Two lawmakers trash state plan to sell office building

With whispers that the Shirley Chisholm State Office Building, located at 55 Hanson Place, is being put up for sale to an unnamed buyer, two local state lawmakers have vowed to keep it open.
The 100-year-old, 13-story building currently houses several agencies including the Office of Children and Family Services and the Department of Taxation.
The rumors of the sale started after the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) recently contacted state Sen. Velmanette Montgomery and asked her questions about the building’s use and if she would consider supporting its sale. Montgomery, whose district office is in the YWCA Building on Atlantic and Third Avenues, told ESDC officials she opposes the sale.
“It does not make any sense at all for them to be thinking about closing the State Office Building at one of the best transportation hubs in New York City,” said Jim Vogel, spokesperson for Montgomery.
Vogel explained that the only two other state office buildings in the area are in Harlem and Hauppauge, Long Island, which is at the tip of the island.
“So closing a state office building near a transportation hub, if unintentionally, is discriminatory against lower-income folks who don’t have cars or the time to be navigating to these other office buildings in order to get help,” he said.
But an ESDC spokesperson official denied the building is up for sale.
“We are still in the planning stages for the downstate region and while the building in question is not currently for sale, a broader strategy for both owned and leased space in New York City is being discussed,” said ESDC spokesman Austin Shafran.
Shafran said the ESDC is looking at the building as part of the Cuomo Administration’s ongoing effort to re-imagine state government operations.
“We have been developing a strategy to manage all of our real estate assets statewide. Our goal is to maximize the use of space, minimize costs and achieve significant savings for taxpayers,” he said.
Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, who has his district office in the building, said the people of Brooklyn deserve a state office building and the most appropriate place for it to be located is at its current location in Ft.Greene.
“The Ft. Greene location provides access to the large mass transportation hub in the borough and for mixed people from all corners of Kings County including Bed- Stuy, Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst and Brownsville to get access to their state government,” said Jeffries.
“We have made clear to the ESDC that under no uncertain terms we strongly oppose the sale of the state office building,” he added.

Jeffries proposes a laptop in the home of every student

If Assemblyman and 10th Congressional District candidate Hakeem Jeffries had his way every city public school student would have at least one laptop computer in his or her home within the next five years.
Thus, Jeffries rolled out a new “One Child, One Laptop” initiative in delivering his fifth State of the District address given before a packed auditorium at Pratt Institute last week.
“W.E.B. Du Bois, the noted scholar, once observed that the racial divide would likely be the most vexing challenge of the 20th century. I think it’s fair to say that the digital divide may emerge as one of the most vexing challenges of the 21st century,” said Jeffries. “We need to adequately prepare our children and our students for the modern economy and the technology-driven world.”
While Jeffries didn’t explain exactly how the initiative would work in his speech, his spokesperson Lupe Todd said it would involve public and private partnerships.
“He’s still in the planning stages. Whenever he has new initiatives he goes and proposes it to the community. It’s in the skeletal process,” said Todd.
Besides the “One Child, One Laptop” initiative, Jeffries said his legislative focus will be on getting more affordable housing through the creation of a $500 million fund for affordable housing in next year’s state budget by using proceeds from the mortgage recording tax. Currently, proceeds from this tax are used in part to provide mass transportation funding.
Jeffries also pointed out recent victories he has championed including the reauthorization of the millionaires’ tax, strengthening of rent regulations to protect working families and the end of prison-based gerrymandering so that prisoners are counted in their home communities rather than in the districts where they are incarcerated for purposes of drawing district lines.
Prior to his speech, the audience was treated to a performance by a choir of students from Ronald Edmonds Learning Center, J.H.S. 113 as they serenaded the house with several musical selections including the South African National Anthem.
Over 200 residents and community leaders attended the speech, which also showcased some political muscle in Jeffries run for Congress.
The night’s events were hosted by the mistress of ceremonies’ Yvonne Graham who is the current associate commissioner of the New York State Department of Health and the former Brooklyn Deputy Borough President.
Others in attendance were City Council members Letitia James and Al Vann, and Democratic District Leaders Walter Mosley and Lincoln Restler.

