In case you missed it in yesterdays Daily News, Carlos Menchaca stood up to EDC regarding a Sunset Park waterfront development. We at the Star-Revue have never appreciated EDCs complete indifference to our neighborhood. WE LAUD Carlos action (that means that we are impressed). Here is a letter he sent out, and posted on his Facebook site... NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS MENCHACA | 38th District January 8th. 2015 Dear Neighbor, Yesterday, in the face of enormous pressure from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), I stood strong and asked them to withdraw their request for a 49 year master lease for the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (SBMT). I made it clear to the EDC that our community deserves better. Their request was made less than 45 days ago and required a council action today leaving out meaningful community dialogue during a hectic holiday season. This request proposed to officially remove our charter-mandated voice through the City Council for 49 years (thats 12 council member terms) on the future of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal by replacing it with a process that is non-binding. One of my commitments as a Council Member is to create high quality industrial and manufacturing jobs in our Sunset Park community today. I believe we can achieve regional economic development goals AND serve local community needs at the same time. We need an economic development agency that believes in that too. I took the opportunity to ask them to deliver on empty promises made to this community for the past 20 years that would make this community whole. These improvements to the new Bush Terminal Pier Park include: a second southern entrance a playground and constructing the final pier using a low-cost eco-friendly design I also asked for a serious job training program that would target sunset park residents enhancing the walk to work immigrant community, reinvesting a small portion of the revenue generated from the lease that would improve our open spaces and public infrastructure, and to begin a conversation about our vision (similar to the Brooklyn Navy Yard) to create a local entity that would govern over publicly-owned sites like SBMT making it accountable to the community and act as an honest steward for the next generation of residents and small businesses for sunset park. With deep disappointment, we did not reach common ground yesterday. NYCEDC withdrew their application and walked away from the table. Tough times may be ahead of us as we fight for our often overlooked communitys voice to be heard. Im asking for your support to stand with me on this solid ground we have been building together and continue to ask EDC for what we deserve. In solidarity, Carlos Menchaca Our mailing address is: 4417 4th Ave Brooklyn, NY 11220
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 02:42:15 +0000
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