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December 13, 2007
Marty, after the AY announcement: "this city has no money, no money to provide"
Atlantic Yards Report
Norman Oder continues his series marking the fourth anniversary of the public announcement of Atlantic Yards. Today, there's a look back at a December 11, 2003 appearance by Brookyn Borough President, Marty Markowitz, on the Brian Lehrer Show.
Markowitz has been a booster for Atlantic Yards from the day it was announced. In the course of his interview, he puts forth some statements that turn out to be real whoppers, especially in retrospect.
There's a promise, unfulfilled to this day, to involve the community:
...First off, to involve the community, from the get-go, understand number one, that this is not a done deal. To involve the community and get them involved initially, in the planning, when it was far from anywhere completed… I have a pledge, that I’ve made to the residents of that neighborhood, as well as to Bruce Ratner, that is, that my office, me personally, will be coordinating the efforts, through a task force with our community to make sure that their concerns to the fullest degree possible are resolved. But let me tell you the truth, Brian...
Markowitz was making a legitimate point, that it might have been hard to involve the community at that point. Four years later, however, there's a consensus that the community wasn't consulted.
Marty also claims that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will not commit any city funds to the Atlantic Yards Project:
I’m not a finance expert. He made it clear, over and over again, the mayor, this city has no money, no money to provide in any way at all. This is all incremental funds. I have to tell you that...
So far, the city has pledged $205 million and the state $100 million for the project.
Posted by steve at December 13, 2007 8:42 AM