Ted Anagnostos is the owner of the Subway Shop at 251-05 Jamaica Ave in Bellerose Queens right near Staples. Ted, who owns two Subways and is planning on a third, is a young patriotic entrepreneur and a wonderful guy. Joe Concannon was the presenter at the 2014 Lincoln Day Dinner of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award to Ted for his courage to take risks, his spirit as a builder and job creator who is making an impact and the dignity that a job creates in people’s lives.
Lincoln Dinner 2014 Videos: Master of Ceremonies Tony Lo Bianco and Past and Present Club Presidents
Phil Orenstein, new Queens Village Republican Club president gives the audience a brief welcome and introduces Tony Lo Bianco, Master of Ceremonies. James Trent, Chairman of the Board of Directors, presents the Outstanding Service Award to former Club President Philip T. Sica.
Lincoln Dinner 2014 Video: Senator Padavan Presents Lifetime Achievement Award to James Trent
James Trent
New York State Senator Frank Padavan, our beloved Republican State Senator for 38 Years in Eastern Queens, now retired, presents the Lifetime Achievement Award to James Trent. President and Founder of the Queens County Farm Museum, James Trent has selflessly given over 50 years of civic service and leadership to the residents of Queens County, without asking for anything in return. As the Club’s workaholic Lincoln Dinner Chairman, he exclaimed that this was “the most successful, profitable and well attended GOP event he has ever hosted.”
Creedmoor’s Security Problems
Frederick R. Bedell Jr., a concerned resident of Glen Oaks Village, wrote the following letter published in the Queens Ledger about the threat to public safety for the community posed by the lax security at Creedmoor Psychiatric Facility which has allowed another convicted killer to escape.
Dear Editor:
I found it quite troubling to read about state run Creedmoor Psychiatric Facility in Bellerose and that a week ago a convicted killer who was there for observation had escaped. This is the second occurrence in ten months at the facility. There seems to be a lapse of security at Creedmoor and that worries many of us in the surrounding communities. Now my wife and myself and our neighbors live only three blocks away and worry about future escapes and the risks to our own lives. But on a positive note our own Co-op President of Glen Oaks Village, Bob Friedrich as well as twelve other civic leaders and their associations and including our local elected officials have joined together to try to correct this situation. They have just released a statement at a meeting in Queens that laid out a seven-point plan that they would like to see implemented, including a full investigation at the facility, This I feel is a step in the right direction. The bottom line is that steps not taken will further endanger all of us in the community. Here is the seven point plan they came up with:
Open Letter to the Queens Village Republican Club
Rick Cannon, a past president of the Queens Village Republican Club and current Tea Party activist living in Cape Coral, Florida, recently wrote a letter sharing some of our club’s past history. Though smaller two decades ago, the members worked hard to grow the club and get Republicans elected.
With an expression of pride in our club’s recent growth and our successful 139th Anniversary Lincoln Dinner he sent his best wishes to all our club members today as well as a generous donation. Below are some historical photos he shared, of a past Lincoln Dinner with Mayor Rudy Giuliani and early photos of Senator Padavan.
“Don’t let the current lack of Republican leadership in Queens get you down. A resurgence may be coming soon as the policies of Obama and de Blasio fail. It is vital to have the QVRC ready to strike when the opportunity arises.”
Lincoln Dinner 2014 Videos: Reps. Peter King and Bob Turner
In his keynote address, Rep. King talked about America, about New York City and Queens as well as his bid for the presidency. He called on the Republican Party to move forward in Queens and get rid of the intramural fights and stand together.
Here are the videos and photos of former Congressman Bob Turner introducer and keynote speaker Congressman Peter King at the 139th Anniversary Lincoln Day Dinner. Republican Congressman Bob Turner formerly represented New York’s Congressional District 9, after he won the epic special election battle against longtime Democrat David Weprin in an overwhelmingly Democratic district, becoming the first Republican to represent the area in over eighty years. Turner was mentored by Homeland Security Chair, Congressman Peter King and today they remain very close friends.
