Daily News from New York, New York • 301

CLASSIFIED BEGINS ON BACK PACE Staten Island Daily News, Tuesday, March 17. 1981 By MARY ENGELS mm "5J BAB I CD a ii unufi W0 ry wivn racng Staten Island Borough President Anthony Gaeta (left) unveils new ferry signs while engineer Richard Matarangeto and ferry director Leonard Piekarsky watch. Garden members study home drought dilemma By MARY ENGELS son Ohan, assistant professor, College of Staten Island, and James Moran, manager of a Somerville, N.J. well-drilling company. The program calls for short talks by each specialist, followed by a general discussion, then a period of questions from the audience.

Well-drilling equipment, pumps and other accessories will be displayed. The meeting is open to the public free of charge. Meanwhile, a second transportation survey is being distributed to selected households on Staten Island Also on hand for yesterday ceremony was Richard Matarangelo, borough engineer for the Traffic Department Proposed hike jars commuters on NJ Transit By BRUCE CHADWICK The highest bus and rail fare increase in New Jersey history 50 on buses and up to a staggering 90 on trains were proposed yesterday by New Jersey Transit officials and the jolt was felt by 326,000 angry commuters. The new fares, expected to cause a 12-25 drop in ridership after taking effect July 1, are needed, New Jersey Transit officials said, to make up an expected $80 million deficit this year. Under a plan announced by State Transportation Commissioner Louis Gambaccini, bus and rail fares will go up 50 in July and rail fares up another 2040 next January, depending on rider decrease, gas costs and current inflation.

"WE HAVE BEEN HIT with a one-twopunch," said Gambaccini. "On the one hand labor and fuel costs have gone up and on the other we have lost needed state funds at the same time inflation forces other costs up. Based on this, I think fare increases like this could become an annual event" Gambaccini, who made the grim announcement in Newark, was gloomy. "It pains me to take steps like this which might impact on riders. There will be a traumatic adjustment period to the new fares and some service cutbacks, and riders will go through some pain and suffering." he said.

Yesterday's announcement prompted several state legislators to call for a new discussion of the sales tax gas plan. Commuters were angry with the fare increases. "The state and federal governments are walking away from mass transit and placing the entire burden on the backs of the commuter." said John D'Amico, co-chairman of the Irate Shore Commuters group. New Jersey Transit a two-year-old state agency, regulates and subsidizes 17 bus companies and contracts with Conrail to run several state rail lines. The last fare increase, in 1980, was 11.

That did not result in the loss of any riders. A previous increase, also around 11, was in 1979, but since it came during the PATH strike, it was impossible to tell what effect it had in subsequent rider decrease. Guy Baehr, a spokesman for the state agency, said that the new fares after the 50 hikes are not that far out of line with commuter fares in See FARES Page 2 Staten Island Ferry commuters were the beneficiaries of new signs and new promises yesterday. The signs, designed to help insure ferry riders do not miss the boat, were posted in the SL George ferry terminal by ferry director Leonard Piekarsky and Borough President Anthony Gaeta. Both men used the occasion to promise renovation of the ferry terminals both here and in Manhattan and improvement of ferry service.

Piekarsky was optimistic about all the "good things that are happening both with the ferries and the terminals." "We are going ahead with our plans for avshopping mall at the Whitehall ferry terminal in Manhattan and are making gigantic steps in our efforts to turn that terminal around," he said. "We are getting ready to demolish the concession building in the center of the terminal and move the turnstiles closer to the boat entrance so as to leave the whole front part of the terminal open for the general public, who may just want to come and shop in the mall-like atmosphere rather than take the ferry." PIEKARSKY SAID he is also mandating that all new leases stipulate that store owners keep their areas clean and create an attractive atmosphere. "We are also in the process of upgrading the food facilities on the ferries to make them more attractive and more serviceable," be said. "We're also looking at the possibility of providing more trash equipment to dispose of the litter." The recent ferry survey undertaken by the Transportation Training and Research Center of the Polytechnic Institute of New York showed that many commuters were dissatisfied with the cleanliness of the ferries. "The public doesn't realize it, but most of them are the ones who cause the mess," said Piekarsky.

"It's especially bad in the SL George ferry terminal in the mornings, where we find coffee cups and papers just strewn around." PIEKARSKY SAID HE was pleased with the response to the ferry survey. He said 51 of the questionnaires distributed last month were returned, some with "very constructive replies." Phil Grealy, one of the research associates from Polytechnic Institute, said survey results reveal the ridership is interested in the system itself. "They are concerned about the possibility of changing to fewer boats, the cleanliness of the boats, the security on the boats, and they are also looking for ways to better coordinate the ferries, trains and buses," he said. Gaeta said that he intends to look into the possibility of forming a joint transportation committee of train, bus and ferry representatives to explore ways to better coordinate service to Staten Island commuters. "We've always worked with the local transit leaders before and there's no reason why we cant work out the problems with them at a joint session of all concerned," he said.

Members of the Staten Island Botanical Garden plan to hold a public meeting to explore alternate means for homeowners to provide water for lawns, trees, shrubbery, vegetables and flowers during the present drought emergency. The meeting is scheduled for March 23 from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Communica- tions Building, Wagner College Grymes Hill campus on Howard Ave. Michael Martin, botantical garden spokesman and moderator of the meeting, said that the project is in response to the numerous phone calls the garden has received from Island residents. "CALLS HAVE FOCUSED on questions on well-drilling and the costs involved," he said, "how to go about it, at what depth is drilling no longer feasible and what city rules and regulations govern such activity." Martin also said that people are concerned as to whether wells can be used safely for vegetables as well as lawns and flowers.

He also cited repeated inquiries about the types of plants and vegetables best able to withstand unusually dry conditions. Questions at the meeting will be fielded by a panel of experts including Sheila Rosenblatt, staff member, Department of Environmental Protection; John Scasny, Staten Island well driller; Mohammed Yousef, College of Staten Island, civil engineer and consultant, and Frances Paulo, landscape architect and consultant ALSO, DR. OLGA Federico, professor of biology at Queensboro Community College; William Meachem, Richmond county leader of the New York City Gardening program, Cooperative Extension Cornell Ander Offer a way to fight reassessments About 550,000 homeowners throughout the five boroughs have until March 26 to examine any increased assessments on their dwellings and to challenge them if they consider them too high, according to a bill just passed by the City Council. The bill could save millions of dollars in real-estate taxes, a council spokesman said, especially for homeowners whose properties have been either overassessed or erroneously given increased assessments in the belief that the properties had a market value of at least $150,000. The bill was introduced by Council member Ruth Messinger when some overassessments were discovered along with a series of possible errors due to the Finance Department's "zeal" in implementing Mayor Koch's wish to have homes which are valued at $150,000 or more assessed at 20 of market value like other homes in the city..