Lobbying For The Budget Greens:
They Wish For Queens

By NICK BUGLIONE

The first signs of a long, hot summer are just starting to fill Queens sidewalks with young people breaking from school, while the last hope for 60 youth alliance projects rests in the balance during this season of city budget dreams and nightmares.

Members of the Forest Hills Community House (from l. to r.) Assistant Executive Director Theresa Greenberg, Rickey Carmona, Myriam Gehy, Mike Zevan, Rich Schneiderman and Shawn Johnson. Tribune Photo By Ira Cohen

For 15 years, the Hot Spots Street Outreach Program has provided Queens teenagers with a place to get off the streets, but this year could be different. According to Forest Hills Community House Assistant Executive Director Theresa Greenberg, funding for the program and others like it were cut from the mayor’s recently released executive budget.

"We’re devastated with this possibility," Greenberg said, adding that while the project survived its first nine years through allocations from the borough president and the New York City Council, it has depended greatly on city funding for the past six.

"Without restoration in street outreach funding, we will experience severe reduction in the number of outreach workers we will be able to employ," said Greenberg, noting elimination from the budget will force the Community House to almost cut its program in half.

The Forest Hills Community House created "Hot Spots" in 1984 in response to growing community complaints of youth loitering on neighborhood streets. The program derives its name from a police term used to describe places where teens congregate.

"Sometimes kids just need to talk about school, home or other things to somebody who is not a parent or teacher," said 15-year-old Juan Izarra, Rego Park resident and peer counselor in the program. "I’m another kid experiencing the same things they are and it helps them and me."

Queens By The Boards Community Board Map Though the budget is in it final stage, it’s is not too late for entering community members to offer comments on it. Here’s a breakdown of Queens according to its 14 community boards.

Since its inception, the program has served over 13,000 teens, and over 1,500 this year alone. "With only enough money left to operate until June 30, Greenberg projects that $50,000 in funding is needed for the Community House’s program to fully continue. According to Greenberg, without that funding the program has little chance to effectively offer further youth services.

Such financial problems are not uncommon in Queens. Even in times of economic prosperity, civic organizations and community boards are now lobbying their local elected officials for next year’s funding that will shape the needs and services of the borough. At a hearing last week before the Queens Delegation of the City Council, the borough’s Community Boards thanked the council members for their generosity last year, and told them what their wishes are for 2001.

Community Board 1—Extra funding for the Parks Department to improve inadequate tree pruning services is among the community’s top priorities. "It’s one of our biggest concerns," District Manager George Delis said, noting that responses to neighborhood requests for tree maintenance can take years.

Community Board 2—The 108th precinct that serves the community is in desperate need of a new station house, said District Manager Delores Rizzoto. In addition to being inconveniently located, the current station is so short on space that its garage and locker rooms are being used as offices.

Community Board 3—More funding for community cleanup and beautification programs is needed.

Community Board 4—The community board’s office lacks the funds to sufficiently operate. "We should be able to lift up the phone and say ‘we need a copy machine’," District Manager Rose Rothschild said. She went on to note the board has had to use money from its own budget to buy office equipment, leading to financial difficulties.

Community Board 5—Members of Community Board 5 are primarily concerned with the hiring of extra police officers for the 104th precinct. "While many types of crime…have decreased in recent years, new police officers need to be trained and hired," said District Manager Gary Giordano, citing that the precinct needs at least 30 new officers.

Community Board 6—Extensive repairs and renovations for Woodhaven Boulevard are among the primary concerns of Community Board 6. "I can’t think of the last time they did work on Woodhaven Boulevard," District Manager Kathleen Riley said, adding that new traffic signs and signals are needed.

Community Board 7—With the development of the College Point Corporate Park, members of Community Board 7 are worried how the extra business will affect the volume of neighborhood traffic. That is why they are searching for additional funding for a traffic study that will examine and attempt to mitigate the impending problem.

Community Board 8—Along with the Kew Gardens Civic Association, Community Board 8 is lobbying for the funding of a $2.5 million project to rebuild the neighborhood library, which is too small to adequately accommodate its large membership.

Community Board 9—Overcrowding in schools has left the community in need of a new elementary school.

Community Board 10—Congestion in elementary and secondary schools has gotten so bad that it’s difficult for brothers and sisters to attend the same institution, according to District Manager Rose Pepe. "Let’s say you live across the street from a school, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get into the school," she said, adding that more schools need to be built.

Community Board 11—More funding is needed for the upcoming Oakland Ravine Storm Water Project, a plan that will attempt to stifle the ongoing flooding that occurs on 56th Avenue and Springfield Boulevard.

Community Board 12—Despite the fact that nearly every elementary school within this community board is severely overcrowded, no new schools are proposed to be built in the area, said District Manager Yvonne Reddick. Community Board 12 has been pushing for the construction of new schools for some time.

Community Board 13—Because much of the neighborhood relies on surface transportation, the community is calling for more funding for street reconstruction and maintenance.

Community Board 14—Due to the neighborhoods geographic isolation from the rest of the borough, the community is lobbying for the expansion of public transportation to and from the area.

First: The mayor and the Office of Management and Budget — his primary advisory group on fiscal matters — submits a preliminary budget to the New York City Council, no later than January 16.

Step 2: The Council has until March 25 to hold public hearings on the fiscal implications of the preliminary budget. These hearings are usually held during a two-week period in which representatives from private organizations, city agencies, community boards and borough boards are able to attend and offer responses.

Step 3: After deliberation, the Council issues to the mayor its recommendations, along with a summary of all public hearings held in the individual communities.

Step 4: The mayor must then submit a proposed executive budget by no later than April 26. This year the mayor released his budget on April 18.

We’re Here — Step 5: Just as with the preliminary phase, the council holds public hearings to gain additional feedback from the community on the updated version of the budget. In the next two weeks the Council will be holding a final round of budget hearings with each individual city agency. These hearings are open to the public, and Queens residents can attend and offer feedback on behalf of their neighborhoods.

Step 6: The council and the Office of Management and Budget go into negotiations to draft a finalized budget. The Council has the authority to increase, decrease, add or omit any fund allocations they feel are important. Then the mayor has the power to veto any increases or additions made. The Council can override the veto by a two-thirds vote.

A final agreement was reached on the State Budget for the 2000-2001 fiscal year on May 2, according to reports from Albany.

Governor George Pataki announced, "the process of drafting the necessary statutory and appropriation bills required for enactment of the budget" will begin immediately.

"Overall the State Budget is going to have a positive impact on the City of New York," said Joe Conway, a representative from the governor’s press office. Conway added that education and transportation will be affected the most, as the state plans to pump millions of dollars into those areas

Exact regional breakdowns regarding how much Queens will receive will not be known until the budget is passed. The legislature’s ratification process will begin on May 4 and may be completed as early as May 5, Conway said.