BHA Meeting Notes: New Mottos and Cricket!

For some people money is everything. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I’ve never been one of those. I spend plenty of time volunteering for causes- but quality of life in this CIty should not be just for the rich. After all, those of us who aren’t rich or in $100,000 a year jobs pay taxes and take care of our responsibilities, join the armed services, etc. Just think what would happen to the tax base if all of us refused to pay taxes. The taxes paid by the rich and corporations wouldn’t begin to cover it. In a study about 2 years ago the government found that it was small business and the mom-and-pop operations that contributed the largest amount to the tax base. And get the least tax breaks. So considering all of that, why should anyone have to give up quality of life (or their homes to eminent domain that claims them for rich developers) to someone who has more money? As the middle class gets squeezed out, everyone suffers. So there should be a better way- if you don’t have the money to put where your mouth is, there still ought to be people and leaders who have the vision to see that a society simply of have and have-nots is never a good idea. History proves that.

Seriously though, I lived in Brooklyn Heights for 26 years and was there when COurt St. was still scary up to when they built the new Law School dormitory. That went up right behind the small prewar I lived in on Schermerhorn- and it was a terrifying, painful experience. Not only did they do quite a few illegal things, they collapsed a building behind us and not only did we get evacuated, but the Fire Department lived on our roof for 4 days (and did we spoil them with snacks and pastry!) Then the pile driving began, coming within 4 feet of my building’s foundation, Since they were pounding into bedrock for a week my building shook. We were frantic- cracks appeared in the foundation. Within the surrounding 2 block area there were 3 major construction projects, plus several more slated to begin. I finally fled. The dust, the noise, the pounding- ugh. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Downtown Brooklyn proves it. I know things change, I know we need housing- but somehow the way raptor developers burst into a neighborhood, without a care for the people who built that neighborhood into something desirable- well, there must be a better way the destruction of the neighborhood and wholesale disruption of people’s lives..

how about “brooklyn, a bunch of snobby assholes”

Brooklyn-Where Paul Giamatti will steal your baby, spit in your coffee and kick your cat.

Anon 10:05- grow up already.You are making yourself look bad, not PLG.