therefore could be subject to capital gains tax. However, experienced estate planning attorneys have long known this was always the law, even before Revenue Ruling 2023-2. Fortunately, we also understand that Irrevocable Trusts can be drafted so a transfer to the trust can be deemed an incomplete gift and includible in the decedent’s taxable estate. As a result, the beneficiary can claim the step-up in basis upon inheriting the Irrevocable Trust asset and eliminate the capital gains tax. Proper planning will have a significant impact on your ability to protect your assets for your children and beneficiaries. Please feel free to contact me at cynthia@conzamcnamara.com or (718) 845-5555 if you would like to discuss further.
Rikers official
continued from page 2
“Under Mayor Adams’ administration, staff and those incarcerated at Rikers have suffered from an increase in violence and worsening humanitarian conditions, leading to dozens of New Yorkers dying on the island,” Speaker Adams said in a statement.
While the ruling presents an opportunity for “lasting change,” she said, the next steps must be to close Rikers and transition to borough-based jails.
Zachary Katznelson, executive director of the Independent Rikers Commission, concurred that the ruling is “pivotal” but said it does not change the urgent need for the jails to shutter.
“The remediation manager must do everything possible to hasten the day we shift to more humane, more efficient borough-based jails and secure hospital beds,” Katznelson said in a statement. “That’s how we can truly deliver safety and dignity for correctional staff, incarcerated people and crime victims.”
Public Advocate Jumaane Williams in a statement voiced concerns about the federal government, “whose biggest focus seems to be increasing criminalization, incarceration and detention,” having influence on Rikers.
“Outside management will only be successful if it is informed by people with real experience within the system and in oversight of it,” Williams said.
“Appointing a receiver for Rikers Island is
just one step in the many that need to happen to end the brutal violence on Rikers Island and ensure the complex is closed as city law requires,” Councilman Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights) said in a statement.
Other elected officials are not so sure how much the new appointee can change.
Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) ascribed most of Rikers’ problems to years of “disastrous policies, ‘decarceration’ legislation and the deliberate underfunding” of the DOC.
“I’m skeptical that a federal receiver will be able to succeed under these staggering constraints,” Ariola said.
Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) said the city should refit and improve conditions at Rikers instead of “giving up control.”
“I don’t see how adding more bureaucracy, this time from the federal government, will be helpful,” Holden said.
Mayor Adams said the city will comply with the ruling, but he hopes the court also examines other laws, such as those that bar the city from cuffing “dangerous inmates” while transporting them or using capital funds to improve Rikers.
Adams said also that conditions at Rikers have improved since he took office, with incidents of slashing, stabbing and use of force down. In the last several years, he said, the city has seen the “turning around” of Rikers.
“How much oversight are you going to do before you realize that there’s some systemic problems that we have turned around?” he said. Q
State passes $254B budget
continued from page 8
sent small steps when comprehensive action was needed.”
In a statement last week, Andrew Rein, president of the Citizens Budget Commission, said the budget is short-sighted and jeopardizes the state’s future.
“The extremely late $254 billion State budget virtually ignores the double-whammy threat posed by looming massive federal budget cuts and a possible recession,” Rein said. “Instead of holding funds aside, lawmakers skyrocketed spending, slashed recession reserves, and sabotaged the State’s fiscal
foundation. The budget simply is unaffordable.”
He called the state out for failing to publish basic budget tables showing where New Yorkers’ dollars are going next year and forecasts for out-year budget deficits
Rein also said the spending increase of about 12 percent is four times the rate of inflation, calling it a modern high.
“This drives the structural imbalance between future receipts and disbursements up to approximately $20 billion, staging a fiscal reckoning even without federal cuts or a recession,” Rein said. Q
Street vendor expansion bills
continued from page 16
But Joshua Goodman, the DSNY’s deputy commissioner of public affairs and customer experience, said it is “unnecessary” at this time, as agencies already coordinate with one another.
“Ultimately, vending enforcement is a cleanliness issue,” Goodman said when asked about Sanitation’s strategy, adding that it takes a “warnings first” and complaintdriven approach with corrective action such as summonsing in the event of a “particularly egregious situation.”
