Third time’s a charm

Bloomberg and term limits

Whether we like him or not (and about half the city doesn’t, it turns out), Mayor Michael Bloomberg is back for four more years.

In many ways his successful bid to extend term limits and extravagant reelection campaign was the biggest story of the year. And it almost didn’t work, remember.

To overturn two 1990’s-era voter referendums establishing term limits, Bloomberg had to convince the City Council to approve a special term limits extension. A large and vocal group of council members opposed the measure. In the end, it passed in late 2008 by a narrow margin of 29-22.

That set the stage for this year’s gritty, outsized mayoral election, itself a referendum of sorts on mayoral control, development policy and other hallmarks of the Bloomberg years. To make sure he could beat Comptroller William Thompson, the mayor started spending. And then spending some more.

By the time he was through mailboxes and street corners from Ridgewood to Red Hook were flooded with glossy campaign advertisements and the Hizzoner set a new national record for spending in a municipal election.

Yet for all his money, Bloomberg only won reelection by five-points, upending election-day polls predicting a lopsided, double-digit victory. The results pointed to voter unease over a range of issues from education to overdevelopment to the city’s struggling economy- the very thing Bloomberg argued he would fix if reelected.

Now that’s looking like a pretty tall order. The city is facing a budget deficit in the billions, an unemployment rate of 10 percent (and higher in lower-income communities), not to mention an under-funded mass transit system, stalled construction projects galore- the list goes on and on.

In short, Bloomberg has his work cut out for him. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Mayor. This last term could be the hardest of all.

Elizabeth Crowley

A rookie no longer

This was a pretty busy year for Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley.

There was the fight to save a fire engine company from closing and battles over St. Saviour’s, a new waste management facility and plans for a new school in Maspeth, to name just a few prominent issues the councilwoman contended with in her first year in office. There was also Tom Ognibene.

Ognibene, a Republican and former councilman who represented the 30th District in the 1990’s, squared off against Crowley, a Democrat, in a tense, closely watched race for a full term. (Crowley won the seat in a special election last year).

The race featured splashy billboards, questionable campaign literature and more forums than anyone probably cares to remember. In the end Crowley- the first woman and Democrat to hold the seat- beat Ognibene by a surprisingly large, 20-point margin that few would have predicted.

Besides some breathing room, the blowout win gives Crowley four full years at City Hall, where she has already made a name for herself as a strong voice in the Queens delegation.

Reservoir resurrection

A new plan for Ridgewood Reservoir

The Parks Department has a new plan for the Ridgewood Reservoir.

The only problem? Nobody seems to like it all that much.

Be that as it may, the city is proceeding with plans to overhaul the reservoir, which borders Brooklyn and Queens on a site inside Highland Park, also set for major renovations.

The city's plan would be carried out in phases. In the first one, pathways and new electrical work at the site would be installed, along with a four-foot high perimeter fence around the basins that critics say is too low and unsafe.

The reservoir itself consists of three water basins; two are empty and overgrow, while the scenic, filled-in third has all the trappings of a serene wetlands area. Together, the three basins and surrounding land form a unique natural habitat.

Eventually, however, the city's redesign would turn parts of the reservoir into ball fields. Opponents of the plan want the open space to be preserved as parkland and made more accessible for residents and visiting students.

Despite opposition or concern from Community Board 5 and elected officials, the city is moving full steam ahead on the multi-million dollar projected, expected to take several years to complete.

CURES

Railroads and civics square off

True, Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions (CURES) was only started recently, making it a rather late addition to the year's top stories.

Nevertheless, the mega-civic, comprised of the biggest community organizations in Western Queens, came out swinging for the fences, proving right away they are a new force to be reckoned with.

The group has taken aim at improving railroad conditions in Glendale, as well as in Ridgewood, Middle Village, Maspeth and other neighborhoods. Its an old struggle, of course, one dating back several decades. But this time CURES thinks railroads could be brought to their knees. Rail road companies beg to differ.

At the heart of this battle is an argument over pollution, though concerns over noise and security have also come into play.

CURES maintains the rail company New York and Atlantic (NY & A), among other operators, are not meeting emissions standards, polluting with impunity and worsening the quality of life for residents who live in neighborhoods with trains running through them. NY & A has strongly disputed these claims.

In the year to come, expect CURES, which has the backing of several elected officials, to continue pushing for improved rail road infrastructure and a reduction in carbon emissions. Expect NY & A to fight back.

Setting the outcome aside for one moment, its clear the debate is energizing a variety of people and organizations to think deeply about important environmental issues. We say that's a good thing.



Dog Run Drama

Front and center at Juniper Valley Park

Yes, Middle Village's dog run crisis makes this list.

And why not? For better or for worse, discussions on a possible dog run in or around Juniper Valley Park have dominated the public forums portion of Community Board 5 meetings for months on end.

The hoopla started years ago, when a group of dog owners first pushed for a dog run at the park, where dogs are prohibited from frolicking off-leash for most of the day.

That effort failed, but was revived this year by another, equally committed and vociferous band of dog lovers calling themselves the Juniper Valley Park Dog Association.

Showing up for nearly every monthly CB5 meeting this year, JVPDA members made their case for a dog run at the park where their dogs could run free at all hours of the day.

If CB5 seemed unenthusiastic at first, the board is slowly warming to the plan. Recently Kathy Masi, CB5's parks committee co-chair, led a tour of the park and several possible dog run sites. Until one is chosen, and ground is broken on the project, expect the issue to remain front and center in Middle Village.