Q&A
Discussion of Rampershad's voting record and rationale on specific projects
0:18:24
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163 sec
Council Member Brooks-Powers inquires about instances where Rampershad voted differently from the commission majority. Rampershad explains his voting rationale on several projects, including Borough-based jails, Two Bridges, and Queens Innovation.
- Rampershad cites specific projects where he voted 'no', including Borough-based jails and Two Bridges
- He emphasizes the importance of affordable housing in his decision-making process
- Rampershad describes his approach to evaluating projects, including reviewing community board statements and visiting sites personally
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
0:18:24
Absolutely.
0:18:25
And as a queen's person myself and seeing a lot of development in my district, obviously, appointment and reappointment in this role is is critical for the future well-being of our districts there.
0:18:41
And so I know you mentioned, like, you don't always vote the same way as the full commission.
0:18:47
Can you give a couple of examples of when you may have voted differently and what was the reason for that.
0:18:54
Mhmm.
0:18:55
And then I'm just gonna ask I'm gonna I'm not gonna go ahead.
0:18:59
I'll ask my next question.
Oudeshram “Raj” Rampershad
0:19:05
So I give you Burrow based jails.
0:19:06
I voted no.
0:19:09
Queen's the 2 bridges.
0:19:12
I also voted no.
0:19:13
Queen's in Ovation.
0:19:14
I voted no.
0:19:15
Queen's in Ovation.
0:19:16
I voted no because initially, I thought they could've put more affordable housing in the project.
0:19:20
It was multiple blocks that were involved with the rezoning, proposed rezoning.
0:19:24
And I know they were back and forth with the applicant, and, you know, I know they they always you always had the the term.
0:19:32
I get back to you for we're gonna we're gonna look at this a little further.
0:19:36
But at the time of the voting, I didn't see any change that was made with regards to the number of affordable that they were gonna increase.
0:19:44
So I for me, I in my heart, I couldn't do it.
0:19:47
So I voted against voter note, and I ended passing on on the commission of that one.
0:19:52
Same thing with 2 bridges.
0:19:53
I actually just got on the commission.
0:19:55
Literally, it was on maybe a few weeks.
0:19:58
But the same thing, I was watching my video on that one, and I felt the same way.
0:20:02
And I I that one, I felt, like, once again, I I usually when I look at the reports that we get, take I look at the book, the Community Board states.
0:20:10
If it's not full of Community Board, it was a land use report, look at that.
0:20:13
And listen to the testimony.
0:20:15
I mean, there have been many times when people come in.
0:20:17
I I bought my books because Normally, what I do is I write down everyone's name who's testifying, and I jot down little notes.
0:20:23
And the ones were sitting here, yes, by the way, I have a different book for that because of so many.
0:20:28
But I thought it's important because, you know, especially when you're not from the neighbor of that community, it's important on the seeing where that person is coming from.
0:20:37
And another thing I I always like to do is I try to go to the site prior to the vote just to see it for myself to see what's happening.
0:20:45
Just because you see it on paper doesn't mean you know it, just because you read it in newspapers, doesn't mean you know it.
0:20:49
You have to go there.
0:20:50
And, you know, luckily yeah.
0:20:52
I I not luckily.
0:20:54
But because I feel like I do that, I feel like a little bit more better than in terms of I see what the department's point of view is on it, but I gotta get it from my own for active.
0:21:04
Another way to do that is to do it on my own, like, going there.