The public testimony portion included
statements both for and against the bills in the Street Vendor Reform Package. Noah Sheroff of the Bayside Village Business Improvement District said brick-and-mortar shops could be affected by additional street vendors, citing a business that recently shuttered after years of competing with a nearby food truck.
“We are the same as any other business of the New York City, but in return we receive the harassment from police,” said Evelina Coyotzi of Corona, a 25-year street vendor who urged lawmakers to pass the reform bills. Q
May 15,
ARTS, CULTURE & LIVING
Domestic
intranquility
by Marlee Wollman Wollman
This spring, MoMA PS1 welcomes Angolan artist Sandra Poulson for her first U.S. solo museum show, titled “Este quarto parece uma República!” — translated as “This bedroom looks like a republic!”
It was a phrase Poulson’s father employed to scold her as a child, equating the mess of her bedroom with political disorder. Now repurposed, those same words are a gateway for viewers to contemplate the connection between household lives and vast political landscapes.
p MoMA PS1 show brings strife home Angolan
Poulson, who was born in Luanda, Angola, and now lives between London and Luanda, works in sculpture, installation and research. For this exhibition, she reconstructed domestic objects — old furniture, propaganda T-shirts, a broken toilet — from materials that speak both to colonial histories and local resourcefulness. Many of the wooden components are from colonial-era pieces, European furniture originally made with tropical woods sourced from Angola that were later sent back.
At first glance, one might be struck by the alarming familiarity of the items
such as a wardrobe, cabinet, bed frame or toilet. But after a second look, a wave of uneasiness envelops the viewer. The odd placement, deconstructed nature and rawness of the fixtures themselves prod the audience to ponder what is piercing the domestic veil.
These makeshift assemblages map the haunting legacy of colonialism and civil war onto the very structures of home life. They also reflect the exploitative enterprises that influenced Angola’s history and continue to impact its current state.
In “Cabinda Dreams,” a found and dismantled veneered plywood bed frame, the fragility of alignment with Europe amid rising internal discord and nationalism are evoked. Oregon pine recreations of political T-shirts such as “Universal” and “Clube de Agricultores Familiares de Cabinda” hearken back to political actors and organizations that divided postcolonial Angola.
The looping audio element, “Leitura dos Acordos de Alvor” infuses the scant space with speech from the signing of the 1975 Alvor Agreement, the
King Crossword Puzzle
I HAVE OFTEN WALKED
Schachter knew the facts of life in Rego Park
by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor
Alexander Schachter was born on Sept. 12, 1931. In his 20s, he fell in love with Suzanne Mokotoff, eight years his junior, and they were married in 1958. They started at 99-40 63 Road in Rego Park, but soon moved into the luxury 420-unit building called The Drake at 62-60 99 St., in 1961.
Alex worked as an accountant and Suzanne started a talent management agency called Suzelle Enterprises. Three girls followed, Felice on Nov. 17, 1963; Simone on Nov. 13, 1965; and Janine on Sept. 18, 1967. Suzanne fast-tracked Felice onto the cover of American Baby magazine at only 4 months old. TV commercials and shows followed. Felice found fame as Nancy Olsen on the first season of the hit TV show “The Facts of Life,” followed by “Zapped,” a teen cult-comedy movie. She worked for CBS Sports from 1983
to ’85 and Prime from 1986 to ’87. But while stardom may have been her mother’s ambition for her, it was not Schachter’s. Her true calling was being a teacher. She got a master’s degree in education and did what she said she was meant to do. Today, she works as a special education teacher, lives in Manhattan and has a son, William. Q
The childhood home of “Facts of Life” star Felice Schachter was in The Drake, at 62-60 99
Two days of short plays will keep you engaged
by Mark Lord qboro contributor
Theatrical festivals featuring short plays have become very popular as of late, as evidenced by the arrival of two such events this weekend right here in Queens.
The newly formed North Broadway Players will stage a series of one-act plays under the collective title “Suburban Legends” at 7 p.m. on both May 16 and 17, at The Church on the Hill in Flushing.
The shows tell stories of average suburban lives and the hilarity around them. They were all written by members of the community, including special contributions from young creators who also appear in them.
Peter Carrozzo, one of the group’s four founding members, wrote several pieces, among them “The Community Meeting,” which deals with the origins of a theater group, not unlike the one at work here.
