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BRONX, N.Y.
Activists score victory over billionaire mayor
Published Dec 23, 2009 3:25 PM
New York’s billionaire Mayor Mike Bloomberg and his friends at The
Related Companies L.P. were upset Dec. 21 by a 49-1 override of
Bloomberg’s veto of an earlier vote by the New York City Council, which
had rejected Related Companies’ attempt to create a monster-mall out of
the 560,000-square-foot Kingsbridge Armory in the Bronx, N.Y.
A concerted effort by a coalition of religious, community and labor
organizations known as the Kingsbridge Area Redevelopment Alliance influenced
Bronx elected officials and the New York City Council to support demands for
living-wage jobs and to block $18 million in tax subsidies for a megamarket
that would drive out neighborhood supermarkets with union jobs.
The battle has heightened community awareness of the cynical relationships
which bind City Hall to Wall Street and vulture capitalists. People remember
Bloomberg’s partnership with Brynwood Partners in destroying 135 jobs and
a Bronx institution, the Stella D’Oro cookie company.
Ava Farkas of KARA was elated by the victory. She and others are optimistic
that KARA will advance the struggle for development beneficial to the
Bronx.
— Report & photo by Mike
Eilenfeldt
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