PSA for South Bronx healthcare workers and activists. There is a public hearing this Monday, November 17th to oppose the plan to bring a Fresh Direct facility (along with thousands of air polluting delivery trucks) to the South Bronx. The plan is deeply flawed (see below for more details). If you are unable to attend the hearing, members of South Bronx Unite (SBU) have asked us to consider sending a testimony as a concerned physician and community member opposing the plan. Feel free to use the updated email template below. -------------------------------------- Email: [email protected] CC: southbronxunite@gmail Subject: I oppose the proposed ESD $10 million subsidy to Fresh Direct To whom it may concern: My name is [Dr Jonathan Giftos] and I am a primary care physician working in the South Bronx. I oppose the proposed Empire State Development subsidy package for FreshDirect for several important reasons. Specifically, this project: (1) runs counter to the needs, desires and well-established development plans of the local community, (2) would have devastating health effects on a community where one in four children has asthma; the company would bring upwards of 1,000 diesel truck trips through the neighborhood every day, (3) has no requirement to pay its workers a living wage, nor add any Bronx jobs despite promises made to the public; expanding employment opportunities in the South Bronx is essential to improving public health. (4) violates the constitutional requirement that the state-owned land on which it is proposed to be located provide a public benefit and reduce truck traffic, (5) is inconsistent with efforts to protect the South Bronx waterfront flood zone in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, (6) runs contrary to fair business practices – no analysis has been made of its impact on existing brick-and-mortar grocers nor on new entrants to the grocery delivery market; there is also no cost-benefit analysis regarding the potential loss of jobs of Queens residents, nor on the ability of Fresh Direct to stay and expand in its already-subsidized Queens location, which it disclosed would be the most economical option. As a physician and concerned community member, I oppose this poorly conceived plan to bring Fresh Direct to the South Bronx. Doing so is bad for community health and not what the South Bronx needs at this time. Sincerely, Jonathan Giftos, MD cc: Ed García Conde, Aaron Fox, Oni Blackstock, Viraj Patel, Mary Gover, Gabriel Silverman, Nate Favini, Kimberley Neroda, Radeyah Hack, Marce Abare, Zoey Thill, Cedric Bien, Sire Jeku Jalagi Sow, Lizzie Berger and the many other dedicated community docs working in the South Bronx. Email with any questions. More info in the links below.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 03:34:03 +0000
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