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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Christopher Leon Johnson, Former Shop Steward, on Western Rail Yards Modification Proposal
3:31:41
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127 sec
Christopher Leon Johnson, a former shop steward for the MTA, testifies in opposition to the Western Rail Yards project, particularly focusing on the proposed casino. He argues that the project will not benefit the community and criticizes the unions supporting it.
- Johnson claims the casino will lower land values and attract undesirable individuals to the area.
- He accuses unions like 32BJ SEIU and HTC of being corrupt and paid by developers to support the project.
- Johnson argues that the jobs created will not provide living wages for New York City residents.
Christopher Leon Johnson
3:31:41
Hello, chairs.
3:31:43
Riley and Bacher.
3:31:44
My name is Christopher Leon Johnson.
3:31:46
I'm here to show opposition to the Highline Project.
3:31:48
I am a former with Thursby I used to work at the MTA East Access as a shop steward from 2017 to 2021, and I wanna explain my reason why as a as a Thursby j shop steward, former shop steward is the reason why this is a bad idea for any community.
3:32:02
First off, the zoning the zoning application is really off.
3:32:06
You wanna take out a whole Highline, which is a prestigious institution and put a little little crappy little casino, and everybody know the casino is gonna attract the worstest type of people you ever have attract into any institution, which is gonna lower the land values in your district, mister Bodger.
3:32:21
He knows it's gonna lower your land value.
3:32:22
It will never raise up the land values.
3:32:24
I'm to be on the record, I'm for the casino bid in in Brooklyn for Coney Island because it's gonna benefit Brooklyn.
3:32:30
Manhattan already has enough land use application to be approved.
3:32:34
Queens already have enough.
3:32:35
The Bronx, forget The Bronx.
3:32:37
Staten Island, nobody cares.
3:32:38
But I'm calling on the city council to reject this land use application and if you land this land use application because this is a bad land use application.
3:32:46
This is not gonna benefit the community at all.
3:32:48
Most of the people that are supporting this stuff will get it paid, especially my UNHWJ and HTC, they get it paid to all by the developers that relate it to push this project.
3:32:56
This is not gonna benefit nobody.
3:32:58
Yeah.
3:32:59
Otis said it's gonna it's gonna create jobs in Manhattan, but there's already enough jobs in Manhattan.
3:33:03
It's already enough jobs.
3:33:05
The members gonna get paid from like what, $17 an hour to about $35 an hour, and that's that's if they could even see $35 an hour, and that's not even these that's not even living ways in New York City, and the thing about it, these unions are really corrupt.
3:33:18
As a Dursley j shop store that used to work and do political activity for you, Riley, mister Riley, that helped got you elected as a as a as a shop store behind the scenes and civil powers, I can tell you right now, these two unions, HTC and third triple j are really corrupt.
3:33:31
They get paid by they get paid on the table by these developers to push this project and and and and it's not gonna benefit the community.
3:33:39
It will never benefit the the the community members.
3:33:42
It will never benefit
3:33:44
Thank you.
3:33:45
Thank you.
3:33:47
Alright.
3:33:47
Thank you.
Kevin Riley
3:33:43
the Time expired.
3:33:44
Thank you.
3:33:46
You're excused.