Green Party of New York State
www.gpnys.org
Alison Duncan for Lieutenant Governor
www.alisonduncan.org
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Contact:
Ann Link (347) 226-1195 eastst@hotmail.com
Daniel Starling (347) 693-9955
BROOKLYN - A representative from the campaign of Alison Duncan, Green Party
candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York, read the following statement
at the Atlantic Yards Community Forum at Klitgord Auditorium at the New York
City College of Technology this evening:
ALISON DUNCAN STATEMENT ON ATLANTIC YARDS DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
STATEMENT
I am Alison Duncan, the Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor. I am
running with Green gubernatorial candidate Malachy McCourt.
One of the four pillars of the Green Party is grassroots democracy. The
Atlantic Yards project is fundamentally undemocratic. It is exempt from our
local Urban Land Use Review Procedure and therefore not held accountable to
the community boards, the City Planning Commission and the City Council.
Because the project is not accountable to local government:
--the housing and jobs proposed are not guaranteed
--there are numerous adverse impacts to the community including traffic and
public transit congestion, increased sewage overflow, overcrowded schools,
increased asthma and other health risks and strains on firehouses, law
enforcement, public safety and hospitals leaving the community dangerously
under served.
Many of the comments Wednesday night concerned jobs. I am a union hotel
worker and a delegate in Local 1 of the Hotel Trades Council. Jobs are a top
priority in my campaign for the Lt. Governor's office. Many jobs are missing
from this project proposal. Where are the clear plans for new subway lines,
additional subway cards and new bus lines to serve the community and bring
new, union, jobs to the city? Where are the clear plans for new firehouses
and precincts providing public safety for the community and new, union, jobs
for the city? Where are the new or expanded hospital and health services
providing health care and new, union jobs to Brooklyn's growing population?
The other major topic of discussion was the proposed so-called affordable
housing--not to be realized until after 2016, if ever. With the building of
so many luxury units, there is bound to be significant upward pressure on
rents in the area surrounding the project. Where are the rent controls to
protect current residents from the effects of gentrification inevitable
in this project?
Finally, the Green Party also maintains nonviolence as one of its core
values. The use of eminent domain laws to forcibly remove residents from
their homes is an act of violence against the community.
Governor Pataki, Mayor Bloomberg and gubernatorial candidate Attorney
General Elliot Spitzer have prioritized corporations over their constituents
in their wholehearted support of this project. Voters who disagree will
have the opportunity in November to express their dissatisfaction at the
polls by voting for state wide candidates who support development on a
human scale, ecologically sustainable development, job growth through much needed
public infrastructure development in New York State and housing development
that meets the real needs of low and middle income New Yorkers. I am Alison
Duncan, Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor and we are on your
side.
---
New York Green Party Candidates
Malachy McCourt for Governor
http://www.malachyforgovernor.com/
Alison Duncan for Lieutenant Governor
http://www.alisonduncan.org/
Rachel Treichler for Attorney General
http://www.voterachel.org/
Julia Willebrand for Comptroller
http://www.juliaforcomptroller.org/
Howie Hawkins for US Senate from New York
http://www.hawkinsforsenate.org/
