VALLONE NEEDS TO IMPEACHED

[hellgate19]

I live in the same neighborhood as the scam artist Councilman Peter Vallone, who cannot be bothered to have his staff answer email inquiries (try finding a contact that actually works on his website), answer phone calls or take action against the litter and noise pollution problem that plagues his own neighborhood. Aparently he enjoys living in filth and amongst menacing thugs who blare their car stereos on shore blvd at 3am and attempt to intimidate neighborhood residents during the day.

Try calling 311? No answer No internal affairs? No response. Go down to the river at night to see who is doing it? Youll see the cops trying to pick up girls, because they know they are in with Vallone and xcan be as inactive and lazy as they wish to be.

I hope Vallone reads this, gets off his fat lazy ass and does soemthing this, because clearly, he cares more about putting our tax dollars in his pocket than doing his god damned job.

What a piece of crap he is.

[mcdirk]

I've had the opposite experience - they've always been very responsive when I've called or written, even in areas that were technically outside the jurisdiction of the City Council.  His staff was responsible for the repairs to the stairs on the East side entrance to the Broadway N/W station, got us trash cans at key locations on Broadway and helped us shut down two noisy nightclubs.  He's even painted over graffiti in many parts of the neighborhood. 

Are you calling during normal work hours?  I know his council email is on the NYC Council website - I think they all are.

[LeavingSoon]

I live in the same neighborhood as the scam artist Councilman Peter Vallone, who cannot be bothered to have his staff answer email inquiries (try finding a contact that actually works on his website), answer phone calls or take action against the litter and noise pollution problem that plagues his own neighborhood. Aparently he enjoys living in filth and amongst menacing thugs who blare their car stereos on shore blvd at 3am and attempt to intimidate neighborhood residents during the day.

Try calling 311? No answer No internal affairs? No response. Go down to the river at night to see who is doing it? Youll see the cops trying to pick up girls, because they know they are in with Vallone and xcan be as inactive and lazy as they wish to be.

I hope Vallone reads this, gets off his fat lazy ass and does soemthing this, because clearly, he cares more about putting our tax dollars in his pocket than doing his god damned job.

What a piece of crap he is.

FINALLY!!!! Someone shares my views. Vallone is the worst thing to happen to this neighborhood. Please check out my posts on the Power plant, in which there are now an additional two (perfectly placed behind the other two), and the sewage treatment plant. Vallone does nothing. What he does do is make sure that his name is plastered everywhere he can get it....right down to the garbage cans that are overflowing and even the jumpsuit that the one man cleanup crew wears. Seriously...there is one guy in charge of sweeping up our area of Astoria....and Vallone's name is on his jumpsuit. Can you get more egocentric than this guy? Its infuriating!!!!

You can check out my letter to him here.....

http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2008/01/open-letter-to-councilman-peter-vallone.html

His response here...

http://yourfreepress.blogspot.com/2008/02/peter-vallone-strikes-back-at-blogger.html

As you can see....he tells me if I don't like what is happening to the neighborhood, I can just leave. THIS is the man that gets elected time after time. He has a great scam going. Plant yourself in the same neighborhood as your father, make sure its an older demographic neighborhood filled with people who will just vote for the same person time after time, and just collect the checks. Please people, if you care about this neighborhood at all, don't vote for him next election.

[Speebs]

I'm kind of eager for him to come in here and respond now.

[LeavingSoon]

Well, if you live in the neighborhood, you will in no way deny the fact that nothing is being done. The smell of sewage last night was unbearable....the deafening sounds from the smokestacks behind steinway piano factory still continue. I am moving Sunday, but I hope that Hellgate19 takes up the fight for me. He seems to have the rage that is necessary for change. Politicians are worst breed of people. Hellgate19, I now pronounce you "Savior of Astoria". Good luck and godspeed.

[ATB24]

try his other email:

pfvjr@hotmail.com

[ddanny999]

I've had the opposite experience - they've always been very responsive when I've called or written, even in areas that were technically outside the jurisdiction of the City Council.  His staff was responsible for the repairs to the stairs on the East side entrance to the Broadway N/W station, got us trash cans at key locations on Broadway and helped us shut down two noisy nightclubs.  He's even painted over graffiti in many parts of the neighborhood. 

You got help with your noise problem from the nightclub because you are politically connected to Peter Vallone.  I know many constituents who got no help (or even a call back) from his office on problems they are dealing with.

[casicua]

FINALLY!!!! Someone shares my views. Vallone is the worst thing to happen to this neighborhood. Please check out my posts on the Power plant, in which there are now an additional two (perfectly placed behind the other two), and the sewage treatment plant. Vallone does nothing. What he does do is make sure that his name is plastered everywhere he can get it....right down to the garbage cans that are overflowing and even the jumpsuit that the one man cleanup crew wears. Seriously...there is one guy in charge of sweeping up our area of Astoria....and Vallone's name is on his jumpsuit. Can you get more egocentric than this guy? Its infuriating!!!!

