Seven Community groups, including Queens Civic Congress and Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council (NEQJCC) sponsor a forum, �Real Property Tax Reform,� featuring several elected officials and a labor leader at Legislative Forum 2008, Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 13 Iyar 5768. The event, hosted by Queens Civic Congress, Northeast Queens Jewish Community Council ["NEQJCC"], Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation [�Parker�], Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty [�Met Council�], The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New York (JCRC), Queens Hadassah and The Samuel Field Y takes place 9:30 a.m. at the "Y", 58-20 Little Neck Parkway in Little Neck. The Forum begins with a light breakfast - courtesy of Parker.

Legislative Forum 2008 features State Senator Frank Padavan, City Council Finance Committee Chair David I. Weprin, Assembly Member Mark Weprin, City Council Environmental Chair James Gennaro, and President David Moog of the City Assessors and Appraisers Local 1757, District Council 37 AFSCME. Queens Civic Congress President Corey Bearak moderates the program chaired by William E. Rapfogel, CEO of Met Council, and NEQJCC Trustee Jack Friedman chair the program. �We look forward to a discussion of important issues including the state of S.7000-A which established the current real property tax system, prospects for legislative reform, assessment reform, water taxes that increase unabated each year, and fairness in City Assessment Policies,� stated Mr. Bearak who also serves as NEQJCC's chair. For background on the issue, please look at 
www.queensciviccongress.org/Media/files/2007/2007-03-02 City Council Finance Hearing R-E Assess.pdf

The free Forum follows the serving of a light breakfast - courtesy of Parker Jewish Institute - at 9:30 a.m. and usually concludes in under two hours.� People wishing to attend are advised to make reservations by May 16.� Call the NEQJCC at (718) 225-6750 extension 247 or or email NEQJCC@aol.com.

Legislative Forum 2008, an annual program of the NEQJCC and the Y, also invites the Borough's legislators to meet and greet their constituents.� The breakfast attracted many community and civic leaders in addition to members of the Councils' member-organizations.

NEQJCC President Jeffrey Mr. Gurdus stated: "We look forward to working cooperatively with our fellow sponsors to present this Legislative Forum and other events to benefit Northeast Queens communities." NEQJCC Executive Director Gail Eisenberg added: "This forum presents an important opportunity to show decision-makers the strength and unity of the Jewish community."�� Y Executive Director Steve Goodman noted:� "By coming out on May 18, we can be sure that our voices will be heard when critical decisions that impact on our community are made."

The NEQJCC represents synagogues and other community, educational, fraternal, and religious institutions and organizations in some of the communities which form the City's backbone: Bayside, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, Douglaston, Floral Park, Fresh Meadows, Glen Oaks, Hillcrest, Hollis Hills, Holliswood, Jamaica Estates, Little Neck, New Hyde Park, Oakland Gardens and Queens Village. NEQJCC projects include a pre-Passover food Drive which collected over several thousands pounds, neighborhood development, Jewish continuit Lay Leadership, social action, promoting involvement and volunteer opportunities, fostering intergroup understanding and building a multi-cultural coalition. The Council combats anti-Semitism and discrimination, sponsors forums with major public figures, Jewish cultural events, open discussions with local Rabbis and represents community concerns. Its newest program, the Harmony initiative or �Hi� represents a collaboration funded by the City Council including the Office of the Queens District Attorney, the City Commission on Human Rights and the Northeast Queens Branch-NAACP. 

The NEQJCC helped form the NORC-WOW, a pilot program to serve seniors in one and two family homes. It publishes a (four-fold, 8.5 by 14-inch) brochure, You Can Have It All, touting life in northeast Queens communities, also available through its website, www.northeastqueensjewish.org, which also features a �community calendar.�

Mr. Gurdus said annual programs include its Installation of Officers and Awards Breakfast each fall, the lighting of the largest Chanukah Menorah in Queens, a Purim Carnival at the Samuel Field Y, and its Legislative Forum each Spring. In 2002 and 2004, the Council, together with Queens Hadassah and the Consulate of Israel, hosted the Ben Yeduda Street Comes to Bayside, an Israeli Gifts, which attracted thousands of visitors who purchased direct from Israeli merchants and listened to Israeli entertainers; a 2008 fair, part of a series of Israel at 60 events, takes place at Bayside Jewish Center, Sunday, June 22. A beneficiary of UJA-Federation, the NEQJCC works closely with the Queens Region-Hadassah, Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater New York, Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, the Samuel Field/Bay Terrace Y and Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, noted Executive Director Gail Eisenberg who can be reached at (718) 225-6750 x247 or via email at gail@northeastqueensjewish.org.

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C:\MyFiles\Jewish\NEQJCC\Legislative Forum\2008\Leg Forum PR 2008

WHO: Queens Civic Congress, Northeast Queens Jewish Council, State Senator Frank Padavan, City Council Finance Committee Chair David I. Weprin, Assembly Member Mark Weprin, City Council Environmental Chair James Gennaro, President David Moog of the City Assessors and Appraisers Local 1757 (District Council 37 AFSCME) and Queens Civic Congress President Corey Bearak.

WHAT: Legislative Forum 2008: �Real Property Tax Reform�

WHEN Sunday, May 18, 2008, 9:30 a.m. 

WHERE: The Samuel Field Y , 58-20 Little Neck Parkway, Little Neck, NY 11362

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