Cynthia Nixon Campaigned In Carroll Gardens' Carroll Park Yesterday

In case you missed it,  Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Cynthia Nixon made a campaign stop in Carroll Park yesterday afternoon.  Reader R.W. was kind enough to send PMFA the photos he took at the event.
Councilmember Brad Lander and Jumaane Williams, a candidate for Lieutenant Governor were also at the park.

This post is definitely not an endorsement for the candidates, just a reminder to vote in the upcoming New York State primaries on Thursday, September 13th.  Before casting our votes, it certainly behooves us to understand the issues, know what the different candidates stand for, check out their political alliances and their allegiance to various political clubs. Because it all matters as we know.

Do you plan on voting on September 13th? Have you made up your mind about the candidates yet?

Read more

Blogger Breakfast With BP Markowitz And Staff

Yesterday morning, bright and early at 8:15 Am, Borough President Marty Markowitz and his staff sat down with a group of Brooklyn bloggers.
By his own admission, our BP has not quite gotten passed the email stage, but is quick to add that his wife is an avid blog reader. He seems to be interested in learning more about it and in reaching out to Brooklyn bloggers who write about local politics, developments and local issues. It is also clear that he is just a bit irritated by the new medium.

Over coffee and bagels, a very interesting conversation ensued about the differences between traditional reporting and blogging and whether bloggers are journalists and therefore should be held to the same journalistic standards. Also under discussion was the question of accountability: Do bloggers have a responsibility to check facts before publishing a post?
All valid points, as far as I am concerned.

However, they are rather difficult to answer generally since all blogs are uniquely different.
Personally, I explained, I never claim to be a journalist. I think I am always making it rather clear that the opinions expressed are mine. Blogging gives me a way of engaging in a dialogue with my readers and neighbors by asking questions related to issues in Carroll Gardens. Hence the name of my blog.

Kudos to Markowitz and his aids for reaching out and opening the dialogue. They made sure to let bloggers know that the office will gladly extend access to the borough president's press office for statements and information.

Of course, I immediately took advantage of the offer by asking for Markowitz's official statement on the Gowanus Canal's nomination as a Superfund site by the EPA.
I hope to receive it later today and to be able to post it here.

Thanks for the invite, Mr. Markowitz.



Bloggers In Attendance:
Flatbush Gardener
Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn
Ditmas Park Blog
Brooklyn Heights Blog,
GerritsenBeach.net
Brownstoner
Atlantic Yards Report
Noticing New York
The Local


For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

Read more

Direct From Albany: State Senator Squadron Speaks On The Budget

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

I have to say, I am impressed by our newly elected State Senator Daniel Squadron.
When he took the oath of office in January, he promised to keep in close contact with his constituents. As promised, he reached out by hosting a 'Community Convention' in March. It was attended by hundreds of residents from his district.

Today, I received an email from Senator Squadron's chief-of-staff, John Raskin. He sent along a video from the Senate chamber.
Mr. Raskin writes that this is something that our Senator's office is trying "so that everyone back home can see what Daniel is working on when he's in Albany. The senator spoke on the state budget today, addressing particularly the human services budget (he is the vice-chair of the Social Services Committee)."

What a great idea, don't you think? I hope, dear Reader, that you take a few minutes to watch it.

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

Read more

City Bloggers Go Where Press Can't Or Won't

Imagine my surprise and thrill to have been included on Room Eight's list of bloggers who dared to speak up during the City Council's recent power grab.
Here is the mention on their blog:

Was the Lie of “Consistent Leadership” Old Media’s Last Stand?

posted by Oneshirt
Tue, 11/18/2008 - 8:43pm

Bloggers Got the Real Story When It Counted

“It used to be that a handful of editors could decide what news was and what was not. They acted as sort of demigods. If they ran a story, it became news. If they ignored an event, it never happened. Today editors are losing this power. The Internet, for example, provides access to thousands of new sources that cover things an editor might ignore.”- Rupert Murdoch

Only the city’s bloggers like Your Free Press, Pardon Me For Asking, The Brooklyn Optimist, The Daily Gotham, Queens Crap, and Washington Square Park reported to their readers during the term limits debate that the Council’s argument for continuity of leadership to save the city’s economy was nothing more than public relations spin to cover the Council’s blatant power grab for an additional term in office. At the same time these citizen journalists across the City were reporting the real facts, the Mayor was meeting with the publishers of the three major dailies to coordinate a cover story for his support of extending term limits. Working in concert, the dailies provided the Mayor with the rationalization to disregard Bloomberg’s previous public statement that “it would be an absolute disgrace to go around the public will” to extend term limits.