He also wrote “The Sapiens,” a story of discrimination set a mere 30,000 years ago.
Opening the show is Carrozzo’s piece “The Audience,” the idea for which he said came to him while he was seeing “a boring Broadway show,” finding himself intrigued by what his fellow playgoers must have been thinking at the time.
Fellow founding members include Dany Stravino, who wrote a piece entitled “Karen-
itis,” based on “the things I saw every day during a long career in retail.”
The two plays by the young writers came from a workshop run by the other founding members, Emilia Horn and Amy Callahan.
The four also share directing honors.
Audiences nowadays tend to shy away from plays with long running lengths, so festivals such as this are very appealing. The
plays featured here “come from the ‘Saturday Night Live’ format,” Stravino said, with some reflecting his “comedy sense.”
With such variety, Carrozzo is optimistic that the evening will “create a lot of conversations among audience members.”
The performances take place at The Church on the Hill, at 167-07 35 Ave. in Flushing. A $20 donation is suggested. For
further information, visit churchonthehill.org or call (718) 358-3671.
The Woodside Players of Queens will present a selection of short plays, mostly written by the event’s organizer, Johnny Culver, at the Queens Library in Astoria on May 17 at 1 p.m.
The exception is a play that was written back in the 1970s by Peggy Terry, Culver’s mother. It is called “Martha Washington,” and it is based on a popular television series at the time, “Peyton Place.”
Another piece, “Across the Lake,” is described as a “dystopic view of life” by Astoria resident Regina Yeager, one of the actors in the cast of three. It concerns a brother and sister on a train who encounter a woman who tries to make them see that life isn’t always as it seems. “It speaks to the times; it’s relatable,” Yeager said.
Sasha Henriques, who appears in the same piece, calls it “genre-bending,” incorporating elements of both comedy and drama. Yeager believes the audience will “take a pause at the end and reflect” on what they’ve seen.
The performance takes place at the Queens Library in Astoria, at 14-01 Astoria Blvd. Admission is free. Reservations are not necessary. For more information, email woodsideplayersofqueens@gmail.org. Q
The war on the home front, deconstructed
continued from page 23
treaty that set Angola on the path to independence from Portugal, alongside a recorded interview with National Union for the Total Independence of Angola leader Jonas Savimbi from the same day. These hopeful but tense moments also signaled the start of an extended civil war.
Visitors are prompted by Poulson’s inclusion of this content to consider what starts in policy but becomes ingrained in family life,
Crossword Answers
from furniture to clothing. Although the average audience might not understand the language spoken, the urgent pacing and impassioned voices alert the listener to a politically heavy event.
Post-independent Angola faced devastating economic struggles. In the postwar period, Angolans often repurposed colonial-era furniture and burned political T-shirts for fear of arrest, torture or execution. Poulson describes how, after a suspected coup attempt in 1977, her grandmother set fire to all politically marked clothing in the house, with the blaze shattering their toilet. That broken object — still marked by fear, survival and loss — appears in the show: a record of living through a time when ideology had heavy physical implications.
Poulson’s work is a nonlinear statement of sociopolitical interaction. She draws on historian Marissa Moorman’s idea that the multiperspective short story, in which disruptions are welcome, is best suited to Angolan life. Her powerful sculptures function like footnotes to stories we have never read, riddled with omissions and symbols that viewers are left to interpret for themselves. For Queens residents, “Este quarto parece
uma República!” provides a perceptive, realistic look at how politics, reminiscence and human existence are contained within the objects we conceal, wear and construct. The
Clockwise from top left are Sandra Poulson’s “Igreja Universal de Reino de Deus,” “Propaganda Flush” and “Clube de Agricultores Familiares de Cabinda,” all on display at MoMA PS1. On the cover: Poulson at another recent exhibit.
