Editorial

Mayor’s Queens School Plan Right On The Mark

It was a kinder and gentler Rudolph Giuliani who laid out the agenda last week for his final year as mayor.

And whether his final state of the City address was designed to assure his legacy or to soften his image as his constant critics claim, or for any other reason, we wholeheartedly embrace it for the benefits it will bring to Queens and the rest of the city.

This applies especially to Giuliani’s expansive plans to turn the city’s failing education system inside out, to institute some far-reaching, radical changes to dislodge the business-as-usual attitude that has helped to perpetuate the dismal performance in the city’s classrooms year after year.

The most heartening news for this borough was the mayor’s proposal to move $360 million in capital funding from future fiscal year budgets into this year’s spending plan in order to start building six new schools and construct additions to five others.

The new schools are spread throughout the borough from Ridgewood and Jackson Heights to Jamaica. The additions will be made to schools in Glendale, Elmhurst and the Richmond Hill-Ozone Park area.

In its entirety, this bold speedup of the five-year schools construction plan will strike at the most serious problem in the borough—overcrowding—and add an estimated 5,613 seats sooner than originally planned.

Putting the mayor’s proposal in its proper perspective, Queens Board of Education Member Terri Thomson stated: "To do something a year or two faster means you can impact thousands of children."

The mayor’s move shows he and his top aides are aware of Queens’ dubious distinction of having virtually all of its school districts rank among the most overcrowded in the entire city.

The mayor’s call for weekend and summer classes should also be welcomed by the borough’s educators as a necessary step to improve the low levels of performance in many, many districts. And his proposal to hire an additional 800 School Safety Agents and 400 more school crossing guards should win the approval of parents.

Another major initiative unveiled by the mayor which has the Gazette’s wholehearted support is the major rezoning changes earmarked for Long Island City. The changes, reported in this newspaper last week, will swing the emphasis in that dynamic area from manufacturing to residential and commercial development to encourage the creation of jobs by attracting the high tech industry to the area and home ownership.

The mayor also announced plans for an urban renewal project for Willets Point, known widely for its auto junk yards for at least the past 50 years. Giuliani proposes to work in tandem with the City Council and Queens Borough President Claire Shulman in this worthy endeavor and the Gazette is in favor of doing anything that will help to remove or improve these eyesores.

Finally, the mayor’s plans to devote $30 million to construct a new pool and skating rink in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park are right on the mark for a borough with a growing population seeking recreational facilities within easy reach of their homes. This new facility will play a major roll in the continuing effort to develop this huge park into a first-class complex for recreation and relaxation.

The Gazette was very pleased to see that Giuliani, entering his eighth and final year in office, has no intention of resting on his laurels, as have many other lame-duck officials. This mayor never disappoints, always coming up with bold, forward looking, interesting and controversial plans. His outspoken demeanor has often gotten him into hot water, but even so, he has never sacrificed his principles or toned down his rhetoric.

He was at his best as he spoke freely for two hours last week. His final state of the City address may have been his finest.

Go, Giants!

We join with all New Yorkers in congratulating the New York Giants on their resounding victory over the Minnesota Vikings. As the march to the Super Bowl in Tampa on Jan. 28th begins, we add our salute and best wishes. Let’s Go, Giants!