Kings County Politics

Parker out of Orthodox Jewish community loopWhile the state senate’s redistricting plan probably won’t pass muster (or is that pass the mustard) in court, the newly created “Jewish District” is likely to stick, which works in Sen. Kevin Parker’s favor.
Parker currently represents a wide swath of Central Brooklyn including the mainly Caribbean and African-American communities of East Flatbush and Flatbush, the mainly white, liberal middle-class of Ditmas Park, a sizable Asian Muslim community in Kensington, and the Orthodox Jewish community of Borough Park.
Under the proposed “Jewish District” he would lose Borough Park and a sizable portion of Muslim/Jewish Kensington, and pick up North Windsor Terrace, Greenwood Heights and Park Slope.
“It (the redistricting) does not affect me in a negative way,” said Parker. “The people in Borough Park would be happier because they are a little more conservative and I’m a little more liberal, but we did a lot of work together on parochial schools and kosher food.”
Parker, who is sharp on policy matters, did call the new senate lines “blatantly racist in breaking up communities of color, particularly in Nassau County, Long Island where Roosevelt and Hempstead were broken up into three or four different districts, and in upstate Rochester.
Some of these districting things will be changed drastically because they won’t hold up constitutionally in court, said Parker.
Jewish District, Simcha Felder and John Liu
Speaking of the “Jewish District,” powerful Borough Park Assemblyman Dov Hikind denied last week a Yiddish World News Report that he would run his son, Yoni, for the newly created “Jewish District” seat in the state senate.
“I wish he (Yoni) would consider it, but I think he’s too busy,” said Hikind, adding that perhaps his old political ally, Noach Dear, would be interested in running.
Another name floating around is Hikind adversary and former City Councilman Simcha Felder, who now works for Comptroller John Liu, whose also gearing up for the mayor race.
When Liu recently had campaign finance issues, it was reported that Felder was jumping ship, but he remains under the comptroller’s charge as both a capable money manager and a maverick political operator, with a very dry sense of humor.
“I’m very happy where I am,” said Felder. “My only comment regarding the senate race is we’re having wonderful 60-degree weather today.”
The Asian District
For readers into Asian culture and urban adventure, it should be noted that Brooklyn’s Chinatown along Eighth Avenue from the East 40’s to the 60s is really booming. I’ve eaten and shopped down there several times and it’s a cool place if you dig that scene like I do.
That said, the redistricting also created an “Asian District” in the state assembly. That seat is currently held by the unflappable Assemblyman Peter Abbate, who’s been in office 26 years.
“So what that Eighth Avenue is now 51 percent of my district. My district was already 38-percent Asian and I’m still keeping Bensonhurst and Dyker Heights,” said Abbate. “I know most of the community leaders there already. I was just there last Sunday at the Chinese New Year’s Parade – the same one I’ve attended for the past 15 years. I’m very active in community events and I’m a full-time assembly member so all my energies goes to the people I represent.”
While Abate is a savvy lawmaker, the thinking here is the Asian community is a sleeping tiger beginning to rouse.

Odds & Ends
State Senator Kevin Parker said endorsing a candidate for the 10th Congressional District Race between incumbent Rep. Ed Towns, Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries and Charles Barron is a very tough call because Towns was his mentor and Jeffries a good colleague in the state legislature. Kudos to Assemblyman Dov Hikind for his progressive stance on the reporting of domestic violence and sexual abuse cases in the closed-off Orthodox and Hassid communities to secular law enforcement authorities, and for his pro-feminism stance on the current woman’s rights issues in Israel.
Sources very close to City Councilman Domenic Recchia said he is still considering the borough president’s race.
The thinking here is Recchia would run surprisingly well in the African-and Caribbean-American communities of Central Brooklyn because he’s shown in his home district of Coney Island that he’s not afraid to engage the community of color.
Recchia is also not afraid to express his viewpoint such as when he recently told this reporter he didn’t think NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly and NYPD Communications boss Paul Browne should be fired for NYPD’s recent Islamophob video.
“Crime is down and it was their first big mess up,” said Recchia. “They said they’re sorry. Let’s move on.”