Rafael Martinez-Alequin, publisher of Your Free Press, wrote on his blog that it was a sad day for democracy when the Council passed the term limits extension. He openly expressed anger at those that voted for its passage, echoing the spirit of Former Daily News columnist Jimmy Breslin. As Breslin said, “Rage is the only quality which has kept me, or anybody I have ever studied, writing columns that exposed the wrongdoing in government.”

It is bloggers like Martinez-Alequin who are keeping journalism alive and vital in New York City. They are following in the footsteps of newspaper greats like Joseph Pulitzer of the long lost New York World, whose legendary name is ascribed to journalism’s greatest honor. Pulitzer’s passion-filled editorial pages were the true heart of the World. There he crusaded against the robber barons and oil and rail companies, exposed corrupt politicians and brutal policemen, and advocated for decent working hours and humane living conditions for the poor.

That’s just what Martinez-Alequin has dedicated his life to trying to do. And that’s just what has gotten Mayor Bloomberg so mad at him.

Neat, no?
It is important to take a stand and to be involved in local as well as national politics as a private individual. You don't have to be a blogger. Personally, writing Pardon Me has giving me a voice in this big world. Covering my neighborhood of Carroll Gardens has connected me to my neighborhood and allowed me to meet many of you, my readers. It has been an incredible experience.
I hope that you will consider signing a petition that urges New York City to protect the right of freedom of the press for bloggers.


This is the text:

To: The City of New York
We, the undersigned, join ChangeNYC.Org in supporting Rafael Martinez-Alequin, Ralph E. Smith, and David Wallis, three online journalists unfairly denied press passes by the New York City Police Department. We believe that the right of a free press is a cornerstone of our democracy and we applaud civil rights attorney Norman Siegel for bringing suit on behalf of these three journalists to protect this fundamental constitutional liberty.

The NYPD's refusal to issue these three journalists press passes demonstrates a bias on the part of the City against New Media and the blogging community. As bloggers, citizen journalists, and readers who depend upon online publications as an essential source of independent news, we stand together with Rafael Martinez-Alequin, Ralph E. Smith, and David Wallis. Their lawsuit is a significant First Amendment case vital to asserting and protecting the right to a free press for every online journalist in New York City and across America. We strongly urge the City of New York to immediately reform its system of granting press credentials to recognize the importance of New Media.

Here is the link to the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/12151791/petition.html



For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking Read more

Shame On You, City Council!

Change NYC. Org Press Release

ChangeNYC.Org Blasts Council Vote as a “Coup d’Etat”

The City Council’s vote to extend term limits legislatively is a devastating blow to our City’s democracy. Today’s vote marks a frightening shift in power from the people to the politicians.

Not only have New Yorkers twice voted for term limits in the past fifteen years, but only yesterday a Quinnipiac poll showed that an overwhelming 87% of the people insisted that any changes to the term limits law had to be put before the voters.

But this afternoon, while real New Yorkers worked for a living, the City Council stealthily disenfranchised the five boroughs. In any other country, this type of shameless power grab would be called a coup d’état.

ChangeNYC.Org is here to console the people of New York not to lose hope. If we stand together, we still can take back our government before it is too late.

Go to www.changenyc.org right now and sign up to join the people’s movement for change in our City.

Related Reading:

ChangeNYC, A New Grassroots Organisation, Challenges New Yorkers To Demand Better Government

Brooklyn County Committee Members And Council Member James Want Voters To Decide On Term Limits


For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking Read more

Brooklyn Item Of The Day: The Obama Switch Plate

How about this for a switch?

One of the vendors in downtown Brooklyn along Court Street is selling some pretty unusual switch plates. Amongst various different models, there is this one of Barack Obama with his family. This way, you can support your presidential candidate every time you turn on the light.

And no, there was no McCain switch plate available.

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking Read more

Brooklyn County Committee Members And Council Member James Want Voters To Decide On Term Limits

Let the voters decide!

