BY KEEN BERGER | I have been accused of being too optimistic. My recent prediction for warm weather was immediately followed by yet another snowstorm. Optimism can be cloying. Consequently, you may be comforted to learn that I am disheartened. Years ago, as district leader, I decided to work intensely on three issues: education, immigration and voting. Many other issues (fracking, a hospital, parks, housing) also get my attention, but I have tried to focus. Sadly, NONE of my three is going well.
DISTRICT LEADER
On education, the new public middle school at 75 Morton St. has overwhelming support from parents in the six nearby elementary schools (P.S. 41, 3, 11, 33, 111 and 130), as well as Community Board 2, Community Education Council 2, our three local politicians (Assemblymember Deborah Glick, state Senator Brad Holyman and City Councilmember Corey Johnson) — and yet the closing on the sale of the building has not occurred. March 13 is now said to be the date for this to happen. The state bureaucrats finally left the building in December. (They said hurricane Sandy slowed them down.) But the state says that they cannot close the sale until the furniture is out — and no one is moving it. I stop by every week, asking impatient and exasperating questions; the guard at the desk (a state employee) said I should be arrested for trespassing. I would like that — but it won’t get the school any sooner, so I didn’t ask him to call the cops.
On immigration, the Tea Party zealots still seem to think immigrants are evil. They forgot who created and sustained this nation. As part of the New Sanctuary accompaniment program, I joined supporters at a deportation hearing Downtown at Federal Plaza on Feb. 28. Our immigrant got a stay until May: That was considered a victory. Not victory enough for me.
Finally, on voting, after writing detailed reports for a decade about what is wrong with every election (that’s 28 reports, including primaries) the new head of the Board of Election announced a larger font would be used for the ballots in the June 2014 primary. That’s such a tiny victory that I feel like Sisyphus; I have repeatedly listed dozens of other obvious improvements that are needed. I am not alone in my discouragement. The deputy clerk of the Board of Elections’ Manhattan office, Tim Gay, resigned two months ago. No replacement yet.
I need to remember the bright spots — marriage equality, Brad Holyman being elected state Senator, Corey Johnson being elected City Council representative, and the very fact that 75 Morton will be a middle school. Four years ago, I was told the school would never open; maybe I should consider the promised opening, September 2016, a victory.
It helps that I raised four daughters here in the Village. One daughter yelled that I was a terrible mother because I had not put the socks, newly washed, in pairs. I learned over the decades that criticism is not always on the mark, and that patience and persistence are eventually rewarded. My daughters are now wonderful young women. Maybe education, immigration and voting will be wonderful as well. Keep reading The Villager to find out when and what to celebrate. The snow will melt, soon.
— Berger is the female district leader, the 66th Assembly District, Part A
