Tony Avella Fights Overdevelopment in New York City

Councilmember Tony Avella has been instrumental in fighting over-development in his Queens constituency; but he says that he can bring the subject up in any neighborhood, and people will say "Yeah, you're right." Winess the latest over-development project Two Trees' Dock Street DUMBO project, so much in the news of late. The lament of overdevelopment is also heard loudly and clearly in north Brooklyn, where many long-time residents still express sadness over the 2005 rezoning which resulted in the very residents who worked so hard to bring the neighborhood back being pushed out of the community. Williamsburg is on many New Yorkers' lips as development gone wrong, thanks to Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn. As mayor, Tony Avella has said that he would add a paid urban planner to the community boards and revise the city charter to give the boards more power to accomplish their own plans for their own neighborhoods. In Williamsburg and Greenpoint, local residents and civic groups worked for months on a community-based plan that they feel was essentially ignored by City Hall. "Unscrupulous developers are getting away with anything and the real estate industry is making money hand over fist," says Avella. "And that shouldn't be the case. They shouldn't be doing theplanning. Neighborhoods should be doing the planning."

DUMBO Residents Sold Out

Despite the objection of local Councilmember David Yassky and DUMBO residents, and a paltry few honorable councilmembers including Tony Avella, Eric Gioia, John Liu, and Charles Barron, the New York City Council's Land Use Committee approved Two Trees' Dock Steet DUMBO development on June 5. The project will wipe out the view of Mahhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge from the DUMBO neighborhood. Councilmembers bowed to Speaker Quinn's support and Mayor Bloomberg's bidding of this most recent overdevelopment of New York City. Yassky called for an invesitation due to the fact that a "sweetheart" relationship between the City's School School Contruction Authority and Two Trees has been uncovered by emails, obtained through a FOIA request. This is just another bad deal for New Yorkers, approved by Bloomberg and Quinn. Everyday New Yorkers get the shaft, again, under Bloomberg's watch. Tony Avella's reaction to the vote was that people will walk by and say, "Who the heck allowed this building to get built?" After the vote, DUMBO's Neighborhood Alliance President Gus Sheha lamented, "It's clear that this committee today sold the Brooklyn Bridge."

David and Goliath

Councilman Tony Avella, candidate for mayor, has aggressively fought Bloomberg on his agenda of overdevelopment for the past eight years. Unfortunately, he has to fight almost everyone on the City Council as well, who cowtow to the mayor and walk lockstep with him, promoting his agenda. Bloomberg's overdevelopment is vehemently opposed by most New Yorkers; but what do they matter? Bloomberg is NOT the common man, nor does he care what the common man wants. He is remaking the City in his own wealthy image. Avella must convince voters that a relatively unknown councilman, without much financial support, can somehow defeat an immensely wealthy incumbent willing to spend unlimited amounts of his own money to secure a third term, a term that he does not deserve. The people of New York voted TWICE to secure term limits, but Bloomberg and his money and his influence managed to overturn the peoples' choice. One statistic alone should prove that Bloomberg does not have the City's best interests at heart: in the past eight years, the city has rezoned one-sixth of the total land in the five boroughs—more than the last six administrations combined—and the City Council has approved more than 80 total rezonings. Who is going to stop this dreadful train of events if not the people of New York? Please go to Councilmember Tony Avella's website and read his stand on the issues. http://thewgnews.com/2009/05/tony-who/ http://www.tonyavellaformayor.com/

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.

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.

Another controversial development project, an 18-story complex blocking views of the Brooklyn Bridge, has been urged on by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and New York city Council members were pressured to vote in favor of the project. This vote assured a victory for developer Two Trees when the full council votes next week. Two Trees father and son and their families have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to Council members in recent years, which is presumably why they have been given the go-ahead by Quinn. The wishes of the people in the vicinity don't matter. "I am thoroughly disgusted," said Queens Councilman Tony Avella (D-Flushing), one of three to vote against the project. "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 also pushed colleagues to oppose the project to be built in his district, and was disappointed by the 15-3 vote, but appeared resigned. "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.

TONY AVELLA WOWS THEM!

A political forum on animal issues sponsored by the New York League of Humane Voters was held last Tuesday, May 26. Candidates for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, and Manhattan District Attorney were all invited to attend this first-time event in which candidates for city office were given the opportunity to talk about what if anything they have done, or what they might do in the future, to help New York City animals.

Most of these candidates, especially the ones who didn't show up (eg, Bloomberg), have done little to nothing; but animal hero Councilmember Tony Avella, unlike the vast majority of his colleagues in the City Council, has supported every animal bill to come before the Council. He also was the only council person to step up to the plate and introduce the bill to ban the horse-drawn carriage. Appropriately, Mr. Avella received wild cheers and a standing ovation when he got up to speak. He continued to received outbursts of loud applause throughout his speech.

No other candidate received this reception because they haven't done enough for animals to deserve it.

Mr. Avella DESERVES our support! Volunteers are needed!

Please visit his website to see what you can do: Tony Avella for Mayor and Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages.