PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Paul Briscoe, Candidate for Congress from New York District 10
2:57:52
·
123 sec
Paul Briscoe, a candidate for Congress in New York's District 10, testifies against the proposed rezoning plan, arguing that New York City is already overcrowded and unsustainable. He criticizes the lack of genuine community involvement in development projects and expresses concerns about the city's priorities and infrastructure issues.
- Briscoe highlights the struggle against overdevelopment in neighborhoods like Brooklyn Heights, Sunset Park, Park Slope, and Red Hook.
- He criticizes the timing and outreach of community input meetings for development projects, suggesting they are designed to limit actual resident involvement.
- The testimony raises concerns about declining infrastructure, overcrowded schools and transportation, and the allocation of resources to house migrants while neglecting existing residents' needs.
Paul Briscoe
2:57:52
Well, thank you.
2:57:53
Good afternoon.
2:57:54
Thank you, counsel, giving me the opportunity and everybody else to speak.
2:57:58
My name is Paul Briscoe, and I'm running for Congress of New York's District 10.
2:58:03
My wife, GNI, a lifelong Brooklyn Heights.
2:58:05
And working musicians that live right over the bridge in Kabul Hill.
2:58:09
The constant struggle to push against the over development of my neighborhood, along with others within my district like Sunset Park, Park Slope and Redhook is very real.
2:58:19
We already live in a city of yes.
2:58:21
And is overcrowded and unsustainable.
2:58:25
We're seeing it real time with our Brooklyn Marine Terminal project that stretches over 122 acres of waterfront from Atlantic Avenue to Redhook.
2:58:35
Developers and city planners say they include residents and community input meetings, and they conveniently do.
2:58:42
By holding these meetings all week nights, usually around 5:30 at night, with little to no community outreach at door to door engagement.
2:58:50
It's a game that's designed to make you feel like you're involved when the truth is you're not.
2:58:55
Behind the scenes these decisions are having already been made, getting the most money out of every square foot of porcelain.
2:59:02
So when I hear the mayor and the city council pushing for this rezoning, it begs the question, where are elected officials priorities?
2:59:10
We have a rapidly declining infrastructure where our schools and transportation can keep up with demand.
2:59:17
But our city is quick to spend housing on illegal migrants within hotels and open shelters like the ten story mega shelter in Clinton Hill.
2:59:25
But they don't see our mismanaged subway system.
2:59:28
The lack of parking and many boroughs in our crowded classrooms We are tax paying residents that want better roads, better schools for our kids, safer communities with less crowding.
2:59:40
Stop punishing people that wanna live in a low density area.
2:59:44
That's alright.
2:59:45
Many families opt to stay at us if he's boarded just so they can have some space.
2:59:50
Yet the luxury high rises continue to sprout up, and there is little to no affordability within their confines.
