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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Seth Bernstein, Executive Director of Queens Economic Development Corporation
1:05:15
ยท
108 sec
Seth Bernstein, Executive Director of Queens Economic Development Corporation, voices his support for the Metropolitan Park project. He emphasizes the potential economic benefits for Queens, including job creation and business growth.
- Bernstein has been with the organization since 1979 and has witnessed many changes in the borough
- He argues that the project will provide jobs to thousands of young people, including first and second-generation New Yorkers
- Bernstein sees the project as an opportunity to transform underutilized land into an economic engine for future generations
Seth Bernstein
1:05:15
Good morning.
1:05:17
My name is Seth Borngine.
1:05:18
I'm the executive director of the Queen's Economic Development Corporation.
1:05:22
I've been I've been part of the organization since 1979.
1:05:25
I'm here to voice my support for the project.
1:05:28
I've witnessed many changes in the borough over the decades.
1:05:31
Economic development means growth that serves and benefits our borough.
1:05:34
Or as my late men the late the late borough president, Claeschelman, my mentor used to say, puts bread on the table for the people of Queens.
1:05:42
This is crucial for you to remain a world class percent that fuses energy, commerce, and culture.
1:05:48
A project like Metropolitan Park would not would have been unfathomable twenty five years ago, even ten years ago, but so much has changed.
1:05:55
Geographically, educationally, and socially, our borough is coming to its own as demonstrated by the growth of our hubs, New Orleans City, Jamaica, and Flushing.
1:06:03
We, the region's largest transportation center with newly rebuilt airports.
1:06:07
Our schools, public and private, from grade school to grad school, turn out students qualified and eager to join the workforce.
1:06:14
And as the most diverse county in the world, we have the language and cultural skills to succeed globally.
1:06:19
Metropolitan Park will harness the energy of this population and provide jobs to thousands of young people, many first and second generation New Yorkers seeking careers in their own borough.
1:06:30
This is true across all skill sets, entry level jobs to highly technical positions.
1:06:35
Our businesses will be the beneficiary of this vast investment, not just in the construction period, but in the decades to come.
1:06:42
In doing so, many small businesses will transform to mid sized and bigger businesses, expanding their workforce and increasing their tax revenues.
1:06:51
The bottom line is that we've we've a chance to transform one of the largest tracks of underutilized land in this city and turn into an economic engine that future generations will thank us for.
1:07:01
Let's not squander this opportunity.