Kim, Stavisky Seek Murray Hill Station Hate Crime Footage
Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Whitestone, Flushing and Murray Hill) and State Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Bay Terrace, Bayside, Beechhurst, Clearview Gardens, Flushing, Rego Park, Forest Hills, Hillcrest, Elmhurst, Whitestone, Woodside, Fresh Meadows) are demanding the MTA, police and other city officials conduct a thorough and immediate investigation of any evidence identifying the perpetrator(s) that left racist and damaging Anti-Asian graffiti on the walls of the Murray Hill Station last weekend.
Community leaders from various Korean American associations, as well as merchants and employees from nearby businesses joined elected officials on Monday to denounce the acts, which they made clear was antithetical to the diverse and tolerant character of their neighborhoods.
Kim said that if a lack of security camera at the station prevented the authorities from finding the perpetrator, he would commit to finding funding for security cameras at the same location.
“The coward who committed these terrible acts must be found. I am proud to live in and represent one of the most diverse constituencies in the country, where there is no place for this kind of behavior. It goes against the very character of our neighborhoods, and my office will do all that we can in working with local law enforcement to keep our communities safe, united, and free of hate. I have full confidence that the authorities will find the perpetrator, and pledge to work with them as needed in enhancing the future security of this location,” said Kim.
Stavisky said the racist words graffitied on the Murray Hill station have no place in the community.
“That is why I stood with the people of Flushing against this disgusting form of hatred. I was pleased to see MTA officers monitoring the area and spoke with Captain Alexander Lindsay, commanding officer for district 3 of the MTA Police Department. I asked him to look at any available surveillance footage that can assist in determining who is responsible. We are reiterating this request in our letters to the MTA as well,” said Stavisky.
Avella Notifies Constituents They May Have Received Wrongful Parking Tickets
State Senator Tony Avella (D-College Point, Whitestone, Bayside, Little Neck, Douglaston, Floral Park) yesterday announced the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) told him that when they were constructing a new bike lane in his District, the NYPD had issued parking tickets to motorists who had done nothing wrong.
Motorists who parked along the curb within the vicinity of DOT’s street improvement project—which runs along 223rd Street, Cloverdale Boulevard, Horatio Parkway, 50th Avenue, 232nd Street, and East Hampton Boulevard—may have been incorrectly ticketed and should seek to have it dismissed by the City or ask to be issued a refund.
The DOT is currently in the process of constructing a two-way bike lane and the current parking alignment will be shifted over to a “floating parking lane.” However, the planned signage and markings have not yet been installed which caused major confusion for motorists who were not sure where they were allowed to park. Some parked in the normal spots which will soon be incorrect and received a ticket from the NYPD as a result.
“It’s such a shame that due to a miscommunication between city agencies and the DOT’s lack of attention to detail, everyday New Yorkers have to pay the price. Any parking ticket that was issued for this ‘violation’ during this month should be immediately voided and a refund should be issued to anyone who already paid it,” said Avella.
“I’m glad that DOT has acknowledged the error on their part but they should have had clear signage and should have communicated their plans to the public and police beforehand. If anyone has trouble getting their ticket refunded please call my office and I will contact the Department of Finance on their behalf,” the lawmaker added.
Meeks Decries GOP Led House Tax Bill Passage
U.S. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-Jamaica, Laurelton, Rosedale, Cambria Heights, Saint Albans, Springfield Gardens, Far Rockaway, JFK Airport) yesterday decried the House voting twice to approve the GOP-led tax cuts legislation, also known as H.R. 1, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
“Our country truly needs comprehensive tax reform, but this isn’t it. Instead, H.R.1 is a tax break for corporations that also allows the wealthiest 1 percent to receive 83% of the tax cuts. Meanwhile, 86 million middle-class American households will have their taxes raised,” said Meeks.
“The few tax breaks that middle-class Americans will receive are temporary, while the major tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations are permanent. The uppermost wage-earners in America have their top tax rates cut, further widening the income disparity between the wealthy and the rest of America.
“For decades, the GOP has cut social programs because of an apparently disingenuous fear of increasing our nation’s deficit, only to then balloon it to an estimated $2.3 trillion dollars in the next decade. Now Republicans are prepared to siphon trillions of dollars from Medicare and Medicaid, while raising healthcare premiums by over 10% every year and kicking 13 million Americans off their insurance plans.
“Sadly, my friends on the other side of the aisle have squandered an opportunity to work with Democrats. They chose instead to pursue a partisan path, rushing to cobble together a bill in such haste and carelessness that it had to be voted on twice.
“This is not the way to govern. It is not the way to strengthen the middle class. It is certainly not the way to keep alive the American dream of getting ahead.”
Jamaica Electeds Celebrate Winter Holiday Festival
Jamaica lawmakers including U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, State Sen. Leroy Comrie, Assemblywoman Vivian Cook, and City Council Member I. Daneek Miller will be on hand for the Southeast Queens Winter Fest on Saturday.
Co-sponsoring the event is Zara Realty, which owns or manages over 2.6 million square feet of residential space, mostly in Jamaica.
The festival is slated for between 12 noon – 4, p.m., this Saturday, Dec. 23, at the Roy Wilkins Park Recreation Center, 177-01 Baisley Blvd. in Jamaica.
