TESTIMONY
Charlene Jackson Mendez, Bronx Resident, on the 'City of Yes' Economic Development Plan's Impact on Local Communities
4:27:13
·
155 sec
Charlene Jackson Mendez criticizes the 'City of Yes' economic development plan, arguing it sidelines the needs of ordinary citizens and undermines local control in favor of increased government power and top-down planning.
- Mendez expresses concerns that removing zoning regulations threatens local control and individual liberties to pursue the progressive agenda.
- She lists negative impacts of progressive policies on the city's economic stability and quality of life, including defunding the police, bail reform, forced COVID-19 vaccinations, and encouraging electronic scooter use.
- Mendez emphasizes the importance of public safety, quality schools, and a clean environment over increased population density and placing businesses in residential areas.
- She challenges the assumption that significantly increasing building heights and population density will not harm communities, calling for more government accountability and responsiveness in urban planning.
Charlene Jackson Mendez
4:27:13
Yes.
4:27:14
Thank you.
4:27:14
Good afternoon, chair Riley, city council members, and the community that is present here and on Zoom.
4:27:23
My name is Charlene Jackson Mendez, and I'm a homeowner in the Van Ness section of the Bronx.
4:27:30
I am a very proud citizen of Councilwoman Marmerado's district, and you are doing a bang up job.
4:27:39
The city of yes, economic development plan is billed as a necessary change in zoning in order to correct an out dated zoning framework to allow small and large business owners greater flexibility.
4:27:54
However, The city of yes seems to be yet another example of top down planning spurred on by globalist and or progressives who have a hostility toward free market economies, the middle class and low density neighborhoods.
4:28:11
The city of yes, is not a plan that reflects the needs and interest of ordinary law abiding citizens who believe that the American dream should be attainable if one is industrious.
4:28:25
The people cry out for public safety quality public schools, and a clean environment, not increased power of the government over our lives and communities.
4:28:36
Removing zoning regulations is a way of removing local control.
4:28:42
There are many of our city council members who do not respect individual liberty and are constitutional right to pursue happiness.
4:28:52
They believe that they know better than the people.
4:28:55
Because so few individuals vote in our local elections, there is essentially no accountability on the part of the city council 2 ordinary New Yorkers.
4:29:07
We have repeatedly been harmed by the progressive agenda, defunding the police, bail reform, aiding and abetting illegal immigration, forced COVID 19 vaccination, closure of schools, legalization of cannabis, and encouraging use of electronic scooters have each in their own way contributed to economic instability, death, and destruction of our quality of life.
4:29:32
The city of, yes, economic plan states that no harm will come from a significant increase in population density.
4:29:40
Placing businesses in the midst of residential communities and significantly increasing the number and height of existing buildings.
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Jack Bolinbach, Representative of the Coalition of Civic Associations, on Opposing Zoning Changes in Residential Areas
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Kevin Garcia, Senior Transportation Planner with the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, on the Impact of Last Mile Warehouses on Communities of Color and the Need for Zoning Reform