State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) has called on the state Department of Conservation to reject an application by the developers of Willets Point for millions of dollars in tax credits.
Avella slammed the Queens Development Group, a joint venture by Related Co., and Sterling Equities, for applying for credits from DEC’s Brownfield Cleanup Program in addition to $40 million they received from the city for clean-up costs associated with their $3 billion redevelopment of Willets Point.
“The QDG is attempting to take advantage of the BCP tax credit program by trying to apply for millions in tax credits for costs that will already be paid from the taxpayer’s pocket. It’s absolutely disgraceful,” Avella said. “The DEC’s response is alarming, as it completely disregards the fact that the QDG is already required to clean up the site and will already be receiving taxpayer funds to do so.”
Avella said he contacted the DEC after he learned the developers had been granted the city funds despite having already applied for Brownfield credits.
In a recent letter the DEC said, “The public interest is served by allowing these properties to participate in the BCP.”
The DEC did not respond to a request for comment.
A spokesman for the developers said that any tax credits they received from the DEC’s Brownfield program would not necessarily overlap as not all eligible clean-up areas were being reimbursed by the city.
9 comments:
This nightmare should never have been approved.
developers have become the new welfare cheats.I recall a certain program that involved poor people having to work to get food stamps(welfare to work anyone?).the same should apply to these corrupt land grabbers and the loophole finding lawyers they hire.
dispicable.good job by avella,hopefully there will be charges for these blatant robberies.
Let's do away with all tax credits for developers - we don't need their cheap shit in Queens!
All we get these days are Third World Insta-Ghettos and run down medical buildings!
Perhaps if Dunkin Donuts wasn't allowed to run the Bonelle out of business (c'mon - we all know that DD has paid off the landlord!) we wouldn't have so many junk-food-eating, obese people requiring dialysis and might have some interesting stores and restaurants in Queens!
Avella for Mayor! or Senator, or President!
Wasn't former BP Shulman a lobbyist for the developers?
Im so happy Avella brought this to our attention or of course us residents would have never known. Shady city and they keep taking advantage of Queens. Hopefully something will be done.
BRING IN THE FEDS!!!
This is the biggest corruption in the city.
Elected officials are should be feeling ashamed.
who knows how much they got kicked back.
One coin two sides.
Stealing via politicians and bureaucrats through sweetheart deals, bid rigging, insider information, favorable narrowly written requirements, etc. Paying for it via debt and accounting tricks.
Stealing via politicians and bureaucrats who will look the other way while unsustainable pensions and tax structures are put in place.
Its the screw the common man game. I'll be gone you'll be gone. Just like Wall St.
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