Long Island Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick: Not Afraid to Say ‘No’
“These proposals have also gained a great deal of attention from both the print and broadcast media throughout the state…. Regardless of the outcome of the bill, it has begun to drive the conversation in Albany into not if, but rather when and how, we must reform the budget and change the entire budgetary process into one which places the taxpayer first.”
Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick: Not Afraid to Say No.
By Robert Golomb
The President and many national Democrats have dubbed the Republican Party as the party of “ No” because of their opposition to a long list of domestic and foreign policy bills proposed by Democrats in the House and Senate. Republicans refute such a label, arguing that whenever they have opposed legislation initiated by Democrats, they have offered their own bills, only to have them readily dismissed by the President and his party.It seems to me that on a national level each party has a point. But if Democrats are looking for a Republican to be their poster child of the “ No” vote, all they need do is leave Washington and come to the NYS Assembly in Albany, where they can meet and study the voting record of the Assemblyman for the 8th AD, Republican Michael Fitzpatrick.
Having voted “No” on every state budget with the exception of the 2011-2012 and 2012- 2013 budgets since his election in 2002, Fitzpatrick, the married father of two adult children, could immediately become the “ No” vote poster child for these Democrats – who would also learn that Fitzpatrick over that same time voted against any bill that contained an increase in business, property or personal taxes and, or, contained any hikes in fees paid to governmental agencies. Based upon this record, these Democrats would come to understand why Fitzpatrick is often referred to as“ Doctor No” by legislators on both sides of the aisle in the State Assembly Building in Albany.
When I interviewed Fitzpatrick – whose Suffolk County District covers the entire town of Smithtown, and northern parts of the town of Islip – in his Smithtown community office last week, he explained why he is proud of his many “ No” votes. “ I wear my no votes as a badge of honor,” he said, with just a glimmer of a smile on his face. “ The bills that I opposed, which unfortunately were passed, were filled with wasteful spending, adding up to more than six billion dollars. The citizens of my district, which is composed primarily of middle and upper middle class families, are the good, hardworking, family oriented people who pay a disproportionate amount of the tax burden in our state, which, as I’m sure you know, is the highest taxed state in the nation. So, of course, I will vote no on any legislation that will drive our taxes even higher.”
Fitzpatrick, who has a BA in Business Administration and has worked for 14 years in the financial services industry, however, was quick to add that he has accomplished far more in the Assembly than simply voting “ No” on budgetary measures that he believed contained excessive spending. Noting that he has sponsored or co-sponsored 36 bills during his eleven years in the Assembly Fitzpatrick stated, “ To change the culture in Albany it is not enough to simply be reactive and vote no. It is equally important to be proactive and introduce bills- economic and otherwise- that will actually benefit the citizens of NYS.”
Asked to cite the three bills he has sponsored of which he is most proud and explain the importance of each, Fitzpatrick unhesitatingly offered the first two, which unsurprisingly to me, concerned issues relating to the budget: “ I was proud to have introduced a bill that capped the property tax levy at a level that can not exceed the rate of inflation. This establishes a built in check on government spending which provides an essential safeguard for our taxpayers.
“And, I am also proud”, Fitzpatrick continued,“ of the legislation I have introduced to reform our pension system. Pension costs for the state and local governments are the elephant in the fiscal room. The high and ever escalating costs {of the state pension} will be very difficult to sustain even into the near future…. My legislation would provide tax relief for our over burdened citizens, and at the same time, the bill would provide new state and municipal employees with a pension plan that will be fiscally stable both in the short and long term.”
Because it had nothing to do with the state budget, the third legislative proposal he cited came, at first, as a surprise to me. “ I sponsored a bill that would prohibit the New York State Employees Retirement System from investing in companies that do business with nations that sponsor terrorism such as Iran. I am particularly proud of this law…. It allows New York State to do something to thwart this awful regime from possessing nuclear weapons’’, he said.
Fitzpatrick then paused shortly before adding, “ Such nuclear weapons in the hands of these Christian and Jewish hating Iranian Mullahs could result in enormous numbers of death and incalculable destruction to America and to our allies, including our closest ally, Israel, whose very existence would be threatened if Iran, God forbid, possessed a nuclear weapon…. As a devout Catholic and as an ordinary American citizen I marched in the 1980’s with my Jewish brothers and sisters on behalf of Soviet Jewry…. And today as an Assemblyman I will continue to work together with all good people of all faiths to try to prevent a monstrous anti- Christian, anti-Semitic regime from possessing monstrous weapons.”
