Statement on the Atlantic Yards Eminent Domain Ruling
Statement on the Atlantic Yards Eminent Domain Ruling
Statement of Brad Lander, City Councilmember-elect, 39th District on the Atlantic Yards Eminent Domain Ruling:
“Atlantic Yards continues to be wrong for Brooklyn. All along, it has been massively out-of-scale, with a poor urban design that creates barriers between neighborhoods and privatizes open space, wanton overreliance on subsidies from our tax dollars, no meaningful plan for traffic and transportation impacts, and little regard for public input or process. More recently, even the purported public benefits have been diminished, with less affordable housing and inferior architecture. The revised plan has not been subject to adequate public review. The mistake of mega-development has created “blight” where it did not exist, that is now likely to remain with us for decades. I urge Governor Paterson to intervene, and to insist either that the public benefits on which the project was originally sold be made legally binding, and the revised project subject to environmental review … or else to cancel the deal and go back to the drawing board.”
Amy Sirot & Mark Zimet House Party
Cobble Hill
Joe Giamboi House Party
Windsor Terrace
Help our brothers and sisters in Haiti
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the millions affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Please consider supporting these and other organizations working to help the people of Haiti.
Save our Buses and Subways
Drastic cuts proposed by the MTA would decimate public transportation services in our community. The MTA is proposing to reduce service or completely eliminate the B23, B51, B69, B67, B71, B75, and B77 buses all of which directly serve our district; phase-out the student MetroCards, which get 600,000 kids to school; and reduce paratransit (Access-A-Ride) service by $40 million. There are several things that we can do to make our voices heard on this issue.
Honor Julian Brennan by Helping Build Schools in Afghanistan
Marine Lance Corporal Julian Brennan, who grew up on 15th Street in Park Slope, was 25 when he was killed in Afghanistan one year ago, on January 24, 2009. In a remarkable act of compassion, his parents Bill and Thya Brennan are asking us to make contributions to the Central Asia Institute, which builds schools in Afghanistan.