You can check out my letter to him here.....

http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/2008/01/open-letter-to-councilman-peter-vallone.html

His response here...

http://yourfreepress.blogspot.com/2008/02/peter-vallone-strikes-back-at-blogger.html

As you can see....he tells me if I don't like what is happening to the neighborhood, I can just leave. THIS is the man that gets elected time after time. He has a great scam going. Plant yourself in the same neighborhood as your father, make sure its an older demographic neighborhood filled with people who will just vote for the same person time after time, and just collect the checks. Please people, if you care about this neighborhood at all, don't vote for him next election.

I read your letter to him, and his response. I think your paraphrasing is a bit off on this matter. The things you complained about are definitely a valid concern, and things that at one time or another have been issues that have affected most people on this board. What I read in Vallone's response, however, is that he has little control over your particular grievances. In fact, if I recall correctly, he is pretty accurate in his description in that he opposed the power plant. All of the issues you raised in the initial letter (LaGuardia, Riker's, Power Plant, etc.) are state controlled, which means local assembly has little influence in the matters.
If I am correctly interpreting the one sentence of Vallone's response letter that you seem to be focusing on, he is telling you that if you think our neighborhood is such a ghetto dump, then leave. Frankly, I agree with him. You have done nothing on this board except complain about and bash Astoria- yet you still remain here. Yes, Astoria has it's problems, but in relation to the rest of this city, it is a nice place to live; and if you're going to consistently talk crap about the neighborhood then you should get out and find some place that is more to your liking.

I have written letters to Vallone's office before and received prompt responses- particularly on the matter of why the 114th precinct seems to NEVER answer their phone. It also seems that your letter to Vallone got a prompt and rather open response.

While I am not the biggest Vallone supporter, I don't think he should be held responsible for things that are not even in his realm of influence, and I do think he has done some good things for this community.

[hellgate19]

I am outraged by his arrogant response to you. I would never leave my name knowing what he is capable of, given his cozy relationship with the precinct. I in fact witnessed him scream at a guy who flipped a passing car the bird because the passing car called the guy in question a f*ggot. Vallone threatened someone defending their integrity with hauling them to jail!!!

Anyone that would allow their own neighborhood to become a dumping ground for trash as shore blvd and astoria park have become should be removed from power. How the hell are empty oil barrels with no tops along the river going to contain garbage when you have strong river winds whipping the refuse up into the air, all over the park, and worse yet, into the river? It;s not rocket science, but apparently Vallone, it is. If he had not noticed the problem by virtue of being a resident, then that is overwhelming evidence he is not truly involved in his community and does not know about the problems in his own backyard. (though I must say it is lovely having the astoria park area cleared of snow first, as he lives here. Just one of the many countless perks he enjoys at the taxpayers expense)

What kind of traitor allows littering to go unchecked in his backyard? Sure, they'll ticket my 70 year old neighbor for not having a leash on  his senior golden retriever off, but they won't ticket whole people who decide to set up grills, have birthday parties, and then leave their crap behind as they go back to their own neighborhoods. They won't ticket hoodlums leaving their fast food containers behind...right where over 1,000 people lost their lives. It is the site of General Slocum ferry disaster. Would we allow people to leave their fried chicken bones at ground zero? F THAT. This is an outrage. This is an insult to our history. It is an insult to the environment. This is an insult to my checking account. I pay taxes and I DEMAND better of our "leadership".

He has the power to actively and IMMEDIATELY change the situation, yet he ignores the tax paying citizens to the point that we have to harrangue him online.

If you are reading this Vallone, your days of abusing your neighbors is finished. You are far too content to live amongst filth. You are allowing our history to be raped and raized to the ground. You've encouraged unbridled construction for profit knowing full well we do not have the infrastructure to support it.

You've done nothing but enjoy political celebrity, branding as one person pointed out, your name on anything that is pinned down or hired to clean trash in front of morning commuters in a crass bid to make us think you actually give a good god damn.

If you really want to fix Astoria, you'd use every ounce of influence you have with the precinct to actively and agressively ticket people for littering, for blaring car horns and car stereos Be a pain in the ass in the pursuit of saving our old historic buildings (does anyone realize that the Metropolitan Museum of Art's new American Wing has an entire 19th century parlor removed from a no longer standing farmhouse in Astoria?) An intelligent, soulful person would do that, but as you have zero respect for history, nature or those you obviously look down upon, (your neighbors) we'll need to continue hammering at you and forwarding these postings to every metro area media outlet until you DO YOUR JOB.

