First the disabled, now the elderly—Hizzoner's really on a roll this month. When Margaret Ionescu, an 82-year-old Romanian immigrant, returned to her Astoria apartment after a recent hospital stay, she was dismayed to find that the ceiling was water-damaged, a faulty front door wouldn't close properly, and the bathroom mirror was damaged. When her superintendent failed to make the repairs, she knew where to turn for help: The 311 non-emergency hotline created by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
But Ionescu says operators repeatedly hung up on her and told her they didn't understand her request, and after 23 calls failed to get any results, she again knew where to turn for help: Mayor Bloomberg himself. She explains to Newsday, "I told 311 if you cannot solve my problem, I should call Bloomberg because he keeps telling me to call 311 to have my problem solved. All I wanted to do is knock on Bloomberg's door because he's the biggest person in town. What do I have to do—ask God for help?" It was her promise to take her complaint directly to Bloomberg—who is richer than God, and more unapproachable—that raised red flags with 311.
Soon enough, two detectives from the NYPD's Public Security Unit paid her a visit. Ionescu tells the Post, "I am from Romania. The cops there were very bad. I was scared when the cops came to my door. I didn't want to be taken away. I did nothing wrong. The cops say I want to hurt mayor. No, I say, I want help from the mayor." After their little chat, the officers left their phone number and promised to help make sure the repairs were done.
The building's super, Sergio Cabrera, says Ionescu's always complaining. But he tells Newsday, "The last thing I want is a problem with her." Nevertheless, he insists the door had been replaced in January after it was damaged in an electrical fire and works fine; it just needs a paint job. Also, the water stain was already painted over and it's not his job to fix her bathroom mirror. So it sounds like Bloomberg's going to have to grab his tool belt and head over to Astoria this weekend—before Ionescu takes him down.
