City Council Speaker Sounds
Mayoral At Civic Meeting
By D. Rybstein

Councilman Lew Fidler introduced New York City Council Speaker Gifford Miller last week at the Friends United Block Association (FUBA) monthly meeting as "a great friend of Canarsie, as well as neighborhood parks," and cited Miller’s help in securing funding in the current budget for upcoming improvements to Seaview Park.

Miller took center stage and immediately contrasted Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s role in recent budget negotiations with his own.

"For the longest time the mayor denied we had a fiscal crisis," carped Miller "until his friend Governor Pataki got re-elected."

According to Miller, the Mayor’s 15 percent across the board budget cut proposal was "plain wrong." Instead "the right thing to do is to determine what’s important first" and then make strategic cuts in areas of lesser priority.

Miller spoke of his commitment to public education as the most important issue for him as a legislator. "We have to redefine what is an acceptable

public education," he said. "The reality of the system today is lunch at 9:30 a.m., not enough gyms and play

grounds, poorly equipped labs, and not enough preparation for the kids taking their SAT’s."

Under his council leadership, Miller took credit for getting the mayor to increase his proposed budget funding for education from $4.5 billion to $13 billion.

For the remainder of Miller’s Canarsie visit, FUBA President Gardy Brazela presided over a question and answer session for the civic’s attendees.

Miller responded to an audience member question as to whether or not he intended to run for mayor with a skittish answer replying, ".right now I am focused on doing the best job as I can as speaker. I love my job, but being the mayor is a better job because you can accomplish things easier." He finished the response with this tongue-in-cheek statement: "I have to find myself a new job after this current term. I’ll make a final decision early next year."

Answering another question regarding seniors on a fixed income, Miller proposed a cut in their real estate taxes, stating, ".It would cost the city more if seniors are forced into a home."

In response to the always controversial "voucher" question, the speaker said, "While I am not a fan of vouchers for private school tuitions.I am open to other solutions for parents opting out of the public school system."

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