Five Questions for Chris Owens

Welcome to "Five Questions," a new series where Prospect Heights Patch asks local leaders about the issues that most affect our community, and what they plan to do about them. Our first interviewee is Chris Owens, State Committee member – more commonly known as "District Leader" – for the 52nd Assembly District, which covers a section of Prospect Heights.

 As 52nd Assembly District Leader, in what ways you are specifically empowered to effect change in Prospect Heights and the rest of the district? Are there certain issues that you have the ability to affect directly? Are there issues that are more difficult for someone in your position to affect?

The "District Leader" -- officially named State Committee Member -- has very little power to do anything on her or his own.  There are two district leaders per Assembly District.  In the 52nd AD, they are JoAnne Simon and me.  If the district leaders have a working relationship with the assemblymember, as well as the other local elected officials, then the potential to "get results" is much greater. 

Any issue that involves a larger number of decision-makers is an issue that the district leader will have less influence upon.  Examples of these types of issues would include land use, traffic or noise issues where the governing power resides with the local Community Planning Board, or education issues where the governing power resides with the Department of Education and the Community Education Councils and the State Assembly. (State law governs education.) 

This does not mean that the district leader has no influence; it means that the primary role for the district leader is to be a community organizer in order to influence more decision-makers in a certain way. 

(Remember, the district leader position is an unpaid Party position -- even though you have to be elected to it.  There is no "office" and no "staff.")

Issues that pertain directly to our political process are issues where district leaders have more influence -- if we choose to maximize our potential.  The selection and training of inspectors for the polls, for example, and the manner in which local judges are selected are two matters where the district leaders can really make a difference.  I am one of a group of district leaders who consider ourselves "reformers" -- we want to see improvements in Brooklyn's Democratic Party operations.  And, of course, we believe we have the best answers to the challenges that have been presented!

If Andrew Cuomo is elected governor, how do you think his administration will affect Prospect Heights specifically and the entire 52nd district more generally? If Carl Paladino is elected, how will his administration affect the area?

The three biggest issues that will impact upon Prospect Heights will be the same regardless of who the governor is come next January:  1) New York State's economy; 2) New York State's budget; 3) the legislative reapportionment and redistricting that will take place prior to the 2012 elections. 

New York's economy must improve dramatically for us to sustain and improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods.  First and foremost, residents need to be fully employed in order to strengthen the local economy.  Right now, there are too many storefronts that are vacant (landlords have to get less greedy, too, of course.) 

Economic improvement is essential to the attainment of a better state budget. 

So much of what the city has to work with is dependent upon the state's fiscal situation.  As of now, the next budget will be deadly in many ways.  Our schools, our public health care system, our public safety situation and our ability to deliver social services at the municipal level will all be further compromised.  At the same time, the politics of taxation will be in full play; those with higher incomes will do everything possible to prevent increases in their tax obligations while every possible source of expenditure savings and revenue generation will be explored.

And, depending in part on who holds the majority in the New York State Senate, the development of new boundaries for Assembly, State Senate, City Council and Congressional districts will determine the level of Brooklyn's legislative power -- and the power of Prospect Heights. 

Now that the construction of the Atlantic Yards development, or at least the Barclays Center, appears inevitable, how should the neighborhood engage with the development? Are there ways for Prospect Heights residents and other Brooklynites to interact with the development in a positive way? Or should those who opposed the development initially remain staunch in their opposition?

It is imperative that Prospect Heights residents remain extremely engaged in the development of the Atlantic Yards project.  As a staunch opponent of the project, even I realized that if we lost the battles we would need to "sit at the various tables" as the project moved forward.  I am proud to say that many PH residents have been active in fighting to ensure that the project does not totally destroy Prospect Heights as a special neighborhood. 

Just last week I attended a block association meeting where representatives of the Empire State Development Corporation and Forest City Ratner were doing a lot of explaining about the impending traffic challenges for Prospect Heights.

In the end, our elected officials have to be unafraid to make a stink if things are not going right -- including the low level of employment for local community residents thus far, for example, and the uncertainty surrounding traffic patterns. (Look at the disasters already unfolding on Flatbush Avenue.) 

Assembly Members Hakeem Jeffries (57th AD) and Joan Millman (52nd AD) along with State Senators [Velmanette] Montgomery and [Eric] Adams, and Congresswoman [Yvette] Clarke now bear the responsibility of enforcing appropriate and meaningful regulatory and political oversight of this monstrous project. 