exhibition is on view at MoMA PS1, located in Long Island City, through Oct. 6 and is free for all NYC residents. Q
Ben Kaminski, left, Danielle Fleming, Chris Robin and Nefertiti Bridges rehearse “Sapiens,” one of several original short plays set for May 16 and 17. PHOTO COURTESY NORTH BROADWAY PLAYERS
PHOTOS BY MARLEE WOLLMAN AND, COVER, DAMI VAUGHAN
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Sat., May 17th & Sun., May 18th 12:00pm - 4:00pm 95-25 150th Road
PARK Huge detached 2 family, 50x100 lot, 4,746 sq. ft. 6 BRs, 3 bathrooms. 2 large living rooms. Large finished basement. Huge driveway for multiple cars. Large backyard. Call broker for details 718-551-1711
Howard Beach, Sat 5/17, 1pm-2:30pm, 162-49 95 St. Elegant brick custom Colonial, 4
4.5 baths, master BR w/en-
2 BRs & 2nd
KIT,
FDR,
bsmnt, sep ent,
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with IGP w/jacuzzi. Reduced $1,378,000. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136 Howard Beach/Rockwood Park. Sat 5/17, 12:30pm-2pm, 163-20 88 St. 1 family Hi-Ranch over 1 BR apt & extra room, 3 BR & 2 full baths. In-ground pool. Asking $1,049,00. Connexion Real Estate 718-845-1136
Howard Beach/Rockwood Park, Sat 5/17, 3pm-4:30pm, 88-12 157 Ave. Center Hall Colonial. 50x100 lot. Generous yard, 3/4 BRs, 3 full baths, walk-in closets in 3 BRs. Lg kitchen w/sliding doors to yard. Fin bsmnt w/high ceilings. Det gar in yard. Asking $1,358,000. Connexion Real Estate 718-845-1136
Q’boro’s pedestrian lane to open Sunday
Mayor calls it a boon for traffic safety; critics say it’s about time
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
Mayor Adams’ office on Tuesday announced that the long-awaited opening of a pedestrian lane on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge will take place at 9 a.m. this Sunday.
The south outer roadway on the bridge’s lower deck presently is used as a lane for Queensbound vehicular traffic except for overnight hours.
Right now pedestrians have one of two lanes on the north outer roadway, while bicycles and other two-wheeled vehicles ostensibly share the other, whether they are headed to or from Queens.
“The more we make it safe to walk and bike, the more people utilize their bikes, and thanks to new cycling infrastructure in communities near the bridge, more and more pedestrians and cyclists are utilizing the Queensboro Bridge,” Adams said in a joint statement from his office with Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.
The south outer roadway of the Ed Koch Queensboro
fic exclusively on Sunday, May 18.
cyclists who cross the bridge every day,” said Councilwoman Julie Won (D-Sunnyside) in a press release. “We’re thrilled to celebrate a safer future for the Queensboro Bridge, previously marked by violent crashes and deaths on the shared northern outer roadway. From marches across the Queensboro Bridge with advocates to urging DOT at hearings and in letters to open the south outer roadway on time, our collective advocacy to open the pedestrian pathway helped to make this opening a reality.”
Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, also claimed victory. TA organized the April 12 march.
“The narrow path has long been dangerous, and Transportation Alternatives, volunteers, and activists have long advocated for making this bridge safe,” Furnas said in an email.
“This Sunday, that changes.”
State Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria), a longtime proponent of the project, echoed the TA’s sentiments.
“We’ve seen record-high bicycle ridership in the city because we’ve provided safe, meaningful connections to riders commuting within and across the boroughs,” Rodriguez said. “By reclaiming the south outer roadway for pedestrians, we’re helping create comfortable connections for the growing number of pedestrians and cyclists on the bridge, as well as helping all New Yorkers get around more easily without a car.”
The opening of the pedestrian lane has had a few false starts since last fall — the last one, March 10, canceled by the city less than 24 hours in advance with Adams’ office saying he required more briefing.
A “People’s Ribbon Cutting” on April 12 saw more than 100 supporters march and ride across the bridge from Manhattan in the outer lane.
“After years of delays, the opening of the Queensboro Bridge south outer roadway is a huge safety win for the 10,000 pedestrians and
“After years of advocacy, many of us were excited to see DOT complete the work to open new, dedicated pedestrian paths on the Queensboro Bridge,” Gianaris said. “This project will make crossing the bridge safer and more enjoyable for everyone. It is a shame this announcement was needlessly delayed without explanation, but I am glad this day has finally come.” Q
