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December 12, 2006
Atlantic Yards Foes Hope for a Silver Christmas
Power Plays, political blog of The Village Voice
It isn't every day that a bunch of good-government groups hold a press conference to demand that an undemocratic, unelected state panel intervene to delay a public project. That was the scene today at City Hall, though, as several elected officials and budget-watch groups called on state assembly speaker Sheldon Silver to use his power as a member of the Public Authorities Control Board to stall Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards megaproject until the new sheriff arrives in Albany next month.
The petitioners included all three of the project site's city council and state legislative representatives (assemblymember-elect Hakeem Jeffries, who was elected to replace arena proponent Roger Green in November, sent a written statement), along with representatives of the Sierra Club, the Straphangers Campaign, and Good Jobs New York as well as anti-arena stalwarts Develop Don't Destroy. (The Natural Resources Defense Council signed on, but didn't show up to speak.) "This is a permanent and very, very drastic change in the environment in downtown Brooklyn," said state senator Velmanette Montgomery. "We are requesting a postponement until we have time for a new administration to look at this project."
What that new administration might do is unclear. During his year-long gubernatorial victory lap, Eliot Spitzer said little about Atlantic Yards, except that he broadly supported it but wanted to see more "transparency" in the planning process. As those gathered today made clear, there's plenty of room for improvement in that area.
Posted by lumi at December 12, 2006 9:22 AM