From the Queens Courier:The long-awaited plans for a library at Queens West took a big step forward recently and received another shot in the arm as Queens Borough President Helen Marshall decided to allocate an additional $1 million for the project.
Marshall’s decision came after a meeting last month with representatives from the Port Authority of NY & NJ, Queens West Development Corporation (QWDC), Queens Library executives and local elected officials to rev up discussions about raising the additional funds in order to begin design plans that have been in a holding pattern for about five years.
The additional $1 million contribution from Marshall brings her contribution for the project to nearly $7 million and the total amount raised thus far is roughly $12 million, according to Marshall spokesperson Dan Andrews. However, Andrews cautioned that there is still a long way to go in terms of fundraising with some estimates for the cost of the project at nearly $40 million – depending on the scope of the library.
Awesome, we get to fund another amenity for the newbies instead of the developers doing so. This money would have been better spent on keeping already built libraries open during evenings and weekends when the majority of the population could access them. I like the "scope of the library" part. Did Helen get this memo?
Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s latest budget plan would eliminate $17 million in city funding for the Queens Library, which a library official said could force the country’s busiest library system to reduce its workforce by 31 percent and sustain major service cuts.
“If we see no restoration of funds, that would mean a 31 percent reduction in our workforce,” [Queens Library’s chief external affairs officer James] Van Bramer said. “Every community library would be closed all weekend and we’re looking at the potential for half of our libraries to be open only two or three days a week.”
Helen - any comment?
22 comments:
I have a co-op at Queens West and have been waiting for years for this library. So anything that makes it happen is ok by me.
Developers build in the middle of nowhere and the residents of Queens West are pissed off because they lack services and amenities.
WELL, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE MOVED THERE!
Funny how there are always enough resources for NYC to pony up mega bucks to bolster a private developer's project (to put in a library) but not enough to create a badly needed park on the former site of the historic St. Saviour's!
Another example of our two tiered service system:
City improvements (payed for by taxpayers) for connected developers and shit for a red-lined neighborhood!
And I'll bet you Maspethians will vote for Bloomberg!
Interesting, the African American community in places like Ft Green notice that when it was a primarily minority community (or should we say working class community) services were totally inadequate (which makes sense, as taxes were diverted not to them for improving their community, but to city planning to bring in more yuppies)
Now the White Folk are moving in, and guess about services and type of services?
Yup. You got that right.
The same thing is happening in Queens. Astoria's cable fries while the Tower People in Queens West are in air-conditioned comfort.
LIC watches the July 4 fireworks between buildings while the Tower People in Queens West get passes to the pier.
Subway service routinely disrupts lives for weeks without comment. Work in the Steinway Tunnel and the Tower People not only get in the news, but offers by bus service from Grand Central.
Etc Etc Etc
What about it people?
Should you not protest and insist that services should go to your communities first - happy with the hours of your library? anything you would like to see in your library?
So why should it go, like Con Ed cable and waterfront access, to the Tower People while your community is being hollowed out?
ASK your city council member while the reporters are present and the camera is rolling.
WRITE to your paper.
And ALWAYS send a copy to Crappy!
40 million what the hell kind of library is it? what is 40 million paying for? no way does it cost that much to build and then supply it with books. do they need that much money to keep it running? i can't believe how this city spends money durning these hards times. how about this, take all the millions of dollars for now and deposit into a secure annunity and let the shit grow. In five years the city would of double or possibly tripled the money. 80 million on a school, 40 million on a library, wasn't it 220 million on the project for many schools in the bronx that was yanked? enough with spending already.
Linda, Linda, Linda, take a look at the library board - it$ filled with developer$.
Take a look at Bowne House. Take a look at $t $aviour$. Every time the city get$ it$ hand$ on $omething the co$t$ $kyrocket.
thanks goodness we have term limits, oh wait, bloomberg and Quinn and marshall screwed us on that as well. we're fucked.
this city is run by a bunch of morons... and in this picture now i get it! it looks like she's thinking how the fuck am i going to explan this one. i really hope bloomass gets thrown out and avella steps in and overturns the term limits again.
this city is run by a bunch of morons... and in this picture now i get it!