PS -If Vallone has endorsed you as a political candidate (specifically speaking of that greek girl riding his coat tails) I am SO not voting for you. Not until Vallone gets off the can and gets it in gear.

[QueensCrapper]

If I am correctly interpreting the one sentence of Vallone's response letter that you seem to be focusing on, he is telling you that if you think our neighborhood is such a ghetto dump, then leave. Frankly, I agree with him.

Why do either of you think it is within your right to tell another resident what to do or where to live?

You have done nothing on this board except complain about and bash Astoria- yet you still remain here. Yes, Astoria has it's problems, but in relation to the rest of this city, it is a nice place to live; and if you're going to consistently talk crap about the neighborhood then you should get out and find some place that is more to your liking.

Do you think people who live in neighborhoods that are "better" than Astoria keep their neighborhoods that way because they don't complain?  The squeaky wheel gets the grease.  The quiet ones get homeless shelters...  Sorry if it offends you that there are people out there who don't think Astoria is full of rainbows and restaurants.  The fact is you can learn a lot about an area by talking to the people who grew up in it, which LeavingSoon did.  If he is raising alarm bells, it means there has been a decline in quality of life over his stay and that should concern everyone, including the newcomers.

I have written letters to Vallone's office before and received prompt responses- particularly on the matter of why the 114th precinct seems to NEVER answer their phone.

Why doesn't the 114th Pct answer the phone?

While I am not the biggest Vallone supporter, I don't think he should be held responsible for things that are not even in his realm of influence, and I do think he has done some good things for this community.

Like what?

[hellgate19]

Further to QueensCrapper's point, the internet, and our ability to broadcast the truth, IS getting off our asses and doing something about the problem. Whether you like him or not is irrelevant, President Obama did not get elected by just shaking people's hands and reading pretty poetry on camera. He changed the course of history by utilizing the internet as a impactful instrument of change.

I would much rather be riding my bike in a clean park, but instead, I am sacrificing my personal time loggin online to help get people to join in cyber screaming at the top of our lungs, that Vallone if failing his neighbors. Never mind is "constituents". This is a personal insult from our neighbor, the one who is supposed to be helping us, the very one who lives a few blocks away, is not being a fighter for preserving what makes this neighborhood the single best nabe in new york f*ing city, PERIOD. I've been here 13 years and I'll stripped naked in church and covered in doo doo before I allow a man like Vallone to obliterate his home which is MY home. I am far more proud to be an Astoria than his entire family combined, and I'm not even a native.

Nothing changes if you keep your mouth shut.

VALLONE OUT NOW

[JoeyC]

Impeaching is out of question, I have my likes and dislikes of him, but lets not get carried away.   

I never met him, but dealt with his office. They are effecient, but I had to push for result on problem, and lady who seems to run things, I think she is from Ireland,  was all business, which is fine.   Problem involed reletive and cop, and they were pro-cop.    A cop had threatened kid in family, took a while to resolve,  although maybe it was not resolved.  Cop was not punished, and on folllow up   woman from his office had attitude.  Kid never encountered cop again, so who nows. 

On plus side he is from neighborhood, knows area, is around a lot, stays active in community.   He is a politition, so we can do much worse.  Can we do better?  I don't see it.    I think he tries, and it is a balancing act that is especially tough in such a largly populated area with so many different interest groups.   

[kempsternyc]

Wow......Just when one thread quiets down, another erupts.

I don't think I'd go as far as the OP suggests.

[Christine]

he tells me if I don't like what is happening to the neighborhood, I can just leave

As I type, the usual roar of motorcycles is right outside the window. Will not miss this when I leave.

the passing car called the guy in question a f*ggot. Vallone threatened someone defending their integrity with hauling them to jail!!!

If this is how the incident really transpired, it does sound like excessive force. However, the notion of "defending one's integrity" is what gets too many doofy dudes into trouble in the first place. Just like kindergarten. But maybe that's a woman's point of view.  :roll:

I suspect that this town will always be caught between its convenience and the fact that people will put up with all kinds of crap for the convenience. So there's no real reason to change.

[JoeyC]

I've had the opposite experience - they've always been very responsive when I've called or written, even in areas that were technically outside the jurisdiction of the City Council.  His staff was responsible for the repairs to the stairs on the East side entrance to the Broadway N/W station, got us trash cans at key locations on Broadway and helped us shut down two noisy nightclubs.  He's even painted over graffiti in many parts of the neighborhood. 

Are you calling during normal work hours?  I know his council email is on the NYC Council website - I think they all are.

You are involved in politics, maybe that is reason you get response?  If you call annonamously,  and get results, then  would you make some calls for me?  :-)    You could hire yourself out, make good money, ann besides, if you have such a talent, to waste it would be  a shame.