Beach Development Offers New Hope for Rockaway by Natasha Lennard - Queens Rules

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For 40 years the 300 acres on the Atlantic Ocean was a desolate eyesore. The razed ground, cordoned off by six-foot-high wire fences, was a favored dumping ground for slabs of concrete, disused car parts and piles of dirt from construction sites in Rockaway.

But now at night, lights go on in 134 three-story, pistachio and blue homes, with oceanfront views and neat lawns. A short walk away, the foundations of a giant supermarket and YMCA are being built.

After a decade of planning, Arverne by the Sea is becoming a reality. The $800 million development is changing the face of this remote peninsula on the southern tip of Queens that had fallen into decline since the middle of the last century.

The development ought to bring in more middle-class families without the displacement of normal gentrification, as urban planners are building on empty land. This promises to improve quality of life for newcomers and old-timers alike.

“The development will bring in families, working people – people who will lobby for better services in the area,” said Jonathan Gaska, the district manager of Community Board 14, which encompasses Rockaway.

Arverne, which stretches along Rockaway’s southeastern shore for 20 blocks, was an empty lot for nearly four decades. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, the land hosted row upon row of tiny beach bungalows – seaside havens for middle-class New Yorkers looking to escape the thick air of Manhattan in the summer.

However, as international travel became popular, the vacationing masses abandoned the Rockaway outposts. The area fell into disrepair in the early 1960s and was designated an urban renewal area by the end of that decade. By 1973 the entire locale was demolished.

“There were a number of attempts to develop the land,” said Gaska. “There were plans for a casino at some point. Then in the eighties there were plans for high-rise buildings.” But it was only in the late 1990s that the City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) came up with a viable idea, he added.

In 2001, property developer Benjamin-Beechwood LLC, in association with HPD, proposed the Arverne by the Sea development. It included 4,100 units of housing, half of which would be for middle-income buyers, a YMCA and a large Stop and Shop. The City quickly approved the plan.

“It will revitalize the whole peninsula,” said the Arverne project manager, Nick Masem. From his office in a container next to the construction site, Masem explained that the property sales in the development, which began in 2006, have defied the housing turndown seen elsewhere in the City. Only three of the 137 family houses are still unsold.

The popularity of the new homes should comes as no surprise – the area offers prime oceanfront real estate. Yet developers left eastern Rockaway well alone for much of last century. Arverne went into decline, owing largely to city government action in the 1950s and 1960s. They demolished vacant bungalows and in their place built grey pre-fab concrete high-rises in which to house the destitute and displaced poor. According to 2000 census records, nearly one-quarter of households on the east of the peninsula were below the poverty level.

Crime-rates soared as well; police department records show Rockaway’s easterly reaches had the highest increase in crime in the city in 2007. The area became attractive mainly to intrepid surfers and drifters with nowhere else to go. Now there will be more people like Adiel Campos, a 38-year-old police officer who moved to Arverne with his wife and three children last year.

“It’s just so nice and quiet here,” he enthused. Campos added that he looked forward to the YMCA opening up, even if it meant more traffic in the area. It will be the Y’s largest aquatics facility in the city, including two indoor swimming pools.

Although Mayor Michael Bloomberg broke ground on the YMCA site in 2006, work only began on it two weeks ago. YMCA representative, Kevin Shermach explained that there were “issues,” including permit delays and an unsuccessful request by the community to enlarge one pool.

The facility that is now going ahead is expected to serve 10,000 youths and 5,000 adults from the surrounding area each year. “We currently don’t have an indoor pool or recreation center of that size and scope,” said Gaska. “It will be great for the kids and a place for people of all ages to enjoy,”

Construction on the $22.3 million Stop and Shop supermarket, which is being built on the 55,620 square feet between Beach 69th and Beach 73rd Streets, began last week, according to the developers.

Meanwhile, the new residents of the Arverne neighborhood eagerly await the local amenities. Abe Mossallam, an airline pilot who moved to Arverne with his pregnant wife and 18-month-old baby in July, admitted that living without a supermarket nearby had been irritating. “It’s getting annoying, especially now my wife is seven months pregnant. She has to drive for 20 minutes to get the groceries.”

Mossallam stressed, however, that he was delighted with the move to Arverne from Brooklyn. “My neighbors are outstanding, the development is beautiful, and I can’t wait for the YMCA to open up so I can back into a gym routine,” he said.

Arverne by the Sea sales manager, Laura Sporney, said that 40 per cent of her business came from the referrals of residents. “To have that high a level of referrals, well it means you’re doing something right,” she said cheerfully.

According to developers, the YMCA and the Stop and Shop should be completed within 18 months. Nick Masem predicts that once these amenities are in place, another 20 to 30 homes will automatically be sold in the development.

“Property values will go up and jobs will be created. Everybody wants to see this succeed,” he said.

And indeed expectations for the project are high. As Rohan Sinha, a banker who moved to Arverne with his wife in August, put it, “What could be better than waking up every morning with a view of the ocean?”

Ulrich Proves the Power of Incumbency by Andrew Petrie - Interactive Journalism I

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“We don’t consider Ulrich an incumbent.” -Nathan Smith, consultant and spokesperson for the Frank Gulluscio campaign, when asked about the election for the 32nd District Council Seat

Last winter current State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo vacated his city council seat for the 32nd district in southeast Queens to head to Albany. This set up a special election in this heavily Democratic district where Frank Gulluscio, the popular district manager of community board 6 in Queens, was expected to win easily with the full support of Addabbo and local Democrats.

But before that contest rival Geraldine Chapey managed to knock Gulluscio off the ballot, along with a number of others, after a ruling that stated the signatures he collected to get on the ballot were invalid. That’s because these special elections in New York City are supposed to be nonpartisan, and a five-point star on Gulluscio’s ballot apparently resembled that of the Queens Democratic Party.

The Gulluscio campaign howled, calling the rules “archaic,” but the damage was done. The field was splintered and Republican Eric Ulrich, only 24 years old, managed to grab the seat after winning by 752 votes.

So this November the rematch of the election that never was took place with Gulluscio squaring off against Ulrich. Many in this community debated if Ulrich was vulnerable, as he only had a few months to solidify his role in a community where he was a political minority. Nathan Smith, a consultant for the Gulluscio campaign, scoffed at the notion that Ulrich possessed any incumbent advantage and said there was no doubt his man would’ve won if he was allowed to run last winter.

“The reality is the Democratic forces were divided last February,” he said in October. “With the entire party unified now we’ll be tough to beat.”

The Ulrich campaign played down his political affiliation and ran ads with Ulrich saying, “I have always believed government is about public service, not partisanship. After all, there is no Democratic or Republican way to clean the streets.” They also tried to embrace his youth after Gulluscio supporters said his young age was a liability.

“We think the community appreciates his youth,” said Ulrich’s campaign manager, Liam McCabe, last month. “Besides, he’s a very mature person for his age. We think of him as 24 going on 30.”

An extra wrinkle as thrown into the contest too. Some Democrats may have voted for Ulrich in February after Gulluscio, their top choice, was thrown off the ballot. The thinking here was Gulluscio would have a better shot to beat an incumbent Republican in the fall instead of a Democrat. David Quintana, who operates the local blog Lost in the Ozone, said he believed that factor would equal an Ulrich loss in November.

But Ulrich ended up winning the election by a surprisingly large margin, garnering 60% of the vote. An endorsement from Mayor Michael Bloomberg might have helped, as he also won the district in the 2009 election.

So despite the difference in voter registration and having to deal with a popular local politician running against him, Ulrich proved the incumbent advantage is real. In an off-year election cycle with extremely low turnout the 24-year-old was able to hold on to his seat and remain as one of only 5 Republicans on the city council. And since Ulrich is young enough to be a super senior on a college campus, Chapey and other Democrats may be kicking themselves for throwing Gulluscio off the ballot last winter for years to come.

Vote Democratic on Tuesday - November 3rd - 6 AM to 9 PM

Let your voice be heard:

VOTE

on

Polls open 6 am - 9 pm

Tuesday, Nov. 3

Frank Gulluscio in District 32

Elizabeth Crowley in District 30

And the Democrats have some great City-wide candidates:
Bill Thompson for Mayor
John Liu for Comptroller
Bill DeBlasio for Public Advocate

NOTE: Vote on either the Democratic OR Working Families Party Line

(Both count and some of us prefer the Working Families line as it is viewed as a vote for progressive politics.)

Charges in Rockaway City Council Showdown Gulluscio, Ulrich Over Improper Help from Bloomberg by Nicholas Horshon - NY Daily News

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A heated City Council race in southern Queens has gotten more intriguing amid charges that the Republican illegally used Mayor Bloomberg's staffers and supplies and that the Democrat owes almost $1,500 in state business taxes.

Bickering between campaigns has ramped up a no-love-lost contest pitting incumbent Eric Ulrich (R-Rockaway Beach) against Democratic challenger Frank Gulluscio.

It's one of just a few races in the borough where political observers believe a Republican has a fair shot at defeating a Democrat.

Gulluscio filed a city Campaign Finance Board complaint a few weeks ago, alleging Bloomberg's camp improperly helped coordinate Ulrich's leafletting and offered the councilman complimentary use of its staffers.

The complaint argues that Ulrich should consider free use of the workers - and a campaign office the mayor shares with the councilman - as a donation that "may well exceed" the contribution limit for Council candidates.

The filing also includes a sworn statement from a short-term Bloomberg volunteer who claims a Queens campaign coordinator for the mayor identified herself as also being Ulrich's campaign coordinator, and told the volunteer to hand out literature for both candidates.

Bloomberg campaign spokesman Michael Levoff did not return calls for comment. Ulrich called the accusations "absurd."

"My campaign has a tremendous amount of grass-roots support," Ulrich said, adding he sent a response defending his campaign to the city. "The last thing we would need or want is to violate any campaign finance laws."

Campaign Finance Board spokesman Joe Ferris said the board will review Ulrich's reply. He said he didn't know when the board might render a decision.

Meanwhile, the Daily News has learned that Gulluscio, who often touts his success as former CEO of a beauty supply distributor that was officially dissolved in 2003, still owes taxes to the state.

Susan Burns, a spokeswoman for the state Tax Department, said Gulluscio's Brooklyn-based firm, Unlimited Beauty Resources Inc., never paid $1,083.06 in sales tax collected between March 1, 1999, and Feb. 29, 2000.

The company also owes $397.75 in corporate taxes from 1998, raising its unpaid total to $1,480.81, Burns said.

