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September 27, 2007
Marty Markowitz may pull plug on Dolly Williams
NY Daily News
By Jotham Sederstrom
The News has the next scoop on Dolly:
Goodbye, Dolly?
Borough President Marty Markowitz's controversial appointee to the city Planning Commission has been serving the board for three months without an official reinstatement, fueling speculation her days are numbered.
What's the problem with Dolly?
Dolly Williams, who as an Atlantic Yards investor was forced to recuse herself from voting on the $4.2 billion project, wants Markowitz to reappoint her to a second term.
Besides recusing herself from voting on Atlantic Yards matters, Williams will not be able to vote on a Gowanus rezoning effort because she owns land in the area.
Williams' development company also was involved in a billing dispute at a Harlem mega-mall being built by Forest City Ratner, the developer behind the Yards project.
Adding to her embarrassment, bloggers posted pictures in August of Williams' yellow Porsche, which was parked illegally in Park Slope and boasted city Planning placards.
A NYPIRG spokesperson sums it up:
"If a person is actively engaged in ongoing construction projects and has to recuse themselves on projects of importance, it raises questions of whether they can represent the borough properly," said New York Public Interest Research Group government reform coordinator Neal Rosenstein.
NoLandGrab: In addition, Dolly typically does not volunteer her conflicts of interest, and it's usually up to vigilant reporters, residents and public officals to call her on them.
Marty is still mulling over his decision, but the fact that he has to think so hard about it indicates to voters where his loyalties lie.
Many will surely miss Dolly if she isn't reappointed and loses her Goverment Official parking placard — she has been one of the low-hanging fruits for critics of Atlantic Yards.
Posted by lumi at September 27, 2007 7:24 AM