Closing Bell: A Continued Push for Trash Pickup in Astoria
Assemblymember Aravella Simotas, Senator Michael Gianaris, and Councilmember Costa Constantinides just re-iterated their call for cleaner streets in western Queens, after they held a rally in Astoria on the matter last fall. They are now asking Mayor de Blasio for additional trash pickup throughout Astoria. Currently, the area receives only one overnight pick up each…
Assemblymember Aravella Simotas, Senator Michael Gianaris, and Councilmember Costa Constantinides just re-iterated their call for cleaner streets in western Queens, after they held a rally in Astoria on the matter last fall. They are now asking Mayor de Blasio for additional trash pickup throughout Astoria. Currently, the area receives only one overnight pick up each day from Monday through Saturday, down from three daily pick ups in past years. The pols propose an additional trash pick up between 11am and 7pm when the majority of trash is generated. As Assemblymember Simotas stated, “My primary goal is to ensure that western Queens receives, at the very least, the same level of service as the rest of the city.”
Councilman Constantinides also commented on the matter, saying “I’ve heard from residents time and again about the depth of their frustration over how dirty our streets have become. Overflowing trash baskets end up littering our streets and impacting our quality of life, forcing residents to jump over garbage on their way to work. Business owners are also forced to attend to litter outside their doors rather than to their patrons. Additional pick-ups will make our streets substantially cleaner.”
Dirty immigrant neighborhoods are nothing new, the european immigrant neighborhoods of Manhattan and Brooklyn in the past weren’t known for being clean/safe and a great place to raise kids. Thats just how it goes for these “first stop” immigrant neighborhoods. When the LES was italian, people arrived there first, hated how filthy and unsafe it was and then moved the hell out when they could. The same goes for Jamaica, Astoria, Flushing, Ozone Park. When these neighborhoods stop being “first stop” neighborhoods you’ll see things improve. There’s a lot of filthy “americans”, I’ve worked in places that cater to upper class people and what you see is that they are just as filthy, difference is they just have people to clean up for them.
I think what exacerbates the issue is that these once residential neighborhoods that were owner occupied have been illegally chopped up and converted into multi-unit apartments, add in the absentee landlords who only show up to collect rent and could care less if their property is filthy and no one ends up giving a damn. i’ve heard of landlords and supers dumping trash in dumpsters and litter bins because it’s a tell-tale sign that you have illegal apartments. Businesses and construction companies (many who build those illegal conversions) do it too to not have to pay for waste removal, usually dumped in immigrant neighborhoods. The truth is that yes these are the people building this city today, they may not be building sky scrappers but go to any construction site in the outer boroughs and you’ll see mostly south/central americans and west indians busting their ass just like the Irish, Italians, Greeks and everyone else who came before. You also saw similar negatives in the community as you do today.
The city who we finance to enforce would rather ticket my property for a cigarette butt or dig through my trash for recycling than go after the real creators of trash, they know respectable owners will pay and slum lords will rack tickets up and never pay.
By the way I go to your site frequently and agree with most of what you say, keep it up. We need people like you doing this in the Bronx and Brooklyn as well just don’t lose sight of the big picture.
I agree with anon, we all should be able to express our opinions.
And FHGuy, I recall you being quite repetitive with the use of the word “upscale” when referring to various eateries in your hood that are anything but, in my opinion of course.
They may be repetative and offensive to some, but those are his opinions. Your opinions are stated here as well, so why shouldn’t he be able to express his?
Angry, much?
Am I the only one who thinks that Joe’s comments are getting awfully repetitive? It doesn’t matter what neighborhood the post is about, he manages to post the same negative comments about Jamaica.
Also, I find the statement “low-class third world immigrants who can destroy a community in a matter of minutes” to be highly intolerant and offensive. This city was built by immigrants and I think that such anti-immigrant sentiment has no valid place in our great city.