Queens state lawmakers are looking to bring home more than $3 million in funding for projects in their districts through the criticized State and Municipal Facilities Program.

The Assembly last Friday and Senate on Monday posted a list of funding for projects legislators are asking the state Dormitory Authority to approve. In Queens, those projects range from benches in Juniper Valley Park to security cameras in Far Rockaway and South Ozone Park, air conditioners in schools and a new emergency vehicle for the Glen Oaks Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

The Assembly’s list totals $36 million and the Senate’s is more than $74 million.

Those monies have come under fire by some watchdog groups, calling the funds “pork” and “earmarks” — the appropriation of funds for a project in one’s district.

The Empire Center for Public Policy blasted the program due to its apparent lack of transparency.

“Nothing in the law explains how projects are or will be selected,” the group states on its website. “The State and Municipal Facilities Aid slush fund apparently isn’t subject to the added disclosure and accountability guidelines applied to standard pork-barrel ‘member items’ at the recommendation of then-Attorney General Cuomo in 2008.”

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), whose district stands to receive $2,138,000 in improvements should the Dormitory Authority approve the requests, said calling the funding pork “is inappropriate.”

“What it comes down to is that I represent a district that has needs,” Avella stated in an interview. “And I’m happy and proud of the fact that I’ve been able to get funding for my district.”

Avella’s proposed funding will go to improvements at parks and schools in his district. He said he approached people within his district to see what they wanted money for.

Four out of the 13 projects listed under Avella are for air conditioners in schools.

A full list of his and other Queens legislators’ proposed projects can be found at qchron.com.

A look at the proposals statewide shows a disparity when it comes to which projects were picked for funding.

In the Democratic-controlled Assembly, Republicans are only taking home $2 million. In the Republican-controlled Senate, the only Democrats to receive funding are those who are part of the breakaway group, the Independent Democratic Conference — which shares caucus power with the right.

In the higher chamber, state Sen. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx, Westchester) took home the most for his district: $11.7 million. The second-highest was former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Nassau County), $3,615,000.

When asked if his IDC affiliation is the reason he’s the only Queens senator to receive funding, Avella simply stated, with a bit of a chuckle, “That’s probably true. What’s wrong with that?”

Avella’s decision to join the IDC irked the Democratic Party, especially those in Queens who backed former comptroller John Liu in an unsuccessful attempt to unseat the senator in a primary.

But it’s proved to be a good move for him, he said.

Speaking of his funding, Avella said his IDC move proved not only beneficial for his role upstate — “at least I get a role in what happens in Albany,” he stated — but for his district as well.

“Part of being a legislator is knowing how to move things in your system,” he said. “I think I’ve been successful in that respect.”

The Bayside senator has not heard if the mainstream Democrats will get a shot to reapply for funds under the State and Municipal Facilities Program.

He said it’s up to those individual members to “lobby for their districts.”

He didn’t find it unfair he was the only borough senator to have his projects put up for consideration.

“That’s up to them to do a better job for lobbying for their districts,” he said. “There’s nothing more to say.”

In the Assembly, the only Queens legislators to have their projects put up for proposal are Assembly Members Michelle Titus (D-Far Rockaway), Cathy Nolan (D-Ridgewood), Marge Markey (D-Maspeth) and Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside).

In Queens, Markey’s requests were the most expensive at $350,000. Titus came in second at $200,000.

LIST OF PROPOSED PROJECTS:

Assemblywoman Michelle Titus (D-Far Rockaway):

• $150,000 for street level closed circuit television camera boxes within Far Rockaway and South Ozone Park.

• $50,000 for the installation of a scoreboard in Brookville Park in Rosedale

Assemblyman Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside):

• $125,000 for the purchase of an emergency vehicle to be used by the Glen Oaks Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan (D-Ridgewood):

• $250,000 to upgrade and renovate the main stage theater facility at LaGuardia Community College. This will include replacing seating and carpet and renovating the walls and ceilings.

Assemblywoman Marge Markey (D-Maspeth):

• $300,000 for improvements to Bocce and basketball courts at Frank Principe Park in Maspeth

• $50,000 for the purchase and installation of benches in Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village.

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside): 

• $400,000 to install lighting at Glen Oaks Oval and Francis Lewis Park

• $275,000 to purchase and install decorative pavers, benches, fencing, and landscaping to enhance Captain Dermondy Triangle in Kew Gardens.

• $450,000 to upgrade the Bocci courts at Cunningham Park and the playground at PS 133 in Bellerose

• $90,000 to purchase and install area specific air conditioning units at IS 25 in Bayside.

• $90,000 to purchase and install air conditioning split units at PS 172 in Floral Park.

• $200,000 to repurpose the auditorium seats, and install air conditioning at PS 26 in Fresh Meadows.

• $65,000 to install six air conditioners in the gymnasium and auditorium of PS 29 in College Point.

• $50,000 to replace the floors in the cafeteria of PS 98 in Douglaston

• $50,000 for the refurbishment of the gymnasium at PS 115 in Floral Park

• $50,000 to complete the electrical upgrade project at PS 173 in Fresh Meadows

• $100,000 for new fences, cement and garden with benches at PS 191 in Floral Park

• $68,000 to purchase 100 classroom chairs, five sets of wooden blocks, 20 lunchroom tables and a collapsible multipurpose room wall at PS 242 in Flushing

• $250,000 to upgrade the soccer field at Little Bay Park.

© 2015 Queens Chronicle