Ratner Shouldn't See A Dime Of Stimulus Money

With so much money at stake in the stimulus, there is no shortage of people looking not only to get work to feed their families but to enrich themselves at the expense of the public. Senate Republicans have already reduced the amount of funds to build infrastructure in the name of tax cuts for the rich. If the Senate bill was signed by Obama as is, 42% of that stimulus would be tax cuts and mostly helping those who are on the wealthier end of the spectrum. With that, the remaining funds need to be protected from greedy developers such as Bruce Ratner. While Ratner lobbies for his own ends, the community must fight back.

From NY1:

Brooklyn advocates and officials are speaking out about reports that a city developer is asking congress to help fund construction at the Atlantic Yards site.

Borough President Marty Markowitz is welcoming news that Bruce Ratner is lobbying for a portion of the stimulus package to jumpstart the $4 billion project.

The plan to build an NBA arena and more than a dozen apartments and office towers has reportedly been scaled back due to the stagnant economy.

"It has all the earmarks of exactly all the kinds of projects that Congress is looking for and President Obama is looking for. It will put people to work immediately and it will benefit the community at large," said Markowitz.

"Earmarks" is exactly the wrong word here Mr. Markowitz. These projects aren't just stuck into a bill without careful review. Perhaps Ratner's best friend might want to consult a dictionary...or the bill itself to see what the infrastructure projects are all about. Just because eminent domain was abused for the purpose of AY does not mean Ratner is entitled to Federal money to finance a failed "development" scheme that Ratner eagerly wants completed.

Eminent domain was intended for projects that benefited the entire community and not a few wealthy financiers in the process. Rebuilding roads, laying new water pipes, building more mass transit lines and creating more accessability to broadband internet is what Obama had envisioned. Creating a new energy grid that utilizes green, renewable energy is also a part of that plan. I seriously doubt the names "Bruce Ratner" or "Atlantic Yards" had ever entered the President's mind.

And of course, the Atlantic Yards Report has more on the matter.