Common Sense: Bad idea/Worse timing

At present, 16-year-olds under the penal law can be charged as adults. Governor Cuomo announced in his State of the State that he wishes to see that age raised. Last Wednesday he created a commission to look at the issue. Coincidentally, last Wednesday was the day that Officer Guerra passed away having perished from a fire caused by a “bored”16- year-old.

There should be no change in the law as regards the charging of a youthful offender as an adult, at least when a violent crime is involved. District attorneys need all options at their disposal when addressing violent crime, with age not being a consideration if the public is to be provided with maximum protections.

The 16-year-old who caused the fire that killed the police officer and has left his NYPD partner in very serious condition should be treated like any other murderer. In this case, a life sentence would be just about right.

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The Brooklyn Conservative Party’s annual brunch honoring Community Education Council 20 President Laurie Windsor was a great success. She received our Ronald Reagan Americanism Award which has traditionally gone to a non-Conservative Party member who has done extraordinary things as a volunteer.

The president was a great believer in Americans not depending on government for everything. He often spoke of personal responsibility and the need for the individuals to take action. He was a tremendous supporter of volunteerism.

Laurie Windsor, through the CEC, is involved in everything from policy issues to art contests and the Ragamuffin Parade. She has played a role in many other community groups and has been a major boaster of Deborah Hospital Foundation which provides medical services free of charge. Together with her husband Andrew, who served as the president of the Bay Ridge Community Council, they are a family of givers. We are fortunate to have families like the Windsors in our community.

The keynote speaker was New York Post columnist and Manhattan Institute Fellow Nicole Gelinas. Nicole spoke of the many problems with the mayor’s proposal to shut down the carriage horses. She noted that the city has never closed down an entire legal business. Regulated, yes. Closed down, no.

She noted that 300 jobs would be lost and tourism negatively impacted. She questioned if it was in the best interests of the horses that are treated well and without the work could find themselves as dog food. And she raised the specter that this was really about powerful real estate interests — developers who heavily financed the mayor’s election — that want the land that house the stables for luxury apartments. .

Among the crowd were Congressmember Michael Grimm, State Senator Marty Golden, Councilmember David Greenfield and representatives of State Senator Simcha Felder and Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis.

The event was also used as an opportunity for the Brooklyn Conservative Party to announce that it will have a full slate of congressional candidates in 2014.

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Best of wishes to Deputy Inspector Richard DiBlasio who, after several successful years as commander of the 68th Police Precinct, has moved on to the 70th Police Precinct. Under DiBlasio, crime regularly decreased, with it recently hitting a new low. We were fortunate to have him as our local commander.

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