TESTIMONY
Phil Orenstein, President of the Queens Village Republican Club, on Opposing the 'City of Yes' Economic Expansion Proposals
6:31:44
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Phil Orenstein testifies against the 'City of Yes' economic proposals to prevent the transformation of residential areas into commercial zones in Queens.
- Orenstein represents the Queens Village Republican Club, America's oldest Republican club.
- He shares the concerns of his community in Easton Queens about the threat to the character and quality of life posed by these proposals.
- The testimony opposes turning 1 and 2 family zone neighborhoods into commercial zones, which would benefit developers at the expense of the community.
- Orenstein calls on all city council members to vote against the economic expansion into residential areas.
Phil Orenstein
6:31:44
Yes.
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My name is Phil Ornstein.
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I'm the president of the Queens Village Republican Club.
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America's oldest Republican club, and I thank you for the opportunity to testify against these economic city of yes proposals.
6:32:01
I live in a beautiful residential community here with my wife in Easton Queens.
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Folks in this community from every race, every religion, every ethnicity under the sun.
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We are friendly and amicable towards one another.
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We live and work together in harmony and friendship.
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We are members of the middle class.
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We are members of the working class in America.
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Some of us retired, but all of us have achieved a measure of the American dream, which is owning a piece of a piece of property, which we could call our own.
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This is the American dream.
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I'm speaking on behalf of nearly everyone I know in this neighborhood.
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As we are opposed to the destruction of our 1 and 2 family zone neighborhoods to transform them into busy commercial zones which would destroy the character and quality of life of our communities.
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As we become more aware, of the ramifications of these destructive city of yes proposals for economic change in our neighborhoods.
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This is a massive economic expansion into our residential communities, and we say no.
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We see it as a free for all for big developers and corporations to profit and plunder our communities which we regard as our own.
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We in one voice say, not in our life.
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Vote against this.
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We urge oral city council members to vote against this.