Thomas K. Duane's Blog entries

Comments by New York State Senator Thomas K. Duane andNew York State Assembly Member Richard N. GottfriedRegarding the New York State Sea Level Rise Task ForceDraft Report to the New York State Legislature

December 12, 2010

On December 5, I joined Manhattan Community Board 2 (CB2), the Community Action Alliance on NYU Plan 2031 (CAAN), other elected officials and hundreds of Greenwich Village residents in a rally calling on New York University (NYU) to withdraw its application to acquire more than two acres of City-owned land along Mercer, LaGuardia, Bleecker and West 3rd Streets between Washington Square South and Houston Street.

After hearing reports that a small vegetable garden planted by a Chelsea resident in a Ninth Avenue bike lane median was removed by a landscaper commissioned by the New York City Parks Department, I and my staff took immediate action to ensure that such plantings not be removed again.  We have had continued dialogue and correspondence with the Parks Department seeking written affirmation of the constituent’s right to plant in that public space.  I am also in the process of organizing a meeting to discuss how the small but much-needed plots of green space created by protected bike lanes can be planted and maintained by community members across the city.  Please see the Chelsea Now story on the issue

On November 19, 2010 I released the following statement in opposition to the New York City Department of Education’s proposal to co-locate a Success Charter Network elementary school with the five high schools currently occupying the Louis D. Brandeis High School campus (145 West 84th Street):

Statement of NYS Senator Thomas K. Duane Re: Proposal to Co-Locate Charter School at Brandeis Campus

October 2010 was marred by reports of three apparent hate crimes perpetuated in Greenwich Village and Chelsea in which the victims were perceived to be gay men. In response to each of the attacks, my office has been working with the Manhattan District Attorney's office, the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP), and NYPD Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender liaison Tim Duffy to ensure that those who are responsible are brought to justice.Hate and prejudice of any kind are unacceptable in New York City or anywhere, but there is a heightened injustice that these apparently anti-gay attacks occurred in Chelsea and Greenwich Village, neighborhoods with their long-standing connections to the LGBT community.

On October 29, U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler and I sponsored an informational meeting on rent regulation facilitated by the New York State Tenants & Neighbors Coalition.  Rent regulation benefits all New Yorkers, whether or not they live in a rent-regulated apartment, and is one of the main reasons that New York is such a racially and economically diverse, dynamic, vibrant and exciting place.  At the meeting, Mary Tek of Tenants & Neighbors discussed with an enthusiastic group of tenants recent housing bills passed by the New York State Legislature and New York City Council, the campaign for rent regulation reform and pending legislation, and how to become involved in the fight to strengthen and preserve affordable housing.

In the wake of August's shooting death in front of Sin Sin nightclub at 248 East Fifth Street, I joined Assemblymember Deborah Glick and other local elected officials in sending a letter to New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) Chair Dennis Rosen outlining our concerns not only about Sin Sin but also about the overall liquor license approval process. The current system – which allows bars and clubs like Sin Sin to open despite cogent objections from the local Community Board, elected officials and neighborhood residents and to remain open despite persistent adverse effects on the surrounding community – is clearly not working.

After several years of work and advocacy by the Community Advisory Committee for Select Bus Service (CAC) on First and Second Avenues, East Side elected officials, Manhattan Community Board 6, Transportation Alternatives and other transportation and community stakeholders, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) debuted the M15 Select Bus Service (SBS) along First and Second Avenues on Sunday, October 10.  While short of the true Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system for which many of us had advocated, SBS has proven to increase bus speed and convenience.  An SBS installed in the Bronx has resulted in 20% faster bus trips, and it is expected that we will see similar if not greater benefits along the underserved East Side of Manhattan.  As with any new service, imple

As you may be aware, crucial repairs in New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) apartments throughout the City have been delayed by a combination of funding shortages and bureaucratic errors. On September 20, the Alliance to Preserve Public Housing, a citywide coalition of residents, advocates and elected officials of which I am proud to be a member, met with NYCHA's executive board to secure commitments to overcome these obstacles and improve living conditions for public housing residents. We are also working to improve transparency within the authority and to increase resident participation in major decisions. I will continue to work with all stakeholders as we fight to preserve public housing as a safe, decent and affordable option for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers.