Co-op City Times 03/10/18

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© Copyright 2018 Co-op City Times

Co-op City’s Official Newspaper Serving The World’s Largest Cooperative Community. Vol. 53 No. 10

Saturday, March 10, 2018

STAR Deadline For The 2018/2019 Tax Year Is Thurs., March 15 Applications for the 2018-2019 STAR Credit must be postmarked by Thursday, March 15. All Co-op City shareholders are eligible for the New York State School Tax Relief (STAR) Program, but it is not an automatic credit; it must be filed for. You do not have to reapply for STAR if you are already receiving the credit. You only need to reapply if you were receiving Basic STAR and you are now eligible for Enhanced STAR. Shareholders 60 years and older who need assistance completing their STAR application may contact the JASA Senior Services Office at (718) 320-2066, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or you may also walk in. Applicants must bring their 2016 taxes, if filed, and photo ID. You must also know how many shares you own and the specific date of purchase of your apartment. If you cannot locate your stock certificate, you can obtain this inforBY ROZAAN BOONE

mation from the Riverbay Finance Department. Eligibility for the upcoming 2018/2019 STAR credit, which will be received by those who qualify next year, is based on income information from the 2016 tax year. Shareholders who did not file taxes in 2016 must attach proof of their 2016 earnings to their STAR application, such as a Social Security statement, a1099 or W-2. Co-op City shareholders will also need the following information to complete their STAR application: • Cooperators who live in Sections 1-4, and in the Adler, Asch, Cooper, Debs, DeFoe and Broun Place townhouses – “Block #: 5141; Lot#: 120. • Cooperators who live in Section 5 and the Earhart Lane townhouses – Block#: 5135; Lot: 51. Since the 2016/2017 tax year, first time applicants are now required to register with the New York State Department of Taxation (Continued on page 2)

CB #10 District Manager Shares Information On Ongoing Projects

In lieu of the monthly meeting of Community Board #10’s ad hoc Co-op City Committee being cancelled due to the winter storm earlier this week, District Manager Matthew Cruz shared with the Co-op City Times and its readers some of the projects he was prepared to discuss at the meeting. District Manager Cruz has been an outspoken opponent of the effort by Baychester Retail III LLC to erect enormous electronic billboards on the property of the new mini-strip mall at Baychester and Bartow Avenues. He testified before the city’s Board of Standards and Appeals last week and has reached out to the New England Thruway Authority to have its engineers determine whether the existing signage is in violation of regulations limiting how close such signage can be from a highway. He said recent developments also initiated through his office have included multiple clean-ups of areas in and around Co-op City that have not been properly cleaned by the city and state agencies responsible for their maintenance. The new district manager, who has been on the job for approximately nine months, said this week: “My office, in conjunction with New York State Senator Jamaal Bailey’s office, have gotten areas along the New (Continued on page 4)

25¢

“It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times1”

Last week on the heels he made to our commuof celebrating a victorious President’s Message nity. He served on the challenge of the superBoard for many years, sized LED lighted billheaded up the Black board on the edge of Forum that distributed President Co-op City, the commfood through the food unity was shaken by the loss pantry and was a founder of of a young life. Simutathe Coalition to Save Affordneously, we came together able Housing (CTSAH). For to celebrate the life of a forall that Tony did, we salute mer Board director and him as a trailblazer in this community trailblazer, Tony community. Illis. Needs Of Our Our deepest condolences Community go out to the family of In my last report, I talked whose young life ended about the many changes for too soon. We hold you in the better that have occurred our prayers at this very difficult here at Co-op City since the election time. of the new Board that has spearheaded While I did not work with Tony the new direction to lead Riverbay Illis during his tenure on the Board, I into the 21st century. However, there am very aware of the contributions (Continued on page 2)

Linda Berk

REMINDER!!! Set Your Clocks Ahead! This weekend, it's time to set your clocks ahead one hour, and, where able, change the battery in your smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector.

BY BILL STUTTIG

March Snow Storm

March For Our Lives - March 24, 2018 Riverbay Corporation is sponsoring two buses to Washington, DC for the March 24th March for Our Lives to call for an end to the epidemic of mass shootings in America. The cost is $35 per person. Families and young people of Co-op City who would like to attend the march may board the bus at 2085 Bartow Avenue. The bus will leave at 5 a.m. on Saturday, March 24, and is expected to return to Co-op City at 11:30 p.m. Youth 17 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult. See flyer on page 3 for ticket and booking information.

Riverbay crews worked through the day Wednesday and continued the clean-up on Thursday morning clearing a few inches of a slushy, icy wintry mix from the pathways and sidewalks of Co-op City. The New York City region fared well as the ten inches of snow failed to materialize as predicted. Communities to the north and west were not so lucky as strong winds and up to 20 inches of the white stuff brought down trees, leading to even more power outages. Photo by Toriea McCausland


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