Campaign Fun, Part I: Sept. 12 Primary Should be Priority

Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn is urging residents to "engage in the primary day electoral process and skip an Empire State Development Corporation hearing" on Atlantic Yards scheduled for September 12. DDDB's statement says, in part, "The ESDC 'ran' a public hearing on August 23rd that was a fiasco...after eight hours only 100 people out of 500 wishing to speak were able to do so." DDDB spokesperson Daniel Goldstein says, "We urge and encourage the public not to go to the September 12th ESDC ‘Atlantic Yards’ hearing but rather engage in the political process as voters, campaign and poll workers."

DDDB and others have urged a change in the September 12 hearing date because it conflicts with the primary. "It is especially unacceptable and unconscionable considering that the last hearing required an eight hour commitment just to have a chance to testify," Goldstein says. "We've asked the ESDC to change the problematic hearing date but they have not budged."

As an alternative, DDDB suggests attending the recently added Sept. 18 hearing and the submission of written comments through the September 29 deadline.