Gulluscio chalked up the discrepancy to a paperwork glitch and vowed to pay back any cash he might owe. "I'm certainly not a deadbeat," he said.

Bill Thompson Talks to Volunteers in South Richmond Hill Prior to Afternoon Canvass

On Saturday, October 24th Bill Thompson talked to volunteers prior to them going out to knock on doors in Richmond Hill, Queens on behalf of Bill Thompson and Frank Gulluscio...

Debate in 32nd District is Street Fight by Nicholas Hirshon - NY Daily News

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City Councilman Eric Ulrich of Rockaway Beach mostly played nice with Democratic challenger Frank Gulluscio in a taped debate to air Friday - until the Republican abruptly called out his opponent's former boss.

Ulrich blasted ex-Councilman Joe Addabbo, now a state senator, saying Addabbo "could not deliver" cash to sustain street cleanups on Liberty Ave. - even after Ulrich was "reassured" he would.

Scolding Addabbo - who later told Queens News that he will indeed fund the cleanup - also served as a veiled knock against Gulluscio, who was Addabbo's right-hand man in the Council in 2004 and 2005.

The debate will air at 7 p.m. on Queens Public Television Channel 34 as part of a half-hour forum taped Wednesday and viewed early by Queens News.

The 32nd District race is one of only three Council contests in Queens where political observers believe Republicans have a fair shot of beating a Democrat.

During the debate, Gulluscio asked Ulrich why he cut Doe Fund supplemental sanitation services along Liberty Ave. while securing cash for the same initiative on other stretches.

That's when Ulrich ripped into Addabbo.

"If Joe Addabbo cannot fund the program that he started on Liberty Ave., then I would like to take up that mantle and fund that program when I have the next opportunity to," Ulrich said.

Informed of Ulrich's remark, Addabbo denied ever promising the funds. But he added it's moot since he directed $47,000 in the pending budget for tidying Liberty Ave. from 104th to 115th Streets.

Aside from the Liberty Ave. exchange, the candidates stayed almost oddly cordial in the debate. Gulluscio said Ulrich "will do what's right," while Ulrich lauded Gulluscio for his "commitment to the community."

Ulrich, 24, painted himself as an up-and-comer with seven-plus months of Council experience, and Gulluscio, 60, trumpeted his value as a local activist who learned how the Council works by teaming with Addabbo.

"I'm looking forward to getting right back to work," Ulrich said.

After Friday, the debate will run on QPTV three more times: Sunday at 10 p.m. on Time Warner Cable Channel 57; Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. on Channel 34; and Nov. 1 at 10:30p.m. on Channel 57.

Gulluscio and Addabbo Clear Up Issue On Funds for Liberty Avenue Doe Fund Clean-Up - 2009-10-20

Local Groups Slam Councilman Ulrich’s Decision to Cut Funding

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District Leader Frank Gulluscio and State Senator Joseph Addabbo were joined by local civic activists and business owners at Moblegott Hardware Store on Liberty Avenue to announce that State Senator Addabbo has stepped in to provide State funding for the Doe Fund’s clean-up of Liberty Avenue.

In previous years, State Senator Addabbo (then-Councilmember) allocated $74,000 in City Council funds to the Doe Fund’s Ready, Willing and Able Program. This program provided for supplemental street cleaning service in Richmond Hill along the commercial corridor on Liberty Avenue between 104th St and Lefferts Blvd and in the Rockaways on Beach 116th St and Rockaway Blvd. Council Member Ulrich severely cut funding to the DOE fund, from $74,000 to $38,000. This drastic decrease in funding provides only for cleaning in the Rockaways portion of the district, eliminating the service along Liberty Avenue.

“The program is a win-win for the neighborhood as it not only beautifies the busy corridor but, the men of the Ready, Willing and Able program are often formerly homeless or ex-offenders looking for that critical first job. The Department of Sanitation does an outstanding job of keeping our streets clean but, with cuts to supplemental collection the Doe Fund plays an important role in this community. I fought for this funding in the state budget because I knew it was critically important to the community. I’m disappointed the city funding was cut, because we could have expanded this successful program that benefits the community.” State Senator Addabbo said.

The $47,000 grant secured by State Senator Addabbo will provide for street cleaning by the Doe Fund on Liberty Avenue between 104th St and Lefferts Blvd. The service will begin November 2009.

“The community here needs more resources not less. I’m disappointed that our current Councilman cut funding to this vital program. When I’m on the City Council, I will ensure equitable funding across the whole district not to a few select spots.” said District Leader Frank Gulluscio. “Often, it is the small things that can make a big difference for a retail corridor, and the Doe Fund helps make Liberty Avenue cleaner, more inviting and more business friendly—not to mention a better environment for shoppers and pedestrians.”

“I don’t understand why Councilman Ulrich would have cut this money for our community. That is pure politics not good government” said Margaret Finnerty, President of the Richmond Hill South Civic Association. “This program made a real difference on Liberty Avenue. Keeping our streets clean is a basic quality of life issue that cannot be ignored. We are grateful for Senator Addabbo and his support of this vital program. With the upcoming election in November, I am hopeful that the winner of this election realizes the importance of restoring the funds that Councilman Ulrich cut.”

