Thursday, March 25, 2010

Johnny trying to fix CBAs by consulting with real estate industry - and no one else

From the NY Observer:

City Comptroller John Liu has formed his Task Force on Public Benefit Agreements, selecting four co-chairs who hail from backgrounds of labor, the real estate industry, housing and small business. The chairs are Jack Ahern, president of the Central Labor Council; Barry Gosin, CEO of brokerage Newmark Knight Frank; Priscilla Almodovar, a former top state housing finance official and an executive at JPMorgan Chase; and Joyce Moy, professor of Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship at the City University of New York.

The purpose of the effort, which saw its first meeting Friday, is to recommend a more formalized process of creating "community benefits agreements," in which developers seeking public approvals strike deals with a collection of community groups and labor.


Okaaayy...so if they want helpful suggestions on this process, why wouldn't they put representatives of actual community or civic groups on the board? Otherwise, it's just a bunch of people with real estate interests and not community interests, which I suppose is intentional.

At least you know what to expect from Johnny. He never disappoints or surprises.

2 comments:

Missing Foundation said...

John Q Citizen serving on something like this? Hell, if they can't be on community boards, how in the hell do you think they will put them on something like this?!?!?

We must patiently, tirelessly explain to you that the machine is in control because, unlike you 'do gooders' always being 'fair and just,' or simply distracted by the course of life, or worse, assuming that public servants are there to, well, serve the public, nothing is left to chance.

Everytime you are given the mike to speak, be assured that you are scripted, or that they consider you a safe window dressing for .....


Honest Graft.

PS That is why we have this blog. If they ignore you, you have a place here to communicate with your fellow citizens. Note the quote by John Adams at the sidebar every morning.

Anonymous said...

Well, I wouldn't buy a used car from that guy. Oops. I was politically incorrect. I meant a "previously owned" car.

Post a Comment