Eye on the Politics of the Atlantic Yards Project

For all the good that they do, occasionally, local elected officials do something that makes you want to say, “Hmmm?” Last Sunday, State Senator Eric Adams teamed with Assemblymen Hakeem Jeffries and Karim Camara to call “Foul” over “Failure of Barclay Arena Developer to Score on Community Givebacks.” Claiming that “many of the community benefits promised by the developers — including job creation, a public safety plan and the inclusion of affordable housing – have failed to materialize,” the trio announced “their plans to introduce legislation that establishes a subsidiary corporation for Atlantic Yards oversight and development.” The group calls on Kenneth Adams, president of the Empire State development Corporation, to “implement oversight changes in the Atlantic Yards development project” which “will ensure transparency and accountability to protect public resources invested in the project.”
State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, a staunch critic of the Atlantic Yards development as it was proposed and funded, was not invited to the presser. Neither were Assembly members James Brennan or Joan Millman. Montgomery is the Senate sponsor of the bill; Brennan and Millman are co-sponsors of the Assembly bill. Oddly, Adams has not yet co-sponsored the Senate bill.
Where was the concern expressed this week by Adams, Jeffries, and Camara during five years of displacements, eminent domain law suits, and skepticism from other elected officials and community members over Forest City Ratner’s inflated job and affordable housing estimates. Why is legislation calling for “changes in the governance of the Atlantic Yards Project, the development that includes Barclay Arena, future home of the New York Nets” being announced now?
Adams said, “We have been extremely patient with this project. This has been a difficult project that has uprooted this community. We have been patient and attempted to come to a meeting of the minds. I don’t think you can find three more elected officials who have attempted to be a voice of reason around this project. If we are saying we are fed up, then clearly the developer has gone too far.”
“I supported this project in 2006, much to the chagrin of many of the advocates and neighborhood groups who were in opposition from the very beginning,” said Camara. “I did not support this because of the basketball arena. $225 million in City funds and $100 million plus was not supposed to be for basketball. It was a public interest that was supposed to be adhered to — 14-15,000 construction jobs, 10,000 permanent jobs – yet we have not seen anything close to that number. All we continue to get are false promises.”
Incidentally, Camara received campaign donations in 2006 from individuals close to Forest City Ratner developer Bruce Ratner — Michael Ratner, Bruce Ratner’s brother ($1,000) and Karen Ranucci, Michael’s wife ($2,500). In 2009, Camara received $3,000 from Bruce Ratner himself and an additional $3,000 from Pamela Lipkin, known to be Bruce’s girlfriend. In 2006, Karen Ranucci gave $3,500 to Adams’ campaign; Michael Ratner gave $1,500.
Over the years, Jeffries has not received campaign contributions from Bruce Ratner or his immediate family members. Jefries statement at the presser might explain why. “This project was approved before Sen. Adams and myself were in office, and perhaps a few months after Assemblyman Camara had come into office. My only official act as it relates to this project – I wasn’t even sworn in at the time – was to write a letter to Speaker Silver urging him to suspend the PACV vote because there was inadequate information that the project would actually deliver the benefits that were intended,” Jeffries said. “I expressed a great deal of skepticism from the very beginning. Unfortunately we were not in office at the time to take part in the negotiations that took place prior to the PACV vote in December of 2006.”
Adams added that he “was never supportive of the community benefits agreement. I don’t believe developers should sit down with handpicked community members and decide how they’re going to shape a project. I am in support of government using the bodies that are in place to make sure developers do their jobs. This should have never circumvented the city Council. He (Ratner) should have never been given a sweetheart deal getting this project the way he did.”
The expressed frustration seems to be about jobs, something critics have been concerned about for years. “Our goal was to see jobs and housing come to this community, to bring in apprenticeship programs for young people who live in this area. Their tax dollars went into this project,” said Adams. He anticipated “prosperity and growth. We saw just the opposite. We are not happy with that. As legislators we are saying enough is enough.”
“There should be an accounting, particularly of the jobs. What I find most distressing is there are existing members of the Carpenters Union who I represent who put their names on the list and can’t get on the site. That was the reason why I supported this project, so that we can create much-needed jobs. There was supposed to be a pre-apprentice program. They were supposed to get training. They were supposed to get a skill. Not just have a job for the duration of construction but have a career. Those promises have not been fulfilled,” said Camara. “All we have is a basketball arena.”
“This is a project that has promised much and has delivered little. At the onset of this project, there were over 14,000 jobs that were promised. Less than 100 people from this community have received meaningful employment. There were 2,000 units of affordable housing that were promised. We haven’t seen a single unit of affordable housing. There were businesses – women and minority owned companies – that were promised an opportunity at economic success. The women and minority owned businesses that have gotten contracts appears to be few and far between,” Jeffries said. “It was supposed to be a field of dreams; it has turned into a graveyard of broken promises. It didn’t have to be this way. This should have been a meaningful public/private partnership.”
With $200 million in city funds and $100 million in state funding already committed, a waiver of the land use process, zoning changes, displacements, numerous lawsuits, a stadium that is half built, and an extended timeline of up to 25 additional years in which to complete 16 buildings of affordable housing, Adams believes now is the time to promote legislation to provide structural oversight to the project.
The bill in question is S1597/A1820, first introduced in 2010. It authorizes the Urban Development Corporation to create a subsidiary corporation for the purpose of the future planning, design, and oversight of the Atlantic Yards land use improvement and civic project. The purpose of this bill is to establish a project oversight entity, to supervise the Atlantic Yards Project in order to create increased accountability and oversight in the project’s governance.
This is a second iteration of legislation to provide oversight. The first, the Atlantic Yards Development Trust bill introduced in 2009 was designed to supervise the Atlantic Yards Project in order to create increased accountability and oversight in the project’s governance. It was killed by indicted former State Senator Pedro Espada during the two years of Democratic control of the Senate.
The current version of the bill was introduced during the 2011 legislative session. A vote was taken on June 24 at the end of the Assembly legislative session in the dead of the night. Although it passed, the Senate was unable to vote on it because it had concluded its legislative session a couple of hours prior to the Assembly vote.
Now that Governor Cuomo’s State of the State Address has officially kicked off the current legislative session, the bill has been re-introduced by Senator Montgomery and Assemblyman Jeffries. Created by the legislature, the bill would create a subsidiary corporation under the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC), but authority to compel implementation rests with the governor. Behind the scenes, it is hoped that Governor Cuomo would add oversight of Atlantic Yards to his budget.
“We are not asking anything different than what other communities have gotten. The Brooklyn Bridge project had subsidiary corporation. The Moynihan Station project had a subsidiary corporation. The World Trade Center had a subsidiary. Queens West retail and housing project had a subsidiary corporation,” said Jeffries. “Why is our community being treated differently? We are here today to demand that the Empire State Development Corporation step in, step up and do their job.”
Adams pointed out that “we have a new governor that understands the importance of employment. He is moving the state in a new direction that is built on employment.” Jeffries added, “We are going to continue to forcefully advocate with Gov. Cuomo the importance of this bill. The pathway to success is through support of this administration.”
“This is a litmus test for our new governor. One of the major problems we have had historically is that too many people have used taxpayers dollars to give promises and did not deliver. (The governor) is against that. This is a perfect opportunity. This developer (FCR) has become a poster child of how we will not do business with taxpayer’s dollars,” said Adams. “And now we need to send a very clear and strong message.”

City’s commitment to vocational schools questioned

Reorganization of Maxwell could spell end of cosmetology program –

If Brooklyn students want to take up a trade such as cosmetology, medical assisting or fashion, William H. Maxwell High School in East New York was historically the school to attend, but with the city now slating to close or drastically change the vocational school many students and educators are left in the lurch.
The Department of Education (DOE) deemed Maxwell as one of the city’s 33 failing schools despite its giving the trade school an “A” on its latest report card. And even though the graduation rate has improved from 30% in 2005 to 60% in 2011, the school plans to let go of about half its staff come June.
“It makes me question is it really about the kids as the mayor and the chancellor has us to believe?” said Zakiyah Ansari, parent leader for the Coalition for Educational Justice. “It’s like we’re being penalized for progress. When you look at other schools that went from an ‘A’ to ‘B’ and declined thereafter, there was no intervention from the Department of Education.”
Faculty and other educators at Maxwell are equally concerned.
“It’s unfair to our students who have worked hard for the past three years,” said Parent Coordinator Karen Scott. “What they’re saying to us is that because we didn’t reach our yearly annual progress on our math and English language tests, they want to close us. It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with us getting the ‘A’.”
Scott said the school is also a place that has created a family atmosphere where kids and parents alike can come and collectively work together to make the school successful.
“They’re looking at data as opposed to where we were and where we are now. We have to reach a common ground and I would suggest that they come into the school itself and see what we’re doing,” Scott said.
A DOE spokesperson responded that the reorganization of Maxwell puts it in line for receiving state School Improvement Grants.
“This would indeed involve closing the school, but not in the traditional sense,” said the spokesperson. “We believe this action makes us eligible for the state’s School Improvement Grants, which was suspended after negotiations broke down with the United Federation of Teachers.”
The issue also puts a spotlight on the DOE’s policy for vocational or trade schools such as Maxwell or Grady High School in Coney Island, where students get trade background in such subjects as electronics and air conditioning.
“At this point, there is no way to tell if this process will directly affect trade programs at schools like Maxwell,” said the spokesperson.
One City Hall source said the DOE doesn’t really have a strong commitment to vocational schools, and only has one state vocational Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) school.
“There’s only one BOCES school and it’s on the Upper East Side, which is not easily accessible for a lot of students,” said the source.

