DUMBO Approved by Dumb Councilmembers

Urged on by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, New York City Council members voted in favor of a controversial 18-story complex (DUMBO) planned for a site next to the Brooklyn Bridge, which will block views of the bridge, despite cries from citizens that this most recent foray into the overdevelopment of the City continues to rain havok on the New York that New Yorkers want to preserve. This vote will likely seal a victory for developer Two Trees father and son and their families, who have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Council members in recent years. Evidently, this is the money talking alluded to by Queens Councilman Tony Avella, one of only three councilmembers brave enough to vote against the project, in favor of the peoples' wishes. "I am thoroughly disgusted," said Mr. Avella, "and unfortunately, when it comes to the real estate industry and politics and city government, money talks. It's really shameful; I vote no." Councilman David Yassky, whose district is targeted for the project, also pushed colleagues to vote no. He was was disappointed by the 15-to-3 vote, but appeared resigned that it would likely be built. "I had a hunch that developers were making progress with a lot of the Council members, but I had hoped that our arguments in favor of the Brooklyn Bridge would resonate with them," he said.