All of us have direct influence over these representatives whether or not we have direct influence over [Borough President Marty] Markowitz, [New York City Mayor Michael] Bloomberg or the next Governor of our state.  I will certainly be involved with these efforts as much as possible.

How would you rate the schools in Prospect Heights and the surrounding neighborhoods? Are there simple, concrete ways Prospect Heights parents can ensure their children are getting a good education?

I am a public school parent.  I am also a graduate of P.S. 9, one of the three elementary schools that directly serve the Prospect Heights area (the others being P.S. 316 and P.S. 22). Your readers may or may not remember that I served on the Community School Board in District 13 from 1993 to 1999. 

None of these three schools are in the 52nd Assembly District -- and only two other District 13 schools are in the 52nd Assembly District (PS 282, PS 8).  For a variety of reasons, however, my eldest son ended up at P.S. 261 in District 15 some 10 years ago -- and his little brother followed.  I am not comfortable, therefore, "rating" any of the PH schools (which are in former Districts 13 and 17).  I believe that current parents and staff should have that opportunity -- as well as outside experts (real experts, not [New York City Schools Chancellor] Joel Klein experts.)

That being said, I also believe that, in the end, a school receives a binary evaluation -- it is either "good" or "bad."  In a parent's mind, their child will either receive a strong education and a good foundation for the future or not. 

During my recent work with a non-profit specializing in after-school and summer academic programs, I had the opportunity to visit hundreds of schools around New York City.  And I have been a part of my boys' academic growth as well.  In my heart, I do not believe that the education system in New York City is doing as good a job of preparing our children for the future today as it did when I was younger.  There are many of my generation (and slightly younger) who would agree.  At the same time, however, our children are far more "worldly" at younger ages than I was -- which is education in and of itself.

We need to always tinker with "education" because society is changing.  But we have a tendency to point fingers when attempting to make changes, and that is not helpful.  Our media today and the computer age has done far more to both hurt and help our children than we can fully understand, yet education "reformers" create scapegoats. 

The overwhelming majority of our public school teachers cares deeply about their work and work very hard, yet their union has been too slow to understand the need to aggressively retrain or discard the few failures. 

Politics is a game of winners and losers, however temporary. By giving urban mayors absolute control over education systems, we have "incentivized" them to create millions of political footballs -- our children.  In our less populous counties and states, selfishness and fear around property taxes (a ridiculous way to fund schools to begin with) has undermined the value of education in America.

One thing remains true. Parents must be the most active educators in their children's lives and the strongest advocates for quality education.  Research shows that strong parent involvement and a stimulating home environment are critical factors in a child's educational achievement.

Running to private, parochial or even charter schools is on the minds of many active public school parents.  But that is the opposite of what our children need.  We need the active, caring parents to help turn public schools into the centers of excellence and support that they can be. It's hard but it is needed.

I have worked with the current Principals at PS 22 and PS 316, for example, and I think that parents should meet them.  They are quite dynamic.  Ironically, I don't know the Principal at PS 9 and I will have to rectify that in the near future.  I do know that PS 9 has ridden a rollercoaster over the years, but I have heard good things recently.

I will also say this:  many PH parents -- and other parents -- are very disappointed with the universe of middle schools within District 13.  This is something that I have not had to address directly in my life since my sons were in District 15, but I will be talking with my Assemblywoman (who is on the Education committee) as well as other elected officials about these complaints.  I will not even attempt to address the high school challenges in this piece.

What is an important issue in Prospect Heights and the surrounding neighborhoods that is too often ignored, and what should be done about that issue?

The word "ignored" is too harsh, in my opinion, but I do believe that certain issues are misunderstood.  For example, the use of residential parking permits is an issue on the horizon -- related to the Atlantic Yards project -- and people will need to pay attention to this.  A second issue is the Prospect Heights Historic District.  Do our residents -- and our neighbors outside of PH -- all understand this designation and its implications? 

Another issue will be the placement of Prospect Heights -- or pieces thereof -- in the various political districts about to be redrawn.  I personally hope that Prospect Heights is united in one Assembly District, one State Senate District, one Council District and one Congressional District.  Such unity will enhance our ability to be a political priority.  But there is no way to ensure this will happen -- particularly if the community is not strategic and vocal about this desire. 

Finally, the relationship between Prospect Heights and its larger neighbor, Crown Heights, is one that is regularly tested.  There are those who maintain that PH is a neighborhood-within-a-neighborhood as opposed to a separate neighborhood.  And, of course, there are those who feel differently.