Kings County Politics: Early skinny on Borough President’s race

Although the Borough President’s race is still a year away, several sources say Sen. Eric Adams has a strong inside track to replace the term-limited Marty Markowitz in 2013.
Thus far, the only declared candidate is Markowitz’s former Chief of Staff Carlo Scissura who, while raising a hefty $127,605, has never held elected office.
Adams has a large constituent base in the heart of the borough including Flatbush’s Caribbean community and the powerful Lubavitch Jewish sect in Crown Heights. He’s also fairly well-liked borough-wide and is a former cop.
“I like Carlo. He’s like a son to me, but the (Shorefront Democratic Club) board wants Eric,” said Coney Island Democratic District Leader Dilia Schack. “The only time I see Carlo in the community is for the concerts. Whenever there’s a problem in Coney Island with shootings, Eric will come down and work it out. The Police Department is all white and Eric has come down to make peace between the police and the community.”
Schack’s words are interesting in both their edge and because Coney Island is City Councilman Domenic Recchia’s district. Recchia is also rumored to be eying the Borough President race.
Veteran East Flatbush Assemblyman Nick Perry is also expected to throw his hat in the ring.

Central Brooklyn pushes Harlem
Central Brooklyn is poised to take over Harlem as the city’s new black political base, says one political insider.
“I think a lot of the consulting world is looking at Central Brooklyn as the new black political base shifting away from Harlem,” the source said. “There’s also a lot of progressive political leadership coming out of Central Brooklyn (Jumaane Williams, Eric Adams, Hakeem Jeffries) and you will see increased voting numbers and a strong base of support,”
The source also noted that there is talk of Harlem Congressman Charlie Rangel’s seat being pushed into the Bronx.

Congressional race goes as Bed-Stuy goes
With the 10th Congressional District contest now a three-way race, sources from several camps say Bedford-Stuyvesant will be the neighborhood to decide the primary showdown.
The political pundit thinking is that incumbent Ed Towns will win his Canarsie/Flatlands/Midwood base, City Councilman Charles Barron will win his East New York/Brownsville base and Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries will carry his Fort Greene/Clinton Hill/Prospect Heights base.
“The 56th District (Bed-Stuy) could very well be the bellwether district,” said Fort Greene Democratic District Leader Walter T. Mosley III, who is supporting Jeffries.
Towns, approaching his 30th year in Congress, said that “elections are part of the democratic process” and he’ll be ready.
“Bed-Stuy will be a real battleground, and I’m confident we’ll hold,” he said.

Bruising battle for Assembly seat
Speaking of contests, the battle for the 57th State Assembly District seat promises to be down and dirty.
The seat opened up when current Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries announced his run for Congress because by law he can’t run for two seats at the same time.
Female Democratic Assembly District Leader Olanike (Ola) Alabi already declared she’s running, and judging from past elections, she’s already proven she has a take-no-prisoner approach to politics. She also knows the district and has strong union support.
Meanwhile, the male Democratic District Leader Walter Mosley III, said he also plans to run, but as an insider on Team Jeffries run for Congress, will for now focus on sending his mentor to Washington.
“I am jumping in, but I don’t respond to Ola. I never have and I never will,” said Mosley of Alabi’s e-mailed press announcement. “I will be very pragmatic in making my announcement and involve real people and an event that will display the real support I have.”
One political pundit source remarked this election may turn even nastier.
“This could get very bloody, but the loser could get a consolation prize if (Councilwoman) Tish James gives up her seat to run for Public Advocate,” the source said.

Hakeem Jeffries enters 10th CD race Joins City Councilman Charles Barron in three-way battle to unseat incumbent Ed Towns

They came, they saw and they chanted his name over and over again as Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries officially announced last Sunday on the steps of Borough Hall that he is running for the 10th Congressional District seat.
The expected announcement, before about 100 loyal supporters on a cold and windy day, sets the stage for what promises to be a rough-and-tumble three-way race between incumbent Congressman Edolphus “Ed” Towns and City Councilman Charles Barron, who previously announced he is also running for the seat.
“People are suffering and we deserve more throughout the neighborhoods in the 10th Congressional District,” Jeffries declared. “There are individuals in significant distress and there are children who are trapped in a failed school system and there are too many guns and not enough jobs.”
Jeffries said his mission was to support and fight alongside President Obama in what will be considered a critical presidential election.
“There are people in Washington who want to destroy Social Security and eradicate Medicare. There are folks on the Radical Right who want to take us back to a very different America; this is why you see civil rights, women’s rights, immigration rights and reproductive rights all under attack. When I get to Washington I’m going to fight for this community, fight for the city and I’m going to fight for our President Barack Obama,” he said.
While his announcement was brief, many supporters stuck around to give their insight as to how Jeffries’ bid for Congress will directly influence the community.
“I think it’s a vibrant thing he’s doing and I think it’s going to revitalize a whole lot of political movements,” said Delroy Wright, who is running for City Council in the 40th District against City Councilman Mathieu Eugene, which is in Rep. Yvette Clarke’s 11th Congressional District. “When you think about it the dynasty in Brooklyn politics I think has to be broken; we need new blood in politics because I think it will help to generate new ideas and a new approach and I think that it will be good for the institution of politics and generate a lot of new aspects,” said Wright.
Prominent attorney Kenneth Thompson was on hand to officially introduce Jeffries.
“I think that we will have a fighter and we will have someone who will stand up for our interests. Look at what he’s done with respect to the stop-and-frisk practices with the NYPD that was controversial and that took courage,” said the trial lawyer who has defended notable clients such as Abner Louima and the hotel maid at the center of the Strauss-Kahn incident.
“I think having Hakeem Jeffries go to the House of Representatives will benefit our community where you will have an intelligent fighter down in Washington. We all can benefit from that. I think that he’s already thinking about the national issues. I mean all politics are local but here’s a man who knows the local issues but who is also going to stand up and fight for us on a national stage. We need that,” said Thompson.
The 10th Congressional District serves various neighborhoods in Brooklyn including Bed-Stuy, Prospect Heights, East New York, Canarsie, Flatlands and Fort Greene/Clinton Hill.

Controversial Broadway Triangle project spills into Bed-Stuy

The proposed Broadway Triangle affordable housing project straddling Williamsburg and Bedford-Stuyvesant dominated this week’s Community Board 3 meeting held at Restoration Plaza.
In particular, City Councilwoman Diana Reyna said the housing plan as proposed further perpetuates discrimination in the black and Latino community
“I ask and I urge all of you, with all of us as leaders of our community, to remain aware and involved,” said Reyna at the meeting.
Reyna’s appearance came after she and other opponents of the city-backed project went to court to block the development, alleging it illegally favored Hasidic families over blacks and Latinos.
Supreme Court Judge Emily Goodman agreed and recently issued an injunction halting the project, saying the development “will not only not foster integration of the neighborhood, but it will perpetuate segregation in the Broadway Triangle.”
The city tapped the Ridgewood-Bushwick Senior Citizens Council and the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg – two nonprofits with close ties to Brooklyn Democratic boss Vito Lopez, who made Broadway Triangle a pet project – to build about 1800 apartments on the mostly-barren 31-acre stretch near the Bed-Stuy border.
Opponents objected that the plans for large apartments in low-rise buildings and a special preference for residents of Williamsburg and Greenpoint that didn’t include nearby Bedford-Stuyvesant, illegally favored Hasidic residents who often have large families and can’t use elevators on the Sabbath.
CB3 Chair Henry Butler said while his community board didn’t feel right about staking out an official position as the project is not directly in its jurisdiction, he personally supports the lawsuit.
“I felt the plan as developed did not take into account the whole community of Williamsburg,” said Butler.
“The housing aspect was discrimination. The project could be built a lot higher than four or five stories , providing more affordable housing for the Puerto Ricans and blacks in the community.”
The city plans to appeal the court decision.
“The court mistakenly discounted evidence submitted by the city,” city attorney Gabriel Taussig told reporters.
“After a two-year long temporary restraining order, we are grateful the judge has finally made a decision which now allows us to refute these outlandish claims before an appellate court.”

Bedford Armory revitalization plans draws large crowd and ideas

The residents of Crown Heights and surrounding neighborhoods packed the auditorium at Medgar Evers College for a town hall meeting to discuss revitalization plans for the defunct Bedford Armory in Crown Heights.
The event, which took place from 6 to 9 pm on Jan. 9, offered an open house at the armory preceding the meeting.
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Councilwoman Letitia James moderated the discussion.
Other community leaders including former Congressman Major Owens, parishioners and longtime Brooklyn residents alike gave suggestions as to how the armory would benefit the immediate community.
“This is an exciting process that we’re undertaking,” said James. “Bedford Armory offers promise and possibility where people can go to socialize and exercise. No one will be turned away.”
Built between 1903 and 1907, the armory which is located at 1579 Bedford Avenue, is currently occupied by the National Guard. The total space is 150,000 square feet with most of it comprised of administrative offices.
While the project is still in its beginning stages, planners are figuring out the next steps in what will be a long process. With the success of the Park Slope Armory, they hope that experience will expedite the revitalization efforts on Bedford Avenue. Many neighbors were in full support for the armory, seeing it as an outlet for the youths to have when other after-school programs have been slashed. One by one, each person shared their suggestions and ideas as to how the century-old building can house recreational space and a place where anyone can learn a trade such as cooking or shop classes.
After the closing of the Empire Roller Skating Rink, some suggested that a rink can be easily housed there along with computer labs and a snack bar.
“I’m still concerned because I see a lot of our young people in the community just standing around at all times of the day,” said Velta Simmons, a graduate of Medgar Evers.
While she didn’t agree wholeheartedly about putting a skating rink in the armory, she knows that other programs will greatly benefit the younger generation.
“We have students from Medgar Evers College who have come up with their own blueprint plan for the armory. We submitted a draft directly to Albany back in February 2011. We want people from the community to be directly involved in this project,” said Eric Daniels, assistant to Major Owens and longtime Crown Heights resident. “I know the armory will benefit the neighborhood greatly especially with our youths and senior citizens. We have such a high rate of obesity and diabetes in Brooklyn and I feel that if there’s a fitness center put in place of the armory then it may alleviate these conditions.”
Additional suggestions and thoughts for the armory can be sent via e-mail to: bkarmoryproject@gmail.com.

Cuomo outlines plans for New York State of State speech calls for growing the economy

