Crowley, Maloney Hail Tax Bill
BY JOHN TOSCANO
      The House of Representatives passed a tax bill last week which Democrats said will provide tax relief to 84 million hardworking middle-class families, much of it from changes in the alternative minimum tax (AMT), which was originally aimed at high-income earners but gradually victimized many middl...
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Officials, Public Say 'No Fare Hike'
BY RICHARD GENTILVISO
      "Simply unacceptable and wrong," Borough President Helen Marshall said about the proposed MTA fare hike. Marshall, speaking at a public hearing held in Flushing, told the MTA, "We all need to take the train in the morning," and reminded the panel that commuting in Queens frequently includes surfa...
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Weprin, Sears Pan Mayor's Congestion Pricing Plan
BY JOHN TOSCANO
      City Councilmembers David Weprin and Helen Sears vigorously opposed Mayor Michael Bloomberg's controversial congestion pricing plan at a recent hearing by a special legislative commission. Weprin (D- Hollis) attacked the mayor's proposal as a "regressive tax that punishes the middle class and wo...
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Signs That Rudy, Hillary Are Not Invincible
      In the short span of two weeks what appeared to be two very strong leading candidates in the run-up to next year's presidential election have suddenly transformed into problem-plagued contestants, facing threats to their frontrunner status as the campaign approaches a much more demanding phase.
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Sunnyside Gardens Zoning, Preservation Questioned
BY THOMAS COGAN
      In 1974, Sunnyside Gardens was declared a Planned Community by the Department of City Planning. In 2007, it was declared a Historic District by the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC).
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$18 M Fine For Con Ed Not Enough, Say Lawmakers
BY JOHN TOSCANO
      Western Queens lawmakers had mixed reactions to Con Edison's being slapped with an $18 million charge last week by the Public Service Commission (PSC) for failing to meet certain reliability targets in 2006. Most said it didn't go far enough.
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Forecasts Bring Calls For More Funding For Home Heating
BY JOHN TOSCANO
      Stung by forecasts of higher energy costs this winter, public officials are scrambling for ways to ease the pain for homeowners. United States Senator Charles Schumer, warning of a record 25 percent hike in home heating fuel, called on President George W.
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