Fitzpatrick told me that when he returns to Albany next week, he will try to convince his colleagues to take a close look at a bill he introduced in the Assembly just last week. The bill contains controversial budgetary reforms which include – ending the practice of granting municipal government employees automatic salary increases when their contracts have expired, requiring that all new state and local government workers make payments into a 401 k style defined contribution to their pension plans, and placing a 2 percent cap on pay raises won by municipal workers in binding arbitration.
While there is virtually no Albany Republican or Democrat who gives this bill, which has drawn harsh criticism from public employee unions throughout the state, any chance of becoming law, Fitzpatrick remains convinced that, whatever the eventual outcome of the bill, he did not waste his time in authoring it. “ Every thousand mile journey, it has been written, begins with a first step’’, he said. “ Introducing this bill is an important first step…. Many of my Democratic and Republican colleagues, while probably not planning to vote for the bill now, are at least beginning to acknowledge the credibility of my proposals. These proposals have also gained a great deal of attention from both the print and broadcast media throughout the state…. Regardless of the outcome of the bill, it has begun to drive the conversation in Albany into not if, but rather when and how, we must reform the budget and change the entire budgetary process into one which places the taxpayer first.”
Most Yorkers, I suspect, would probably say yes to that.
Robert Golomb is a nationally published columnist. MrBob347@aol.com
139th Anniversary Lincoln Dinner was a Smashing Success!
Cocktail Hour at Antuns
The 139th Anniversary Lincoln Day Dinner, presented by the Queens Village Republican Club, the oldest and most diverse Republican Club in America was a blockbuster event celebrating our greatest American President and father of the Grand Old Party, Abraham Lincoln. This year’s annual gala broke all previous attendance records with over 200 guests! We are bursting with pride in our remarkable speakers, honorees and their stories of courage and success and we wish to thank all who attended and participated in this commemorative event. Videos of each speaker will be posted on the website to save the historical speeches for posterity. Here are some photos and more to come. These are some of the new faces of the Republican Party.
Lincoln Dinner to Fete Sridhar: Owner of the Top Asian Restaurant on Long Island
“Sri will be honored at the Queens Village Republican Club’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner on Sunday February 9, as the “Businessman of the Year” for succeeding beyond all his expectations.”
Sridhar Munirathinam (Sri) came to America to pursue his dream of opening his own restaurant. Sri will be honored at the Queens Village Republican Club’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner on Sunday February 9, as the “Businessman of the Year” for succeeding beyond all his expectations.
Sri was born in Madras, India, went to The University of Madras, and graduated with an Economics degree. After completing his studies in Economics, Sri completed the degree work in Hotel Management and then came to America to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. His first restaurant venture was in Manhattan for about 10 years, after which he moved to Flushing. Two years ago Sri moved his restaurant to New Hyde Park, where Southern Spice has repeatedly won awards as one of the finest Indian restaurants in Long Island. In fact, in October 2013, Newsday declared Southern Spice Chettinad Indian Cuisine the #1 Asian restaurant in Long Island.
Building the Future Foundations of Democracy
“These are the future soldiers for the strength of our democracy and the vitality of the Grand Old Party.”
The next generation, now commonly known as millennials, are seen as the generation without commitment or the “Peter Pan generation.” Each generation depends upon the next generation to carry the torch for our country and party. Freedom is not free. It’s something that has to be fought for each and every day. This is a commitment that requires perseverance and eternal vigilance.
Adam Sackowitz is our “Youth of the Year” honoree at the Queens Village Republican Club’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner gala on Feb 9th. Ryan James Girdusky, a young political commentator, consultant and writer, will be presenting the award to Adam. These are the future soldiers for the strength of our democracy and the vitality of the Grand Old Party. Freedom cannot be taken for granted. Adam and Ryan are on the front lines as the young protectors of our freedom.
