Usual OF SOUTHEAST QUEENS BY REV. FLOYD FLAKE professionals, a project is cer- For too long, a foundering 174-15 Horace Harding Expwy. tain to emerge with a genetic horse racing industry and a frag- Fresh Meadows, NY 11365 This week the New York State Sen- Large-scale development predisposition toward excel- mented economic develop- (voice) (718) 357-7400 fax (718) 357-9417 ate expelled Sen. Hiram Monserrate efforts usually do not benefit lence and integrity. In part, the ment environment has under- under the guise of keeping the “august the communities where they team that was chosen to lead mined Queens. Today, the email [email protected] body” clean and reputable. are planned because of hap- this project is committed to threat comes from those who The PRESS of Southeast Queens hazard planning, lack of imagi- Queens because they were born would use straw men arguments This could not be farther from the truth. nation, surface-level commu- here, lived here or led institu- to delay or unwind a reality that For years, members of the Senate nity engagement, unqualified tions that are drivers of the could serve as force of eco- Associate Publisher In Our Opinion: and Assembly have been charged with participants or limited subject local religious and social ser- nomic benefit to average, hard Arnold Thibou felonies and misdemeanors, most often matter expertise among its vice sectors. working New Yorkers. This pleading down to lesser crimes, and leaders. The selected Aqueduct While much media atten- project will create another rea- Executive Editor: have been allowed to remain in office. project and associated devel- tion has been appropriated to son for people to come to Brian Rafferty Monserrate’s predecessor pleaded guilty opment will benefit Queens the personalities around the Queens or to keep more of their to the lesser driving while ability im- because it possesses these in- development and its attendant resources here where they live. paired charge when he had faced DWI, dispensable elements at an un- politics, a greater amount is Aqueduct has the potential Contributing Editor: rivalled level. due the incredible specter of to use racing as a Trojan horse and nobody kicked him out. Ada Smith Marcia Moxam Comrie nearly ran over a security guard, was A team of eminently quali- moving beyond the stagnation – if you will – to deliver on a arrested for reckless driving and had to fied professionals with devel- of a dying Aqueduct toward long-elusive and sustainable Production Manager: be subdued by police with mace, and opment, construction, enter- the creation of another em- goal of a new private sector Shiek Mohamed threw hot coffee in an aide’s face for tainment, gaming and com- ployment and development en- driver of the local economy. To which she was convicted of a misde- munity development exper- gine for Queens. To a great a great extent this reality is part Queens Today Editor meanor. tise will replace the old failing extent, this project, like most of the rationale for my involve- Did she get kicked out by the Sen- Aqueduct. What was once a successful developments, is not ment. Regina Vogel lackluster effort with little vi- really even about brick and mor- On its own, the merits of ate? No. Are we to believe that the Senate has sion toward Aqueduct playing tar. Aqueduct can and will stand Photo Editor: Ira Cohen suddenly decided to mete out justice on a role larger than racing will be Instead, Aqueduct is a ques- up to tests of public and finan- all its members who violate the law? replaced by a first-class enter- tion of whether lives will be cial scrutiny. But coupled with Though that would be a welcome change, prise that has an eye toward changed for the better, jobs cre- the prospect of serious com- we know that the action against Hiram larger community and em- ated, an industry resuscitated munity development, Aque- Reporters: Monserrate is simply revenge for his in- ployment possibilities by or opportunities lost. If the duct as it is envisioned is a Harley Benson volvement in last year’s summer coup. people fully vested in their media frenzy drives the devel- winner for the entire commu- Sasha Austrie The members may say that they community. A rare blend of opment process, then all of the nity and its loftier and more Joseph Orovic helped clean up the system this week, leaders in multiple fields has good that could be borne out of long-term goals. Communities Lori Gross but all they did was dole out the purest synthesized their best-in-class this possibility will be precipi- do not rise or fall on racing; Kaitlyn Kilmetis form of revenge they could. We’d like to experiences to form a partner- tously lost. From my 30-plus they rise or fall on the ability of Domenick Rafter think this was done for the right rea- ship that will significantly ben- years as a developer in this com- communities to see a larger sons, and although we are torn over the efit Queens. By marrying one munity, I can tell you that media picture that often gets inten- idea of whether the Senate should have of the world’s largest construc- innuendo does not build tionally distorted by people fo- Art Dept: sought Monserrate’s expulsion, we are tion and development com- projects; strong leaders and cusing on minor issues rather Tania Y. Betancourt clear that this gang of ne’er-do-wells in panies with homegrown de- solid, well-financed ideas build than the quality of a team lead- Sara Gold Albany is just up to business as usual. velopers and gaming industry projects. ing an effort. Rhonda Leefoon
Give The Governor A Break…Please
Candice Lolier Barbara Townsend
A Personal Perspective to declare intentions to run. Let's free money to make the state's fis- then he deserves to be treated BY MARCIA MOXAM COMRIE get this clear: in a democracy any cal woes go away then let him or with a modicum of respect. And Major Account Representative citizen is free to declare a candi- her stand up and say, "I." until he willingly steps down or Howard Swengler What a week it's been for Gov. dacy. It doesn't mean you'll be Paterson was appointed to loses a re-election bid, then get David Paterson. taken seriously or that you'll win. the job and it is okay for good, over it. He's the governor. Sr. Account Executive There have been so many re- Sometimes you're just a pain in viable candidates to challenge There is a way to challenge Shelly Cookson ports of affairs swirling around the neck. But the option is there him for it. But let it be a good, an incumbent and this is not it at him that if half of 'em were true, and no one needs to manufac- clean fight without newspaper all. Gov. Paterson has been try- Advertising Executives he'd be unable to hold a pen to ture salacious stories to stop the and talk show innuendo. New ing to play the hand he's been Merlene Carnegie sign a bill into law. And if the incumbent. Yorkers deser ve to have the given. He has had moments that whispers about money were true We do not need to discredit choice to choose their leaders. could have been handled better then he'd have been gone a long one in order for another to run An appointment is not supposed verbally; there have also been time ago. or to succeed. Whoever wants to to be permanent and that is why things that might've gone unsaid It is disingenuous to keep mis- run for governor of New York is there is always going to be an elec- and policy he's tried to introduce Page 6 PRESS of Southeast Queens Feb. 12-18, 2010
