FOR THE RECORD

A Track Worker has reported an incident of a passenger verbally abusing transit workers, which appeared to be fallout from a recent WABC-TV news piece that showed several Maintenance of Way workers not working and even working or jobs while on the clock at New York City Transit.

In a memo to NYC Transit Dec. 17, Track Worker Steve St. Hill alleged that a passenger approached one of his co-workers while they waited for permission to enter the tracks at the Main St. station on the 7 line in the Flushing section of Queens. He said that the man yelled "What the f---are 14 guys standing around doing nothing, where the f---are the signs, and what the f---is going on around here?"

Mr. St. Hill said he intervened and told the passenger to apologize.

"The problem with this scenario is why do you have us standing around in the public eye doing nothing, vulnerable to be physically and verbally assaulted by passengers?" Mr. St. Hill said in his letter to NYC Transit managers. "This is not job productive."

The incident came after a Channel 7 investigation that found numerous Maintenance of Way workers lounging around after clocking in. It also showed one worker who bought liquor for a tavern he owned while on NYC Transit time and another who spent his work hours reading a book in a park.

Several MoW workers said that they were often instructed not to work on the tracks during rush hours in order not to slow down train service, and often were idle but on call in case an emergency were to occur, the same way, they said, firefighters are not constantly working.

Local 100 President Roger Toussaint told WABC that it had recorded only isolated incidents. He lashed out at the anonymous union members who supplied information for the WABC piece, saying in a dispatch to members in November that they were "disreputable and destructive" and that they "fed [WABC] numerous lies and misinformation, just to get some attention and to pay back their co-workers for seeing them for who they truly are."

One of the city's top public high schools for performing arts and music has had to postpone and possibly cancel its annual musical performance due to Department of Education budget cuts.

The Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for Music & Art and Performing Arts, immortalized in the movie "Fame" for its lavish musical productions each autumn that now run from $45,000 to $70,000 for three to four performances, is cutting costs and focusing on reducing what are considered "luxuries" to meet budget reductions demanded by the city.

Principal Kim M. Bruno declined to be interviewed, directing all questions to DOE spokeswoman Margie Feinberg, who stressed that "the Principal made a decision not to put on a musical that was an after-school program; it was not part of the regular curriculum." Ms. Feinberg also made clear that while the production was not going on this semester, there was a chance that it could return in the spring if the money was found.

"[Ms. Bruno] hopes to work with the parents and raise private funds to maybe put the musical on in the new year," she said. "According to the Principal she had to make adjustments, and that's her prerogative."

The high expenditures for the production include not only the cost of supplies, costumes and set decorations, but also significant overtime pay for Teachers who work many extra hours a week during rehearsals.

According to DOE statistics, school attention to arts programs has fallen in the last year, with 30 percent of all schools citywide lacking an arts Teacher, up 10 percent. The budget for arts supplies has also fallen by $7 million. But LaGuardia Music & Art, because of its reputation, is a particularly telling casualty of the latest cuts.

Flags on state government buildings were flown at halfstaff Jan. 5 to honor a state native and Army Major who died on Christmas Day in Iraq.

Major John P. Pryor, M.D., a member if the 1st Medical Detachment's Forward Surgical Team died of wounds suffered while supporting American troops in Mosul, Iraq.

"He courageously placed his life on the line in order to serve his country and protect the rights and freedoms of this nation, for which we are eternally grateful," said Governor Paterson in ordering state agencies to lower their flags in tribute to his sacrifice.