"We cannot make the mistake of thinking that this is just about dirty sidewalks and litter, says Ravisharon Kaur, Director of Programs for SEVA, a non-profit community organization whose offices are located on Liberty Avenue.”This is a quality of life issue. Studies have shown that deterioration of urban centers such as Liberty Avenue repels much needed economic development and also leads to crime. Liberty Avenue is the heart of the Richmond Hill community which needs more resources not less."

“The businesses here need clean streets. Thankfully Joe Addabbo was able to step in and secure funding to bring the Doe Fund back to Liberty Avenue. Our community needs more resources and attention not less. We deserve to have a city councilman who understands that and will fight for our community. Councilman Ulrich cut funding to our community and we will remember that this November” said Stanley Raj of Main Street Insurance, Inc.

UFCW Local 1500 and RWDSU Local 338 Endorse Gulluscio...

Praise “Champion for Working New Yorkers”

Adding to a growing chorus of elected officials and labor unions, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 and Retail, Wholesale, Department Store Union Local 338 announced their support of Frank Gulluscio in his bid to unseat Republican Eric Ulrich.

UFCW Local 1500 Director of Special Projects Pat Purcell said: “In November, voters in Queens have an important decision to make: Who will fight for us? We need Frank Gulluscio in the City Council to fight for middle class families. Frank has stood up for working people - he knows we need to keep and attract jobs to New York that offer good benefits and fair pay. He is a tireless advocate for his community - who will work hard on behalf of the families in the 32nd Council District.”

“RWDSU Local 338 is proud to endorse Frank Gulluscio for City Council. Frank is a proven leader and champion for working New Yorkers. In these tough times, we need a leader like Frank Gulluscio fighting for us in the City Council” said John R. Durso, President Local 338. “Frank understands the needs of working families and has been a good friend of the labor movement. We look forward to working with Frank to improve access to quality healthcare and attract good jobs for New Yorkers.”

“I am honored to have the support of the UFCW Local 1500 and RWDSU Local 338. If elected, I will work tirelessly with them on the issues that matter most to working families: education, healthcare, and job creation.” said Gulluscio.

Gulluscio is proud to also have the support of DC37, Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, Detectives Endowment Association, Tenants PAC, Congressmembers Anthony Weiner and Gregory Meeks, State Senators Joe Addabbo and Shirley Huntley, Assemblymembers Audrey Pheffer and Michele Titus.

Dueling Billboards on A-Train Rockaway Blvd Station in 32nd City Council Race

At the busy intersection of Rockaway Blvd, Woodhaven Blvd/Crossbay Blvd and Liberty Avenue in Ozone Park on the A-train's Rockaway Blvd station there are dueling billboards in the 32cd race for the City Council. Traveling southbound on Woodhaven Blvd towards the intersection the billboard is for the Democratic Party candidate Frank Gullluscio and on the opposite side of the train station is a billboard for the incumbent Republican Party candidate Eric Ulrich appears...

Gulluscio Lays Out 3 Point Plan to Improve Rockaways Commute

Queens Pols Question Administration for Leaving $15 Million in Federal Ferry Funding on the Table

Gathered at Riis Landing, District Leader Frank Gulluscio along with State Senator Joe Addabbo, Assemblymember Audrey Pheffer and District Leader Lew Simon laid out his 3 Point Transportation Plan to improve the commute of Rockaways resident. Given the need to expand transportation options for Rockaways residents, the pols also questioned the Administration’s decision to sideline $15 million in funding allotted by Congressman Anthony Weiner in 2005.

“We need to make high quality low cost public transportation a priority in this City. We should invest in the City’s transit infrastructure to increase the frequency and quality of subway, bus and ferry service. Hard-working Rockaways residents have some of the longest commute times in the whole country. We must do more and I have a plan,” said District Leader Gulluscio.

The average commute time in the United States is 25 minutes; the average commute time in Queens is 42 minutes; the average commute time for someone living in the Rockaways is over an hour. In an op-ed this week Gulluscio asserts, the City must take a multi-faceted approach to improve the commutes of Rockaway residents including:

1. Replacing current shuttle train service to Rockaway stops with full-time A-train service and as a stop-gap measure increasing shuttle service until this service begins.
2. Expanding express bus service to include nights and weekends and reinstate limited service on Q35 and Q53 routes.
3. Expanding ferry service to include additional evening departures from Manhattan and service to midtown as well as more weekend service. Additionally, continuing to fund the subsidy for Rockaway ferry service past April 2010 when it expires.

“Commuting for Rockaway residents is oftentimes a nightmare. The ferry service must be improved, expanded and affordable to all. We are a waterfront community and water transport, which is faster and “greener” alternative, is a natural fit for my community.” Said Assemblywoman Audrey Pheffer.

The two-year pilot program for ferry service running between Riis Landing in the Rockaways and Pier 11 in Manhattan began in May 2008. The ferry service was made possible in part by a $1.1 million allocation from the New York City Council. The ticket price is $6 because of the subsidy provided by the City Council. Thus far, the service has proven to be a success with weekday ridership averaging between 155-360 and when weekend ridership is available averaging between 500-700 (according to NYC Water Taxi figures).

“I believe the start of the Rockaway ferry was a positive step forward toward utilizing our waterways as a mode of transportation,” said State Senator Joseph Addabbo. “I am so proud that the service has proven to be a success thus far and I hope the City continues to expand it. I know that Frank will fully support the expansion of ferry service and will continue to fund the ferry subsidy.”

