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TI MES





                                                               QUEENS














                                           Published for the Borough of Queens



           VOLUME 29, NO. 49                                   THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2024                                                   25 CENTS

                                                                       Suozzi Honors the Memory of Omer
               Mayor Eric Adams Community
               Op-Ed: Making New York City                           Neutra, His Constituent, With Moving
           Affordable for Working New Yorkers                                        Speech on House Floor

                Working-class New Yorkers are the backbone of our city; they
           keep our city safe, healthy, clean, and help us continue to take the
           greatest city in the world to new heights. These dedicated work-
           ers deserve the chance to build a better future for themselves,
           their children, and their families. This includes securing good-
           paying jobs, affordable homes, and a world-class education for
           their children. That is why, from day one of our administration,
           we have focused on making New York City more affordable for
           working-class New Yorkers.
                We have done this by helping to save New Yorkers more than
           $30 billion through programs that help them get ahead, like
           the “Earned Income Tax Credit,” which enables families and
           working-class people to have more money to pay for groceries,
           bills, and rent. We have helped New Yorkers in public housing
           access free high-speed internet and basic TV through Big Apple
           Connect, and we are on the path to eliminate medical debt for
           500,000 New Yorkers — saving them an estimated $1.8 billion.
                We have created homes that working people, families, im-
           migrants, and young people need with back-to-back record
           years of building affordable housing; this includes a combined
           nearly 29,000 affordable and public housing units just this year.
           We signed two historic agreements with our partners in labor
           that allow us to build more and build faster, all while creating
           good-paying career pathways and apprenticeship opportunities
           for New Yorkers living in New York City Housing Authority
                                                                   Congressman  Tom Suozzi  honoring  Omer Neutra on  the floor of the U.S.  House of
                           (Continued on page 2)                   Representatives, December 3, 2024. See story on page 2.

           Governor Hochul Announces Pay                              Assemblyman Braunstein Announces
                  Increases For Engineers                             Annual Holiday Toy Drive for Queens

             Governor Kathy Hochul has an-
        nounced substantial pay increases                                                  Children in Need
        for engineers and related licensed
        positions across New York State                                 Assemblyman Edward C.
        agencies, marking a strategic move                         Braunstein (D-Bayside) is proud
        to bolster recruitment and retention                       to announce the return of his of-
        efforts for public sector roles critical                   fice’s annual Holiday Toy Drive
        to infrastructure development and                          for needy and hospitalized chil-
        maintenance.                                               dren in Queens.
             The pay hikes, ranging from                                “As we embrace the giving
        $7,000 to $13,500, will benefit                            spirit of the holidays, please
        approximately 2,600 employees                              consider bringing joy to a local
        across 18 state agencies and the                           family in need by donating a new
        New York State Thruway Author-                             and unwrapped toy to my office’s
        ity. The  adjustments, effective  infrastructure, improve economic   annual Holiday Toy Drive,” said
        December 5, aim to attract top  resilience, and prepare for climate   Assemblyman Braunstein. “I
        talent in professional fields such as  challenges. Key agencies expected   thank you in advance for your
        engineering, architecture, and land  to see the greatest impact include   generosity  and  wish  you  and
        surveying, addressing challenges in  the Department of Transportation,   your family a healthy and happy
        a competitive job market.    the Department of Environmental   holiday season.”
             “Engineering and the licensed  Conservation, and the Office of        All new and unwrapped gifts
        positions that support it are some  Parks, Recreation, and Historic   should be delivered to Assembly-
        of the most competitive jobs in  Preservation.             man Braunstein’s office at 213-33   Assemblyman Braunstein visits students at P.S. 98
        the world,” Governor Hochul said.       In addition to the pay increases,   39th Avenue, Suite 238, Bayside,   to pick up their collected toy donations in 2023.
        “This investment in geographic pay  the New York State Thruway   11361, by Wednesday, Decem-
        differentials is a smart investment  Authority approved a new pay dif-  ber 11, 2024. Gifts can also be       The toys will be donated to  need.
        in the future of the Empire State.”  ferential to enhance recruitment   dropped off to the Queens Com-  numerous organizations, institu-       If you are interested in partici-
             The increases come amid ongo-  and retention. The initiative, set to   munity Board 11 office at 46-21  tions and charitable programs  pating and have any questions,
        ing efforts by the Hochul admin-                           Little Neck Parkway, Little Neck,  operating in Queens that serve  please call Assemblyman Braun-
        istration to rebuild and modernize   (Continued on page 3)  11362, prior to the deadline.   local children and families in  stein’s office at (718) 357-3588.
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