Donald Manes

Donald Manes was a controversial Democratic politician from New York City. He served as borough president of Queens, New York from 1971 until his death on January 28, 1986.

Related Topics:
Democratic - New York City - Queens, New York - January 28 - 1986

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Elected at age 37, Manes was the youngest borough president in Queens history. During his term, Manes turned his position from merely a cermonial role into a more proactive political job.

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He was reelected four more times, and in 1980 was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.

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Manes' popularity plummeted in late 1985, when In 1985, Manes was criticized over two of his pet projects he wanted to build in Queens' largest public party, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. One proposal was for a Grand Prix auto racetrack in the park, where the World's Fair was once held. Local community leaders lamented the idea, which became the first major project of his that was opposed.

Related Topics:
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park - World's Fair

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Also, in 1985, Manes worked to build a domed football/baseball stadium in the park, but it was opposed by local businessmen in the Flushing area. When Queens couldn't secure a football francise, the plan died.

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One of the biggest controversies came in late 1985, when Manes wanted to wire the borough for cable television. Manes rejected a proposal by the Queens-based Ortho-O-Vision company to place cable lines in the borough, and instead awarded contracts to mega-companies Warner Communications and Time-Life, as well as a cable firm owned by Percy Sutton. Local communities were outraged by the fact he passed over a local firm for large national companies. However the controversy died when Queens residents finally got cable.

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