AN ORGANIZATION THAT CALLS THE SHOTS IN OUR LIVES SINCE AROUND THE CIVIL WAR, AND MORE SO EACH YEAR, IS PRETTY SLICK IN MY BOOK.
it looks like she's thinking how the fuck am i going to explan this one.
EASY, THEY OWN THE MEDIA, YOU GOT ENOUGH WANNABE NITWITS THAT WILL SING THE CHORUS WITH THE WORDS PUT IN FRONT OF THEM.
i really hope bloomass gets thrown out and avella steps in and overturns the term limits again.
HOPE DOESN'T CUT IT. THEY DON'T RUN ON HOPE, AND IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THINGS, YOU SHOULDN'T EITHER.
anonymous you have anger issues and need to go outside for a bit and calm down. don't worry i'll do what i feel is right and not vote for bloomass and i find all the city council are full of shit. when i used the word HOPE i was hoping everyone agreed with me and change will happen. go have a beer and enjoy the rest of the weekend...
SURE, AND EVERYTHING WILL BE OK.
WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SOOOOO POLITE.
ITS WORKS, DOESNT IT?
Linda, I think CAPS ANON might be pulling your leg.
Caps are easier than hiring a brass band and marching down the boulevard when you want to make a point.
But the issue of Queens folks being a bit too polite for their own good, and a bit too trusting for the reality of politics, is something you might want to think over, though.
Manhattan and Brooklyn are full 'o sass and look at 'em!
And I'll bet you Maspethians will vote for Bloomberg!
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thia one wont!!!!!
And I'll bet you Maspethians will vote for Bloomberg!
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this one wont!!!!!
I'm go glad to see we agree on something :) have a great weekend!
How about funding 40m for hospitals to replace the 2 hospitals recently closed?
My good man! How dare you bring that up? Why, this library is the future, let's not dwell on the past... Besides, there's no contracts or development attached to keeping hospitals open.
Heres an overlooked fact in this discussion---you cant fund hospitals, library hours or any other operations with the funds used for building projects. Thats the difference between the Captial and Expense budget--and using them they way you are talking about is exctly what almost made us almost go bankrupt in the 70's and is now illegal. so it would be nice---but.........
No, but the budgets are determined yearly. Money can be increased in one budget and reduced in another or allocated towards more important projects. Since Bloomberg is such a financial genius and saw all these problems coming, he should have done this last year during the budgeting process. Why we ever agreed to fund a $40M library instead of making this part of the developer's responsibility is beyond comprehension.
Libraries will soon become unnecessary and obsolete within a decade or so...with our ability to do research on the web and read any book you want on a download!
So why do we need to spend 40 million on an already antiquated institution?
To provide patronage positions for obedient clubhouse servants for starters!
Then you've got to show the influx of yuppies that they're moving into a nabe with all the amenities
otherwise they just won't buy those "luxury" condos!
Good...then let the developer pay for this library and NOT US TAXPAYERS!
Uh...er...you all know damn well that if this were a minority, red-lined neighborhood, they'd be closing the libraries (and hospitals and fire houses and cut police service)!
Libraries will never be obsolete because they serve many functions including providing a safe environment for latch-key children, providing original manuscripts for use by professional scholars and so forth.
Everyone does not want to read their books on a computer--everyone does not have normal eyes. The elderly and visually handicapped can access large-print type, books on tape and other practical educational aids.
Computers have been commonplace for over a decade and more people use the library than ever.
True about the latch key kids day care function of libraries...also the derelicts' favorite hang out.
But when ultra cheap laptops ($50-$100 range)are available soon (it's being worked on) everyone will carry one!
Remember when the first "disc man" came out it ran about $60 or so?
Now they're dirt cheap...further replaced by cheap MP-3 players.
At least two name brand electronic book-readers are already on the market.
We're on the cusp of a whole new world.
Only a few libraries will exist in about 25 years...archival resources mainly (i.e. the 42nd Street main branch, etc.).
Helen Marshal could benefit from visiting a library once in awhile.
It might even raise her IQ a notch from imbecile to moron level.
I'll bet the only book she's ever kept her nose in is her payoff ledger (handed down from Manes)!
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