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TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kimberly Cruz on democratic failures and the proposed Citi Field casino
3:19:47
·
3 min
Kimberly Cruz, a Member of the Public, testifies on what she perceives as failures in democracy and voices strong opposition to the proposed casino development at Citi Field.
She argues that the current system is not serving citizens adequately and that such developments disregard community wishes and public land.
Cruz calls for more engaged and informed voter participation to ensure a healthier democracy and more responsive local government.
- Cruz introduces herself as a former congressional candidate and author, positioning her experiences as a "primary source" on democratic shortcomings.
- She describes the current political climate as a "civil war," highlighting concerns over freedom of assembly, press, and speech.
- She criticizes Senator Liu for sponsoring a bill that would allow public parkland at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the site of Citi Field, to be used for a casino, referencing the history of Shea Stadium.
- Cruz emphasizes that the residents of Queens have been opposed to the casino project for the past five years.
Kimberly Cruz
3:19:47
Hi.
3:19:47
My name is Kimberly Cruz of Queens, and I just wanted to start with quotes.
3:19:52
Benjamin Franklin once said, those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
3:20:02
So I just really wanna state because we care about primary sources.
3:20:05
I am a walking and talking primary source.
3:20:08
I was NY six congressional candidate in 2024, which was just last year.
3:20:13
I'm walking and talking proof of why our democracy is a clear failure to any reasonable citizen on this land.
3:20:20
As I've stated, I wrote a whole book, hindsight is 2020, the train key to democracy, and I published this October 2024 to reveal all the February sources that this commission has asked for.
3:20:34
It's there.
3:20:35
So these demographics that we're talking about are people.
3:20:38
Right?
3:20:38
From a national level, a state level, and a city level, they can range in all the different colors of purple that there is.
3:20:45
But the fact is that we don't have a local government.
3:20:48
That is why we we're here pleading for open primaries without really understanding what open primaries mean in a civil war.
3:20:56
And like I've always said, as I testify, we are in a civil war.
3:20:59
We have a sister city in Los Angeles that's dealing with their own gripes right now, so I don't wanna stay silent.
3:21:04
I'm an American patriot.
3:21:06
And there is violence going on because they don't have freedom of assembly.
3:21:09
They don't have freedom of press, and we as a public don't have freedom of speech.
3:21:14
So the demographics of my city is NY 6.
3:21:17
Flushing is my home, and I speak all the languages that I can of my land.
3:21:22
But I come here because voter turnout needs to be engaging and informed to have a healthy democracy.
3:21:27
Our senators, which I will state right now, senator Liu is a sponsor of a bill that is allowing our public parks land to be taken away from us.
3:21:37
Okay?
3:21:37
Citi Field is going to open up a casino, and the historic part of it is the origins of Shea Stadium come from 1957, so pre civil rights.
3:21:48
And when you think about the history of this land, you're thinking about Walter O'Malley, Robert Moses creating this new stadium with city funds.
3:21:56
You're talking about the fact that we had to plead them to be there, and five days before the World Fair in 1964 is when they opened up.
3:22:04
And then they dismantled this.
3:22:06
Right?
3:22:06
They demolished this apparently in 2009 because the city charter asked for it.
3:22:11
But the disrespect to the people of Queens, to the nation of Queens, because I'm pleading for it to be a nation and declaring it to be a nation very soon if we don't get a local government because this is a force of democracy.
3:22:24
But the fact is that they were supposed to dismantle it, cover it up, because they didn't properly create revenue for the land of Queens.
3:22:30
But then they created Citi Field, and they use that name because they get $20,000,000 from Citibank to use that name.
3:22:37
And the fact of the matter is that in 02/2025, they have the audacity to start lobbying in in Albany and all that jazz when the people of Queens for the last five years since 2020 has said no.