Gulluscio added that while he intends to work with the City to improve and expand transportation options and hopes to be named to the Council’s Transportation Committee if elected; he questions some of the decisions that have been made in regards to transportation funding. Specifically, Gulluscio calls on the Administration to put to use $15 million in funding that Congressman Anthony Weiner obtained in 2005 to use to expand ferry service options for the Rockaways.

As recently as last year, Bloomberg said “We're not going to walk away from 15 million bucks," (Daily News 5/11/2008) citing the need to review ridership numbers before expanding service. Gulluscio said “We cannot continue to leave this money on the table while Rockaway residents suffer. Initial figures show the limited Rockaway ferry service is a success. We should look into moving forward by adding additional service times and additional stops in midtown”.

“Our community suffers each and every day with the abominable service on the A line. We look for the addition of all night express bus service and we need our ferry to run more frequently to different parts of Manhattan. I look forward to working with Frank Gulluscio to fight for our community and the improved transportation it deserves. ” said District Leader Lew Simon.

PBA and Detectives Union Endorse Gulluscio

Laud Experience and Commitment to Public Safety

Two of the City’s largest municipal police unions - Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association and Detectives’ Endowment Association - endorse Frank Gulluscio for City Council in the November 3^rd general election.

NYC PBA President Patrick J. Lynch said: “We are proud to endorse Frank Gulluscio for City Council. As a district leader and community board member, Mr. Gulluscio has proven track record of working with law enforcement to keep our streets safe. We know that he will be a fighter for our city’s police officers and for working families.”

“In these tough times, we need a leader like Frank Gulluscio fighting for us in the City Council” said Mike Palladino, President of the Detectives Endowment Association. “Frank will fight to ensure our public safety agencies have the resources they need to keep our communities safe.”

“I am honored to have the support of the PBA and DEA and I look forward to working with them to protect the hard working middle class residents of our community. In the City Council, I’ll fight to reduce graffiti, get illegal guns off the streets and maintain staffing levels at our local precincts.” said Gulluscio.

The New York City Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, the nation’s largest municipal police union represents nearly 50,000 active and retired members citywide. The Detectives Endowment Association represents nearly 17,000 active and retired members citywide.

Frank Gulluscio Appears at Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation Candidates Night and 9/11 Memorial...

Gulluscio Address The Concerns and Local Problems Affecting Woodhaven

On September 22, Democratic Candidate Frank Gulluscio appeared at the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation Candidates Night and 9/11 memorial. At the memorial Frank discussed the need for constant vigilance saying, “The horror of 9/11 is something that remains with us daily. I will never forget how I felt when I saw the smoke rising out of the Twin Towers. Many of us know someone who was lost in that terrible tragedy and it is important that we honor their memory and their sacrifice every day not only 9/11.We must keep their memories close to our heart and maintain a constant vigilance so that such horrible atrocities are never repeated.”

After the 9/11 Memorial and the moment of silence, the event became a Candidates night. Each candidate was allowed to speak for 5 minutes and then was asked questions from the board. Frank spoke about some of his past accomplishments including keeping the Woodhaven Fire House Open, “When I heard that the City planned to close Engine 293 which serves the Woodhaven community I was outraged. Woodhaven needs a firehouse. There are numerous older buildings fashioned mainly of wood and it is vital that help is nearby if needed. Working with then Councilman Addabbo we made sure that Engine 293 was taken off the list of stations to be closed. We won the battle but the war continues, we need our next Councilman to continue to watch City Hall to ensure that Woodhaven keeps it fire house.”

Frank also spoke about some of his ideas for revitalizing the office and making it more accessible; “These days it is more common to find families with both parents working and often hours that are no longer 9-5. That is why in addition to a 24-7 hour hot-line I pledge that my District Office, at least two nights a week, will have longer hours and stay open later. Additionally, at least once a month, the Office will be open for a few hours on Saturday. Government and elected officials should be available around the clock not only from 9-5. The working mom or the young dad working two jobs should have the same opportunity as anyone else to interact with their elected officials.”

When Frank was asked about some his plans for Woodhaven he said “Woodhaven is a diverse and distinct community that needs a dedicated and committed Councilman. We need to ensure that local small business continue to come and set up shop and look into methods of prevention for quality of life crimes such as graffiti and noise pollution. Current studies being undertaken by the City, such as the Woodhaven Boulevard Traffic Study, will offer possible ideas to reduce congestion, ideas that I look forward to discussing to ensure they are right for this community.”

Gulluscio Offers Testimony At Gateway National Recreation Area

Frank Gulluscio Comments on Gateway’s New Management Plan

Howard Beach resident Frank Gulluscio, the Democratic candidate for the 32^nd Council District, attended Gateway National Recreation Area’s meeting Sunday, September 27^th at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Gulluscio, submitted comments to Gateway officials regarding their new Management Plan for the park, discussions by the National Park Service are currently underway.

Gateway has begun the process to scope, develop, and prepare a General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, which, according to the National Park Service, will be its “vision for the future.” Gateway’s first General Management Plan was completed 30 years ago in 1979, a few years after the park’s creation.

