Who is Tony Avella? I didn't know until reading a post on Brownstoner about the March 3 community meeting at Carroll Gardens' St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Residences about the Toll Brothers proposal to develop 577 housing units alongside the lovely Gowanus Canal.
Avella, a Queens City Councilman, was there. And I like the way this guy talks. He says things we're all thinking, but no one in power will admit. "Development projects will always be put on the front burner," he said, according to Brownstoner. "It has nothing to do with a project’s merit. It has to do with the mayor thinking that’s what the city needs. The real estate industry controls the agenda in this city."
Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Say it, Tony! Goddam, it's good to hear someone with knowledge of the inside workings of City Hall to confirm what we all suspect. I understand this man wants to be mayor in 2009. (Forgive me for not have tracked this fact to date.) I will be following his progress with interest.
avella's great! he was at all the borough-wide cable hearings where the public gave comment about cable service & their needs from the communities they're supposed to serve. cable tv operates thru a franchise between the cable provider & the city & the current franchise expires this year. public input will hopefully guide the new franchise & as a supporter of community tv it was great to see avella at every's borough's hearing (although i didn't go to the one in staten isle. i work in public access tv so these hearing are important to us) supporting a good & public-interested contract between whoever the cable provider is (verizon wants in on the very lucrative nyc markets) & the city. btw, love your 'blog. glad my google reader recommended it for me! i'll be checking your pov out!
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Thanks, Urbanista. Glad to have you here.
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