Governor Andrew Cuomo this week delivered his 2012 State of the State Address in which he outlined a comprehensive agenda that builds on the success of last year.
This included strengthening the state’s legacy as one of the nation’s most progressive and investing billions of dollars in key public-private sector partnerships and rebuilding infrastructure to create thousands of new jobs.
“New York has a long and proud history as the progressive capital of the nation. It’s a legacy that we reestablished last year. We must build on our success this year,” he said.
To battle the foreclosure crises Cuomo announced the Department of Financial Services will create a Foreclosure Relief Unit to provide counseling and mediation services to help New Yorkers stay in their homes.
“The financial crisis has taken a serious toll on homeowners across New York State, with many forced out of their homes and others facing foreclosure,” he said.
Cuomo also announced the state was creating a Tenant Protection Unit to ensure the tough rent regulations enacted in 2011 are properly enforced. It will also investigate fraud and prosecute landlords who fail to maintain essential services.
The governor also vowed to build on last year’s efforts to expand economic opportunities for minority and women owned business enterprises (MWBEs).
With credit access difficulties hindering the competitiveness of many MWBEs, New York will extend credit to give MWBE contractors the backing they need to succeed. The program will support at least $200 million in contracting for MWBE firms, he said.
Cuomo also outline the reinstitution of the ‘millionaires tax’ with long-term changes to the corporate, sales, and personal income tax systems, and to find ways to close tax loopholes, promote efficiency in administration, improve New York’s business climate, and enhance collection as well as enforcement.
Governor Cuomo called for comprehensive reform of the state’s campaign finance system to make sure that all New Yorkers have an equal voice in the political process.
New York ranks 48th in the nation in voter turnout and a smaller percentage of New York residents contribute to candidates to state office than anywhere else in the nation, he noted.
The reform would include matched contributions and lower contribution limits, and increase enforcement at the Board of Elections.
In regard to immigration, Cuomo said his administration will create an Office of New Americans to assist legal permanent residents who come to New York State. The office will provide a variety of services, including helping those with high-skills training and experience obtain the licenses and credentials they need to earn their way; helping those with limited formal education receive access to adult education and job training; and helping new legal permanent residents navigate the path to citizenship.
It will also encourage entrepreneurship and take steps to protect new Americans as they transition to full participation in New York’s communities.
Speaking of new initiatives, Cuomo plans to launch the New New York Leaders Initiative to create opportunities for the state’s next generation to dedicate their careers to public service.
The first component of the initiative, the Student Intern Program, will assign students to a particular branch of government to provide hands-on experience for interns to interact with government leaders and policy makers.
The second component, the Empire State Fellows Program, will be a full-time leadership training program that will prepare the next generation of talented professionals who are members of underrepresented groups for careers as state policy makers.
The New NY Leaders Initiative is designed to renew the connection between young people and the state and ensure that state government is diverse, talented, and prepared to lead the way for decades to come, he said.
Cuomo also vowed to vigorously protect a woman’s right to choose and pledged to fight for passage of the Reproductive Health Act.
The Act protects the fundamental right of reproductive freedom and ensures that the rights of individuals to make difficult and personal health care decisions are preserved.
On economic growth praised the state in working together in a bipartisan manner and putting the people first, which in turn established the credibility to govern and to lead.
“Now we must build on what we have already accomplished to begin to undo decades of decline. We have big problems, but we are confronting them with big solutions. Now is the time to get to work, building a New New York together,” he said.
“Our challenge for 2012 is this: How does government spur job creation in a down economy while limiting spending and maintaining fiscal discipline? The answer is forging public-private partnerships that leverage state resources to generate billions of dollars in economic growth and create thousands of jobs,” he added.
This includes taking a comprehensive approach to casino gaming and recognizing that New York is losing tax revenue, tourism dollars and jobs to neighboring states. As such, the governor announced that he will support a constitutional amendment to allow gaming in New York State.
An estimated $1 billion in economic activity could be generated from gaming in New York State, he said.
At the same time, Cuomo announced the creation of the New York Works Fund and Task Force to coordinate and leverage capital investment- twenty private sector dollars to every public dollar- and put thousands of New Yorkers to work.
The fund will support projects to improve or replace more than 100 bridges including the Tappan Zee, repair work to 2,000 miles of roadways, upgrades to 90 municipal water systems, improvements to 48 state parks and historic sites, and repair work to 114 flood control projects and dams.
In order to follow through on his agenda, Cuomo said a “reimagined” government was essential.
“To tackle this ambitious agenda, we need a government that can make it happen. This is not a question of tinkering around the edges. We need a government that performs better and costs less,” he said.
Cuomo said this starts with fiscal discipline and recognizing that the state is more competitive when taxes are reduced. As such he called for holding the line on spending this year and closing the remaining $2 billion budget deficit with no new taxes or fees.
Noting that by next year, pension costs for schools, state, and local governments will have increased more than 100% since 2009, Cuomo called for reform to the pension system and the creation of a Tier VI retirement plan.
The Governor announced that he will ask the joint Legislative and Executive Mandate Relief Council to hold public hearings and issue a package of recommendations to be voted on this legislative session.
Cuomo also vowed to transform public schools.
“New York spends more money on education than any other state, yet places 38th in graduation rates,” said Cuomo.
To reform the state’s education system, the governor said he will appoint a bipartisan education commission to work with the legislature to recommend reforms in key areas including teacher accountability, student achievement, and management efficiency.

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