Some of Gulluscio’s comments focused on the three areas in Howard Beach that are part of Gateway: Charles Park, Hamilton Beach Park, and the Spring Creek area. Gulluscio conveyed to Gateway officials that the expectations area residents had of an increase in recreational opportunities have not yet been met.

Gulluscio said, “Over the past 30 years, since Gateway’s creation, we have seen little improvement within our parks that house our neighborhood recreation areas. Ballfields and tennis courts are in disrepair, erosion continues, and playground areas are not to the standard found in city-owned facilities in neighboring areas. Getting needed repairs fixed takes an inordinate amount of time in the view of community residents. Expectations of enhanced recreational opportunities for local residents in these local area parklands have not been met in over three decades. Spring Creek has essentially been left wild thereby providing no real increase in recreational opportunities for our people.” Gulluscio also indicated to Gateway officials that were present that if elected the Gateway areas in Broad Channel and the Rockaway peninsula would also be locations where he would seek improvements.

Gulluscio also referred Hamilton Beach Park as an “orphan” area where residents strongly believe their calls for improvements have been ignored by Gateway for years. This became evident at the meeting when Gulluscio was examining maps and drawings on display by Gateway, and there were no maps or drawings for Hamilton Beach Park. “That failure to include Hamilton Beach, spoke volumes to me,” Gulluscio said.

Gulluscio also called on Gateway to incorporate enhanced security into its plan for the next few decades. “Inadequate provision for the public safety is a far more serious concern for our local residents today than it was 15, 20, or 25 years ago,” Gulluscio relayed to Gateway officials, “much of the Gateway acreage in the Howard Beach community is located in the Spring Creek area. All of Howard Beach, Broad Channel, and much of the Rockaway peninsula lies under the flight paths of JFK Airport. We consider Gateway to be part of our city’s critical infrastructure and we are far from satisfied that the level of protection in the essentially wild acreage along our shoreline is sufficient. The Management Plan for Gateway must address that critical need.”

The process to develop this new General Management Plan is just in its beginning stages. A draft version should be circulated by the summer of 2011. Gulluscio called upon Gateway to develop better linkages as the process moves forward with local area groups both on the peninsula and in the mainland. Gulluscio also requested that Gateway present their General Management Plan before all New York City Community Boards so as to insure there is adequate local area input. Gulluscio pointed out that “while we understand that Gateway is part of the National Park system and much of its planning is aimed at serving a broad area and preserving open space in its natural state, the track record of Gateway in providing for the recreational needs and desires of the communities in which it sits have been far from acceptable” and more local viewpoints must be better incorporated into Gateway’s planning so that “their vision for the future of Gateway reflects the vision of areas residents.”

Bloomberg Boosts Ulrich From Fluke To The Man To Beat by Sal Gentile - City Hall News

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Six months ago, he was a fluke.

Then he became the mayor’s man.

Eric Ulrich, who won a special non-partisan election in February to fill the Council seat that covers Rockaway and parts of southeast Queens, was at first dismissed as a lightweight. As a 24-year-old Republican in a district where Democrats hold a three-to-one enrollment advantage, labor unions and Democratic bigwigs considered Ulrich one of their easier marks.

Then, in April, Ulrich made a tactical move that seems to have paid considerable dividends: He backed Mayor Michael Bloomberg for a third term before the rest of the Republican leadership. That decision won him the favor of Bloomberg’s deputies and support from the mayor’s formidable campaign operation.

That has put his opponent, Frank Gulluscio, at a sudden disadvantage, at least as Gulluscio’s supporters present things.

“He’s the underdog,” said State Sen. Joseph Addabbo, who held the seat before Ulrich, of Gulluscio. “He understands that.”

Addabbo has been working the phones to shore up support for Gulluscio, who was his chief of staff for the last three years of his Council term. Addabbo hopes his ties to organized labor, from his days as the chair of the Council’s Civil Service and Labor Committee, will help counteract the Bloomberg advantage.

So far, the effort has been slow-going.

Unions and the Working Families Party have directed their attention elsewhere in the city during this heated primary season, while Ulrich, with the help of Bloomberg and his millions, has been rooting himself in the district.

The two have opened a joint campaign office in Rockaway, which should help Ulrich gain a foothold in a part of the district where he is not as well-known. The district is bifurcated between “mainland” communities like Ozone Park and the Rockaways. Ulrich is from the former, whereas Gulluscio has been known across the district for years.

“They know me as Addabbo’s chief of staff,” Gulluscio said. “This is a blue collar district. The unions, the people that are living here, are middle class people. I’m middle class like them. They know that.”

Gulluscio and the Democrats may seek to paint Ulrich as out of touch with the middle class families that inhabit the detached homes and small-town neighborhoods of places like Howard Beach. But the mayor is popular with those same voters, Bloomberg’s aides argue, and once his campaign in the district is in full swing and voters are barraged by television ads, Ulrich will get a boost.

A poll conducted last year by Republicans in the overlapping Senate district, where Addabbo defeated Serphin Maltese, illustrated Bloomberg’s strength there, according to a person who has seen the results. In some portions of the area that overlap with the Council district, the mayor’s popularity reached highs of 80 percent.

Democrats in Queens dismiss the idea that Bloomberg will have coattails, pointing to the fact that most of the mayor’s support comes from Democrats who do not vote Republican down the line.

Even some Republicans discount the power of having Bloomberg at the top of the ticket.

