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August 14, 2006
State Senate's 20th District
The two candidates for the NY State Senate's 20th District, Eric Adams and Anthony Alexis, are both fence-sitting in the Hakeem Jeffries and David Yassky mold.
Adams has been outspoken in the past against the project, but now that he's the front runner, appears to be tempering his stance, claiming he has not yet taken a position.
Anthony Alexis is "doing a Jeffries" (who incidentally is "doing a Gotbaum") by claiming he's for the project, but not the use of eminent domain, which as the Draft Environmental Impact Statment explains, will likely be used to force tenants out and property owners to sell.
Here's the online coverage:
Gotham Gazette Debating Health, Education, Reform and, Yes, Atlantic Yards, in Central Brooklyn
Anthony Alexis, who served as legislative director for former New York City Councilmember Tracy Boyland, supports the Atlantic Rail Yards project because, he said, it will “support job creation for our community.” But while he supports the plan for high rises and a basketball arena, Alexis is opposed to one of its central aspects: the use of eminent domain. “I don’t support taking people’s homes or property,” Alexis insisted, “There are ways of sitting at the table with the developer and ensuring that the project happens without taking the homes of people.”
Eric Adams, the co-founder of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, has not taken a position on the Atlantic Yards plan. He says he wants to look at the issues of environment, affordable housing and labor before reaching a decision.
"Atlantic Yards" Voters Guide, The Lesser of Two Weasels
AY Voters Guide is much more blunt and editorial (dare we say "virtiolic"?) in its conclusions.
Weasel words from Alexis and confounding prevarication from Adams.
...
Anti-"Atlantic Yards" voters in the 20th, we are sorry, but when it comes to the Ratner plan we guess we have to leave you to choose between the lesser of two weasels.
Posted by lumi at August 14, 2006 9:56 AM