Yesterday, I joined members of the Kings County Committee and Council Member Letitia James on the steps of City Hall to demand that any changes to the City's term limits law be put before the voters to decide. 35 members of the Committee had previously signed an open letter opposing Mayor Bloomberg's self-serving effort to over-turn the law so that he can run for a third term. Morgan Pehme, a.k.a.
The Brooklyn Optimist and one of the Committee members, made a powerful statement which I am posting below. Please take some time to read it. It's very powerful and a great reminder that elected officials work for us!

I have the great privilege of speaking on behalf of a broad coalition of my fellow Brooklyn Democratic County Committee Members, a number of whom join me today on the steps of City Hall.

We have come together at the seat of our City’s government to give voice to our constituents and to our fellow New Yorkers. We are here to honor the promise we made to the people of Brooklyn when we stood before them on Primary Day and asked them to entrust us with their votes. We promised our neighbors that, if elected, we would speak for them, not for ourselves. We pledged that we would work for them, not for ourselves. And above all, we vowed that we for fight for them, never for ourselves.

Every candidate makes this pledge when they run for office and yet we stand together today before a building filled with elected officials who have failed to honor this covenant with the people. Our Mayor, our Speaker, and so many of our City Council Members have revealed in the past weeks that, in truth, they only ever believed they work for themselves.

Well, we are here today to say “Mister Mayor, Madame Speaker, Members of the City Council, you work for us.”

And if you want to extend term limits, so that you can have the privilege of serving us for another four years, you must put that proposal on the ballot, so we, the voters of New York, can tell you what we want, once and for all.

Now, it would be wrong to excoriate all of our elected officials for their actions over the past weeks. There have been some heroes. I am delighted today to be standing next to one of them: Council Member Letitia James. Council Member James has shown great courage and leadership in standing up to the most powerful men and women in the City and saying to “no” to a legislative change of the term limits law. And in so doing, she has made the people of Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, and all of Brooklyn proud. In recognition of her work on our behalf, I’d like to give the Council Member a special round of “Tish James Silent Applause”.

Council Member James’s colleagues would be wise to follow her example. It is still not too late for the 16 Members of the City Council who are still undecided on term limits to do the right thing.

We urge them to cast a vote for the people.

We urge them to vote “no” on a legislative change to term limits.

Related Posts:

Extending Term Limits? 35 Members Of The Brooklyn Democratic County Committee Say No!

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking Read more

Extending Term Limits? 35 Members Of The Brooklyn Democratic County Committee Say No!

photo credit: CarbonNYC on Flickr

The letter below was just sent to the New York City Council as well as to Mayor Bloomberg. Amongst the Brooklyn Democratic County Committee Members to The New York City Council who signed the letter are Morgan Pehme of The Optimist, as well as my husband, Glenn Kelly.

An Open Letter from 35 Members of the Brooklyn Democratic County Committee to the New York City Council Opposing the Extension of Term Limits

cc: Mayor Mike Bloomberg

Council Speaker Christine Quinn

Ronald Lauder

Dear Council Members:

What if President Bush had decided to amend the Constitution so that he could run for a third term? Surely, since 47 out of 51 of you are Democrats, this notion must be pretty frightening. Yet it is this concern that best sums up why we oppose the proposal before you to extend term limits.

Whether term limits are good for New York City is not an issue we care to argue. In the past 15 years, the voters of our City have twice decided that philosophical debate for themselves. In fact, it is as a result of their decision that most of you owe your current jobs. But now that you are on the verge of having to relinquish your power to a new generation of leaders, many of you are having second thoughts.

Surely, you can't expect voters to interpret your motivations to extend term limits as anything but a self-serving power grab. Every dictator in world history faced with term limits has argued at the last minute of their reign that the political climate is so serious the people must keep them in power or else fear ruin. Well, New York City didn't buckle when Mayor Giuliani tried to stay in office after 9/11. Now, we ask you to show the same courage and stand up to Mayor Bloomberg.

The people of New York need your help as City Council Members to protect our vote. The major newspapers, so many of our elected officials, and even Ron Lauder, once the foremost champion of term limits, have all abandoned us or cut backroom deals. You're the last hope of the little guy. If you really think that New Yorkers want this change, then put Mayor Bloomberg's proposal back on the ballot for referendum and let us decide.

We 35 members of the Brooklyn Democratic County Committee ran for office to be the voice of our neighbors and our communities. We thought you ran for office for the same reason. Here's your chance to prove us right.

Sincerely,

Llewellyn Armstrong, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Alice Backer, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Martin J. Bernstein, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Evan Burr, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Vallie Copeland, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Craig Czarnecki, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Christopher Diamond, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Esteban Duran, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Ellen Enders, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Hal Friedman, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Sabrina Gates, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

David Greenson, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Jen Halbert, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

MacGregor Harp, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Jamila Jabulani, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Cyril Joseph, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Steven Juskowicz, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Glenn T. Kelly, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Jeff S. Merritt, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

David Michaelson, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Gilford T. Monrose, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Ethan Nichtern, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Chris Owens, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Morgan Pehme, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Colin Phillips, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Mireyda Reyes, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Sam Ritchie, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Joy Romanski, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Bill Salzman, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Josh Skaller, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Andrew Stengel, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Eva Talmadge, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Kelly L. Thompson, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

Theodore Wright, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

James Zika, Kings County Democratic County Committee Member

For further info go to:

The Optimist


For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking Read more

Why Albany Would Just Love Extended City Term Limits

I always read with interest the very insightful political posts of The Brooklyn Optimist otherwise known as Morgan Pehme. As the city is hotly debating our Mayor's move to run for a third term. Morgan looks at the bigger picture. I think you will find it interesting. Here is what he writes.

Despite the recent deluge of articles about Mayor Bloomberg and the Council's scheme to extend term limits, one significant consequence of the proposed change has been carelessly overlooked.

City officials won't be the only ones making out on this backroom deal. Our Statewide politicians will see big dividends too.

Why does Governor Paterson favor doing away with term limits? Let's see. Do you think that it could have anything to do with Mayor Bloomberg being the only candidate who could beat him in 2010?

To continue reading, click here

Read more

Bill DeBlasio: He Is Not Your Neighborhood Politician

(photo credit: creepysleepy on flick)

Why is Bill deBlasio Helping Hillary In Iowa

While Carroll Gardens Is Still Waiting For Answers?

Back in 1999, when Bill deBlasio wanted to beef up his neighborhood credentials before running for City Council, he served on the Board of Education's District 15 School Board here in Brooklyn. Unfortunately, he was a bit distracted while he served in this position. So distracted in fact that he did not pay attention to the pleas of a group of parents from P.S. 58 to look into the excessive spending of District 15's Superintendent Frank DeStefano. I was one of those parents. Bill DeBlasio doggedly supported DeStefano, refusing to question the district's spending and to investigate the many budget irregularities.

After the Press exposed the District's more than $1 Million Dollar deficit, a direct result of DeStefano' expensive junkets, the Superintendent was finally sacked by the Board Of Education. By that time, the school children in the district had lost out big time. Programs had been cut, including a popular after-school reading program, because the district office was reshuffling money to cover their budget holes.
How could Bill DeBlasio have missed all the warning signs though he had been warned? The answer is very simple: while he sat on the School Board, he was Hillary Clinton's Campaign Manager for her New York State Senatorial Race. During that time, Bill was simply absent, busy with Hillary, busy with making a name for himself and most importantly busy with setting the stage for his own campaign for City Council a year later.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Bill DeBlasio let parents of District 15 down big time by showing up late and by taking telephone calls from Hillary instead of paying attention at meetings. It explains his continued support for DeStefano while the press was investigating and exposing his wrongdoings.
(Just five year later deStefano was booted out of Baltimore's School System after similar shenanigans)

As we all know, Bill DeBlasio went on to win the 39th District Council Seat. His performance as representative of the community has been lackluster at best. All one has to do is to check some of the comments left on neighborhood chat rooms and neighborhood blogs. His constituents are fed up with him.
Bill DeBlasio does not follow through on issues, runs a dysfunctional office and has been on the wrong side of more than a few issues. If you don't agree, just try to get someone from his Brooklyn office to return a call, or try to get some information from his assistants. I guarantee you won't get anywhere. Bill DeBlasio has been absent once again from the community that elected him.

And now news that Bill was campaigning for Hillary Clinton in Iowa last week. We should not be surprised. Four years ago, he was working on Edwards' campaign. While Carroll Gardeners are still trying to get the Councilman's help in down-zoning their neighborhood and in fighting off rogue architect Robert Scarano, deBlasio is dealing with national issues.
Good for him, but bad for his local constituents. But then, Bill did not become our Councilman because he cared about local issues. Rather, he used our district as a stepping stone to further his own political career, the same way that he used our school board and our children to get elected to City Council.
Bill deBlasio is slick: a great politician but a miserable representative. By that I mean that he will stop at nothing to claw his way to the top of the political ladder. However, he forgets that political office comes with responsibility. It is about time that we demand to be represented by a man who promised to be our advocate as well as our voice, a role he can hardly perform if he is in Iowa, working on Hillary Clinton's campaign as well as on his own campaign for Borough President.Let's make sure to let the rest of Brooklyn know that Bill has not lived up to his promises in the 39th Council District. Because it is not enough to be able to play the political game. It is more important to represent...and represent well. Something that Bill deBlasio has yet to learn.

Related Reading:
From The New York Observer, December 2007
Bill De Blasio back in Iowa

From the Village Voice, September 2001
The Park Slope Scramble:

Is the 39th CD DeBlasio's to loose?
From New York Times, 2000
Brooklyn School District Exceeded Spending Caps for Conferences, Audit Says


For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking Read more

Fuming In Carroll Gardens!

This is it. I have definitely had it with Councilman Bill De Blasio and his dysfunctional office staff!
I am sure everybody remembers Bill's grand standing here in Carroll Gardens in the spring against Architect Robert Scarano. It made for a great photo op. However, after his little appearance, he must have forgotten that he wanted to make sure that the rogue architect would not build in our neighborhood again. But Mr. Mezzanine Scarano is still very much involved in two prominent building projects, one of which just got a go ahead after several months of stop-work orders.

Our Councilman has promised to help rezone Carroll Gardens, but he has been dragging his feet. Instead of using his office to insure that the change in zoning will get done in a timely manner, he has ignored the pleas of local residents.
So I am mad! I am fuming!
Bill, before you pursue higher office, follow through on your promises as a Councilman! Otherwise, you have no business asking for our votes!

Related Reading:

New Permit For Mr. Mezzanine's Carroll Gardens Carcass?

Where Was Bill De Blasio For The Last 7 Years?

The De Blasio Show Coming To A Street Corner Near You!

360 Smith, Bill De Blasio vs. Scarano Update

(photo credit: The Brooklyn Paper)

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking Read more

LET'S ASK FOR A MORATORIUM ON ALL NEW BROOKLYN BUILDING

Scarano Horror Looming In Carroll Gardens


Architect Robert Scarano
(photo credit: The Real Deal, November 2007)

Ms. Patricia Lancaster, Commissioner, Buildings Department

(Photo Credit: www.nyc.gov)

I am fuming mad and you will know why after reading the article below. For the last couple of years, Carroll Gardeners, decent, hard-working people, have had to fight to keep rogue architects from destroying their low-density brownstone neighborhood. Attending meetings at night, when they should be home with their families, calling 311 (the gripe line) to report unsafe building conditions and last but not least, asking local politicians (to no avail) to stand up for the neighborhood by helping to down-zone.
Busy work! A waste of time! Why? Because in back rooms, the Buildings Department makes deals with architects who push the envelope in any way they can. The article which appeared this Sunday in the Daily News illustrates how dysfunctional the NYC Department of Buildings is. Or maybe I should rephrase this: it illustrates how the Department of Buildings pushes the envelope in favor of unscrupulous architects and builders in order to fulfill Mayor Bloomberg's mandate of turning every inch of New York City into high-priced, high-rise condos. Shame on them all.
C.O.R.D. (Carroll Gardens Coalition For Respectful Development) has been pushing for a moratorium on new construction in Carroll Gardens until the neighborhood can be landmarked or down-zoned. That's a great idea.
Pardon me for asking, but why not ask for a moratorium on all building here in Brooklyn until the Department of Buildings is re-organized, made functional and more importantly made less corrupt? Lets just say "no new issuing of permits" until Commissioner Patricia Lancaster is fired and architects like Robert Scarano don't get license to blatantly disregard existing codes.
Let's never forget that people like Commissioner Lancaster and politicians work for us, the citizens of New York. They get paid with our taxpayer's money, which in my book makes them our employees. We have rights. So lets use them.
Lets tell them:

NO NEW BUILDING PERMITS IN BROOKLYN UNTIL YOU CLEAN UP THIS MESS, MAYOR BLOOMBERG!

Building's Chief Hid Architect's Mistake
Daily News December 9th, 2008
By Brian Kates

The top official responsible for enforcing building standards in the city signed secrecy agreements to hide a series of blunders that led to death and building evacuations.

Patricia Lancaster, the $162,800-a-year buildings commissioner, hid the mistakes made by architect Robert Scarano.

Lancaster - also an architect - signed an unusual stipulation promising not to report the alleged misdeeds of Scarano to "any regulatory agency," including one that could revoke his license.

The charges involve 32 properties, mostly in Brooklyn, and include alleged carelessness that resulted in the death of a construction worker and a screwup that forced a Brooklyn family to evacuate its unsafe home.

Lancaster hid a charge that Scarano signed off on unsafe conditions at a Brooklyn site where construction worker Anthony Duncan Sr. was crushed to death in a March 2006 building collapse.

The victim's family is outraged about Lancaster's actions.

"If they are not going to pursue Scarano to the fullest extent, then who are they going to pursue?" asked Duncan's son, Anthony Jr. "It's like they're laughing in my face ... Scarano is still working, but my father is dead." (continue reading here)

Building Chief Hid Architect's Mistake (Daily New)
Brooklyn homeowner: Buildings commissioner should face charges (Daily News)
Scarano pointing the finger back (The Real Deal)


For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

Read more

A Must Read: Atlantic Yards And Bill De Blasio

Norman Oder, author of the Atlantic Yards Report posted a very well written analysis of Bill De Blasio and his stand on Ratner's mega-project, affordable housing and over-development. A must read, especially since De Blasio just declared his candidacy for Borough President. Click here:
The due diligence of BP candidate Bill de Blasio, or the (AY) end justifies the means

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking


Read more

De Blasio Finally Listens To His Constituents!

(Photo Credit: The Observer)

Finally! Someone talked some sense into Councilman Bill De Blasio. He sure took his time about seeing the handwriting on the wall on this particular issue.
DeBlasio did not see anything wrong with allowing developer Two Trees to exceed the height limit by 10 feet in landmarked Cobble Hill for a new apartment building going in at the corner of Atlantic and Court next to the future Trader Joe's. This would have opened the flood gates for future abuses in protected areas, but our councilman did not see it that way.
I guess as long as Park Slope, his own landmarked neighborhood was not being touched, it was all fine by him.
He must have realized that he was the last public official to ignore the protests of the community. Now. finally, he changed his mind. About time, Bill, about time. And now that you got that out of the way, how about FINALLY helping Carroll Gardens down-zone?

Click here to read the Brooklyn Eagle Article
De Blasio Bows to Wishes Of Colleagues on Atlantic Ave. Issue
by Dennis Holt

Read more

Wishful Thinking, Rezoning and the Mighty Dollar Along The Gowanus Canal

(phote credit: Krispy on flickr)

If I thought presentations by D.E.P. and the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers last night at a C.B.6 meeting would give me some reassurance about the Gowanus Canal, I was terribly mistaken.
I walked out of that meeting dazed.
Though I will leave the technical and scientific explanations to the experts, here is what I took away from last nights meet.
The Gowanus Canal, as every one knows, is a cess pool after 200 years of industrial use. In other words, it is an environmental disaster. Efforts to clean it up so far have produced mostly studies, studies and more studies. D.E.P. and the Corp Of Engineers have been busy coming up with ways to improve the health of the canal, but they come up short on actions. In fact, two of the mayor improvements, modernizing the flushing tunnel as well as the upgrade of the pumping station are only slated to start in 2008 with a completion date of 2012. And as all New Yorkers know, this is all subject to the Budget Gods willing it all to happen in that time frame. So it may be delayed further.
Add to that the fact that though D.E.P. and Corp Of Engineer models take the rezoning and building up of the area into consideration in their studies, they admitted that the true extend of the Atlantic Yard as well as potential "revised" zoning would make them "have to go back to the table."
And most importantly, as Friends And Residents Of Greater Gowanus (F.R.O.G.G.) member Marlene Donnelly pointed out, D.E.P. does not have a great track record with keeping actively involved in the maintenance of the canal. Back in the 1960's the agency ignored the pleas for help from the community. The Gowanus Canal is in such a sorry state today partly because these pleas were not heard for the last fourty years.
The D.E.P representatives last night acknowledged that there is no legal mandate that would force the agency to keep up their efforts in the future. So, basically, if the city falls on hard times, if the pump station needs a new pump...the stink will be back.
Yet, we are already discussing rezoning the area along the canal from commercial/industrial to residential. It sure seems to me that this is way too premature. Now if our politicians truly represented the interests of their constituents instead of those of big name developers , they would hold off at least till 2012 to rezone. Why not first see if the suggestions by D.E.P and the Corp improve the water quality in the canal, keep sewer overflow to a minimum and make doubly sure that the chemical sludge at the bottom does not harm? Wouldn't that make sense?
I believe we are years away from a healthy, clean canal. Talking about residential housing on the shores of the canal at this point sounds not only foolish to me, it sound criminal. Looking at the D.E.P. time frame for the flushing tunnel and the pump station upgrade, I believe that constructions of condo buildings will start before we even know if these actions will improve the health of the canal sufficiently to allow humans to live on its banks.
Shame, shame shame to us all if we allow this to happen.

To read the U.S, Army Corp Of Engineer report, click here.

To read my follow up post, click here: Sanitizing The Gowanus Canal

Reactions To the Presentation From Fellow Bloggers:

Shooting The Sh*t About The Gowanus Canal from Found In Brooklyn
The Gowanus Canal Clean Up...Coming Eventually from Gowanus Lounge
Read more

Bill De Blasio On Landmark Variances, Downsizing And His Political Future

Below are excerpts from an interview with Bill DeBlasio in the Brooklyn Eagle.
The Councilman has been more visible these days in his district than he has been for the last 6 or 7 years of his term. Though he has not come out and stated it in definite terms, it is clear to me that he is campaigning. First, he meets with local bloggers, now he sits down with a local newspaper...he seems to be busy clearing up some of his more controversial positions in the neighborhoods he represents. Most of them seem to be about his position on development in Brownstone Brooklyn, or rather, the over-development.
He sure has some explaining to do since he is for the Atlantic Yards project, doesn't see anything wrong with allowing development corporation Two Trees Management exceeding the 50 feet height limit in landmarked Cobble Hill, but seems to be for the down-zoning of Carroll Carroll. Bill De Blasio has always struck me as a very astute political animal who knows exactly what side to be on to further his own carrier. (After all, Hillary Clinton trusted him to run her first senatorial campaign here in New York State.) Mr. De Blasio effortlessly puts a positive spin on all of his positions. It will be up to us, the voter, to remember that he was mostly absent for most of his tenure and that he said yes to most of the big development projects that will change our neighborhoods forever.

From The Brooklyn Eagle (read entire article here)

You’ve been quite active on the 360 Smith St. project (by architect Robert Scarano), and staving off what some residents consider over-development in Carroll Gardens. Why do you think it’s important that a 50-foot height limit be maintained in that neighborhood?
There’s no question that the neighborhood has a certain character and it’s important that we preserve it. People love the neighborhood because it feels like a village, people know each other, and to suddenly drop large buildings in like that really tears up the fabric of the community.

What do you think of the temporary moratorium on buildings that exceed 50 feet in Carroll Gardens? Do you think it’s a realistic proposal?
I agree with [the residents calling for it]. I think it’s very helpful that they’re pushing it. We’re trying to find a way to achieve it more quickly than a downzoning, which will take a year or two. There is no current law that allows for a moratorium, but there is a new piece of legislation that I support that will freeze development as soon as a new zoning change has begun [the approval process].

Are there areas, or circumstances, where you think it’s appropriate to allow variances in historic districts that have 50-foot height limits?
Very, very rarely. I think the historic districts are there for a reason and we need to respect that. I think from time to time there will be an exception, such as at 130 Court St. (and Atlantic Avenue) because of the presence of a major landmark building on that site. But very, very rarely should there be any exception to the historic district rules.

Some Cobble Hill residents are angry that you haven’t opposed the project at 130 Court St., where Two Trees Management is in the process of being granted a zoning variation allowing a 60-foot residential building, with ground-floor retail, in a historic district with a 50-foot height limitation. Why do you support this variation?
I supported it, but I still wanted to see if there was a way to get the project down to the 50-foot level The Independence Bank building is a very important building in our community. It’s a signature building in our community but it’s also a white elephant economically, and to make sure it will be kept properly for the future it may be a valid exception to allow the additional 10 feet of development on [the adjacent] site. But I want to emphasize that it’s a very public process going on here. We’re still in discussions, we’re in fact going to have a meeting of community activists with the developer to see if there are any other improvements we can make here.

Why was the extra 10 feet necessary?
The idea that was presented to me originally by the bank and the developer was that this was a way to guarantee the future of this building, and I’m a big believer in landmarks preservation, and this landmark is important to our community. This project may be necessary to preserve that building for decades to come.

Read more

Because We Have To Laugh Sometimes!

Who can say it better than The Onion? When you are sick of regular news coverage, this little rag puts things in perspective.

Putting Pressure On Iran

From The Onion: America's Finest News Source

The White House is looking at deterring the Iranian nuclear program with new sanctions. What measures have been proposed?

• Cutting off two-thirds of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's name any time he is mentioned in the press
• Revoking the country's membership in the axis of evil
• Ceasing production of monogrammed "U.S. & Iran: A Perfect Match" matchbooks
• Miss America not including Iran on world tour
• Jesse Jackson to be sent, without an interpreter, to negotiate
• Copyrighting the phrase "The Great Satan" and suing Iran every time it is used to refer to U.S.
• Putting restrictions on how much Iran is allowed to hate the U.S. at any given moment
• Will stop selling them uranium

Read more

The Out-Of-Towner

Pardon me for asking, but why should Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad not speak at Columbia University today? I, for one, am dying to see how this madman fares at a question-and- answer session with America's brightest students. It should be very interesting and will expose him to the world as the small mind that he is. Give him enough rope, I say.
And isn't it common knowledge that you are better off keeping your enemies close? Well he is as close as we can wish for at this present moment.
News Update:
My daugher is reporting back to me from the Columbia Campus while the speech is going on. Her comment: "What a dumbass." Just like I suspected. Ahmadinejad will make himself look like an idiot if you let him talk long enough. But she said that the president of Columbia University, Lee Bollinger, had given an incredible speech.
More on her comments including links to the speech:
Kudos To Prez Bo


CNN coverage
BBC Coverage Read more

A Clear Analysis: Atlantic Yards

There is quite a wonderful blogger community here in Brooklyn. I check in with my fellow bloggers on a regular basis and it is amazing to me how many writers and community activists are busy in their own way, educating and informing people about what is happening in Brooklyn. Fellow blogger Steven Hart just published a great editorial on the impact of the mega Atlantic Yards project. It is a must read.

ATLANTIC YARDS AND THE NATIONAL TAB
By Steven Hart

The Atlantic Yards is a financial disaster poised to happen and not just
because of Forest City Ratner Company's frivolous fiscal practices, which have been well documented since the project was announced in 2003. The project has, and
will have, no fiscal over-sight. FCRC has been able to embed themselves in
Albany to such an extent that even those who are charged with guarding the
public treasure are already looking the other way even before the project
begins. That is how and why Ratner has leap-frogged his way through the
entire public review process and emerged free to do whatever he pleases. It
is already clear that the Atlantic Yards will produce a host of secondary
problems and costs, like sewerage, that will come directly out of the public
treasury and extend far beyond the limits of the project itself. The
question is, can we pay for this enormous, uncontrolled and ill-conceived
undertaking to build the equivalent of a mid-sized American city in the
middle of downtown Brooklyn?

To continue reading:

Views From The Bridge Blog Read more

Another Anniversary

No, Rudy Giuliani is not a good guy. And he certainly is not a hero. New Yorkers know this. The rest of the country needs to know too.
This also seems to be the opinion of film maker, political activist
Robert Greenwald. Concentrating on movies with powerful political messages such as Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers" (2006) and "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" (2005) he is now drawing his attention to New York's former mayor and candidate for the presidency.
Since the anniversary of 9/11 is coming up next week, lets set the record on Rudy's leadership during those dark days straight. I think we owe it to the victims.

Link to Greenwald's great site on Rudy
The Real Rudy

Previous Posts on Giuliani on this blog:
Daddy Dearest Read more