“There’s no coattails effect. It’s a fallacy,” said one Queens GOP official. “It’s a mythology we resurrect every cycle.”

(Some Queens Republicans have grumbled about the mayor in the months since signing off on his quest to get the GOP line.)

The difference, Bloomberg’s aides argue, is what can be done with the Bloomberg campaign’s resources. If the mayor’s name on the top of the ballot is not enough to lift Ulrich over the tide of Democrats that will come to the polls, the get-out-the-vote operation targeting the district’s registered Republicans will. Blueprints for such a targeted election-day sweep are already in formation, according to Bloomberg campaign aides.

More than that, Bloomberg’s lieutenants have leaned on connections to other prominent officials on Ulrich’s behalf. Rep. Peter King, a galvanizing figure among conservatives, has traveled to the district to campaign with Ulrich. Former Mayor Ed Koch broke with Democrats to endorse him.

In addition to the political help, Ulrich has been able to rely on Bloomberg for assistance in governing, enabling the junior Council member to get more traction than he otherwise might in cutting through the city’s tangled bureaucracy for the benefit of his district.

“The mayor has helped me deliver, whether it be city resources or city agencies, to respond to constituent complaints,” Ulrich said.

Among the situations that this has helped him in, Ulrich said, was when he was wrestling with the Parks Department and its commissioner over assigning lifeguards to Rockaway Beach.

“I personally spoke to the mayor about this situation,” Ulrich said. “Three days later, I got a call from Adrian Benepe.”

That access to the highest reaches of the city’s hierarchy, surpassing even the leaders of the Council, is invaluable, Ulrich argued, and has helped him establish a relationship with constituents who may have originally been skeptical of him.

The mayor’s money, he added, has not hurt.

“We’re planning a fundraiser where the mayor will be a guest, and I’d be honored to have his support,” Ulrich said. “And if he had any friends that believe in him and like him that want to contribute to me, I’d gladly accept their contribution.”

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ABOVE: (right) Eric Ulrich got a boost in his candidacy by uniting early with Mayor Michael Bloomberg. (left) Frank Gulluscio was once considered a shoo-in for a Council seat in Queens. Now, thanks to the mayor, he is the underdog.

Frank Gulluscio, City Council Candidate 32 CD

Join City Council candidate Frank Gulluscio for an End of Summer BBQ - September 2nd 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm - Ozone Howard Little League Fields

Click on image to enlarge

Who: Frank Gulluscio for City Council
What: End of Summer BBQ - RAIN or SHINE
Where: Ozone Howard Little League Field
(Centerville Street and Bristol Avenue)
When: Wednesday - September 2, 2009
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

DC 37 Announces Endorsements in ‘09 Races - Queens Campaigner

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The city’s largest municipal employee union announced its picks last Thursday for this year’s City Council races.

DC 37, which has more than 125,000 members in various fields including nursing, sanitation and education workers, predominantly selected the Council’s Queens incumbents for their election choices.

The union went against the status quo in the race for Democrat James Sanders’ 31st Council District seat and the race Republican Eric Ulrich’s seat in the 32nd Council District.

Marq Claxton, who will be challenging Sanders in the Democratic primary in September, got the nod by the union. Frank Gulluscio, a Democrat who ran against Ulrich in the February special election for the seat but was removed from the ballot by a petition challenge, was also endorsed by DC 37.

For the elections for the seats left vacated by current Council members, the union endorsed Democrat Jerry Iannece for Democratic Councilman Tony Avella’s seat in the 19th District, Democrat S.J. Jung for Democratic Councilman John Liu’s seat in the 20th District, state Assemblyman Mark Weprin (D-Little Neck) for the 23rd District seat vacated by his brother David Weprin, Democrat Jimmy van Bramer for the District 26 seat vacated by Councilman Eric Gioia and former Queens Deputy Borough President Karen Koslowitz (D) for her run for the 29th Council District seat that will be vacated by Melinda Katz (D).

Press Release - Frank Gulluscio Files Over 5,500 Signatures for City Council Race...

Gulluscio, showing overwhelming support in the community, files signatures for New York City Council Race

The Gulluscio campaign is pleased to announce that we have filed over 5,500 signatures, over six times what is needed with the Board of Elections to appear on the ballot for the 32nd City Council seat. Volunteers from all over the district devoted numerous days and countless hours to ensure that Frank would have a place on the ballot come November.

"I want to thank all of the dedicated volunteers who sacrificed their free time to join me as we work to take back this council seat. I have been overwhelmed by the support that I have found so far in the community and I am eager to begin the campaign. I want to be a voice for the entire district.", declared city council candidate Frank Gulluscio

For the last few months the Gulluscio campaign has been engaged in meeting voters and residents across the district, from Woodhaven to the Rockaways. Everywhere the message from voters is the same; frustration with the city’s assault on the Middle Class.

“People are tired of a budget being balanced on their backs through higher taxes, increased fees and arduous tolls. The middle class is under attack and residents know that they need experienced and veteran leadership in these troubled times.”, said Frank Gulluscio. “I am happy to have such varied and diverse support as I make my bid to be this area’s next City Councilman. For too long the Middle Class has disproportionately been hit by sales tax increases, rising tolls and increased fines. This has been followed by cuts in services and public resources. The challenge of continuing to provide quality services in these troubled times is a task where my skills and experience can be the most effective. We need to make sure that the next generation has access to the same great schools, the same great parks and health care that does not break the bank. I will fight for all the residents of my district to ensure that this area remains a place people not only want to be able to raise a family but can.”

Gulluscio Eyes Second Shot at Young GOP Incumbent Ulrich by Howard Koplowitz - Queens Campaigner

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Eric Ulrich (l.) is hoping to defend his young incumbency against Democrat Frank Gulluscio (r.).

The widely anticipated contest between City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Rockaway Beach) and Democratic District Leader Frank Gulluscio never came to fruition in the February special election to succeed state Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), but the two will get another chance in November.

Petitions for Gulluscio, a former Addabbo aide and Community Board 6 district manager, were successfully challenged by special election candidate Geraldine Chapey, knocking Gulluscio off the February ballot.

The February special election was for the remaining year on Addabbo’s four-year Council term, while November’s contest will be for a new term.Ulrich, a Republican, and Gulluscio, a Democrat, are the only two candidates in the District 32 race, which covers Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Howard Beach, Broad Channel and part of the Rockaways.

Both come into the race with big-name endorsements — Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Mayor Ed Koch for Ulrich and the Queens Democratic Party for Gulluscio.

But both campaigns are strapped for cash, with Gulluscio having $15,482 in his campaign war chest and Ulrich only $400, according to the latest campaign finance filings May 15. Ulrich’s numbers do not include a few thousand dollars that were yet to be transferred from his special election campaign account.

Prior to being knocked off the special election ballot, Gulluscio, 60, said being on the Council would be a natural extension for him after working as an aide to Addabbo.

He contended he had more experience than the 24-year-old Ulrich, but it was unclear how effective that point would be after Ulrich has spent 10 months in the Council as of the November contest.

Ulrich touted his involvement in the community, including being the president of the Our Neighbors Civic Association in Ozone Park, and ran on a campaign of “fresh ideas.”

The councilman’s first sponsoring of legislation was a bill to require a 2/3 majority in the Council to raise taxes.

He defeated Republican Michael Ricatto, Chapey and Democratic District Leader Lew Simon in the special election.

None of the other special election contenders are declared candidates this time around.

WFP And Queens Dems Go Separate Ways by Elizabeth Benjamin - The Daily Politics - NY Daily News

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Of the 11 endorsements it has made in Queens City Council races, the Working Families Party in four cases backed Democratic candidates other than those being supported by the Queens Democratic Party.

That's more than in any other borough, although the labor-backed party is bucking the Democratic organizations elsewhere, too.

The Queens races in question are as follows:

- 20th CD (Liu): S.J. Jung, WFP; John Choe; Democrats.

- 25th CD: Danny Dromm, WFP; Councilwoman Helen Sears, Democrats.

- 26th CD (Gioia): Jimmy Van Bramer, WFP; Deirdre Feerick, Democrats.

- 29th CD (Katz): Lynn Schulman, WFP; Karen Koslowitz; Democrats.

In the 19th CD (Avella), the WFP has so far made no endorsement, while the Democrats are backing Jerry Iannece.

The WFP and the Democrats agreed in a number of other cases, including on Assemblyman Mark Weprin for the seat being vacated by his brother, Councilman David Weprin, who is running for comptroller; and Frank Gulluscio to make another run for the seat now held by Republican Councilman Eric Ulrich.

Thanks to a 2006 lawsuit in which Assemblyman Richard Brodsky successfully argued on behalf of the WFP that one political party should have the right to interfere in the primary of another, the WFP will be able to work on behalf of its candidates in the September elections - which, in New York, are generally the deciding factor.

WFP Executive Director Dan Cantor said it's unlikely the party will put much effort into the general elections if its candidates don't win in the primary. He noted that only Councilwoman Tish James has ever successfully won in a general election on the WFP line only against a Democratic candidate, adding:

"We haven’t decided yet what we’re doing in general elections, but the action in New York is in the first round. So you know, in terms of priorities, I guess we’d have to see how much energy the local activists have, and how close a given race is. But in general, it’s fair to say that’s not where our energies go."

Cantor said the WFP's aim is not to be at odds with the Democrats, with whom the minority party is usually closely allied. But he did see the WFP's willingness to buck the Democratic organization as "evidence - if any was needed - that we are quite independent, and you can see that up and down the ballot."

In Brooklyn, the WFP backed two candidates - Steve Levin and Maritza Davila - who are being supported by the borough's Democratic chairman, Assemblyman Vito Lopez.

Also in Brooklyn, the WFP is supporting Jumaane Williams against Councilman Kendall Stewart and Mark Winston-Griffith against Councilman Al Vann.

The Brooklyn Democrats have issued endorsements in the citywide races (backing an all-Brooklyn slate of Comptroller Bill Thompson for mayor, Councilman Bill de Blasio for public advocate and Councilman David Yassky for comptroller), but didn't formally vote on a Council slate, I'm told.

UPDATE: Lopez called in to say that the party will be "defending and supporting petitions" for both Vann and Stewart and all other incumbents "with one exception" (Councilwoman Diana Reyna, who is being challenged by Davila).

The party hasn't yet endorsed anyone for the seat de Blasio is departing, but I would be surprised if the candidate of choice isn't Brad Lander, who got an early endorsement from the WFP, as did de Blasio.