Marty Joins Bloomberg Administration in Unveiling Development Plan for Downtown Brooklyn

On April 14th, Marty joined Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Rebuilding Daniel L. Doctoroff, Amanda M. Burden, Director of City Planning, and Joshua J. Sirefman, Chief Operating Officer of the NYC Economic Development Corporation, to unveil the City's Plan for Downtown Brooklyn. The Plan is part of the Bloomberg Administration's comprehensive strategy to stimulate growth in New York City's varied business districts, and retain and increase jobs throughout the City. Already New York City's third-largest business district, Downtown Brooklyn offers companies seeking to diversify their operations affordable office space, outstanding mass transportation access, and burgeoning residential, academic and cultural opportunities. "I am proud to partner with Mayor Bloomberg and Deputy Mayor Doctoroff on the Downtown Brooklyn Redevelopment Plan which recognizes that Brooklyn must play a key role in the economic resurgence of New York City," Marty said. "The Plan firmly solidifies Downtown Brooklyn as the third major business hub in the New York metropolitan region, while also realizing that Downtown Brooklyn must be a livable community with its own unique identity. Downtown Brooklyn has been and will al-ways be the finest downtown in America." The Plan envisions the creation of three new office towers, another office development anchoring the west end of downtown at Boerum Place, new residential and office opportunities on the eastern side of Flatbush Avenue Extension, additional residential opportunities along Liv-ingston Street between Smith Street and Flatbush Avenue and mixed-use cultural district with a new library, theaters, galleries, rehearsal spaces, and other cultural venues, as well as mixed income housing in the area surrounding the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

They Say Cut Back, We Say Fight Back!

"The Pentagon promised us a shock and awe campaign in Iraq, and this is a doom and gloom budget in New York City," Marty said reacting to the Mayor's doomsday budget. "These absolutely frightening cuts would turn New York into a second-class city, and we will never accept this. This is another dramatic example of why Albany cannot turn its back on New York City. Governor Pataki owes Mayor Bloomberg big time, and its time for the Mayor to call in his political debt. The Governor and the State Senate, including New York City's Republican Senators, can't expect New York State to rebound if the City continues to drown. Peeksville and Rensselaer certainly aren't the state's economic engines. Our life preserver must come in the form of personal income tax reform and a modest surcharge on those individuals and corporations who can readily afford it. Drastic cuts to education, public safety, hospitals, senior centers and cultural attractions will only paralyze New York City and prevent our economy from bouncing back. This would hurt everybody from students, seniors and even seals. You can't sacrifice our future when obvious ways of balancing our budget are readily available. It is time to stop all of the Albany rhetoric and give New York City what we rightly deserve. It is also time for all New York City residents to make their voices heard and let Albany know that we will not be shortchanged. They say cut back, but we say fight back!"

Fight Against Closing Firehouses Continues

The fight to save Brooklyn's firehouses continued in full force during the past week. On April 15th, Marty, Councilman Bill de Blasio, Councilwoman Yvette Clarke and Councilman David Yassky joined with "stroller moms" to protest the closing of Engine Company 204 in Cobble Hill. On April 19th, Marty, Councilwoman Clarke and Councilman Yassky rallied with Brooklynite actor and former NYC firefighter Steve Buscemi and other local residents to save Engine Company 212 in Williamsburg. "Our firefighters are our first line of defense. It makes absolutely no sense to close even one firehouse when we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of every single New York City resident," Marty said.

Eight Brooklynites Awarded Prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship

Eight incredibly talented Brooklyn artists were recently named Guggenheim Fellows for their innovative and creative work in chor-eography, filmmaking, painting, photography, sculpture and writing. The 79th annual competition, funded by the John Simon Guggen-heim Memorial Foundation, chose 184 U.S. and Canadian artists, scholars, and scientists from over 3200 applicants for awards totaling $6,750,000. "This is another great example that the most talented artists in the world live and work in Brooklyn," Marty said. "There is a creative spirit found throughout our borough that allows these talented men and women to produce unbelievable works of art that inspire us all. Brooklyn is so very proud of our Guggenheim Fellows, and we know there will be even more Brooklyn winners next year!" Brooklyn's eight Guggenheim Fellows are: Fred Cray, Photographer: Photography; Teresita Fern ndez, Artist: Sculpture; Samantha Gillison, Writer: Fiction; Thomas Allen Harris, Film Maker: Film making; Stephan Koplowitz, Choreographer; Director of Dance, Packer Collegiate Institute: Choreography; Glenn Ligon, Artist: Painting; Gina Magid, Artist: Painting; Joel Werring, Artist: Painting.

Marty Honors Brooklyn Friends School

On April 15th, Marty honored Brooklyn Friends School in Brooklyn Heights for capturing the New York State Class C bas-ketball title last month. "Brooklyn Friends is showing the world what Brooklynites have known forever - the basketball capital of the world is right here in Brooklyn!" Marty said.

Happy Holidays

Marty hopes everyone had a Happy Easter and Passover. And to our Muslim community, Happy New Year (Higara). As usual, Marty visited a number of churches on Easter Sunday including the Bethany Baptist Church, Elim International Fellowship Church and Mt. Sinai Baptist Church all in Bedford-Stuyvesant, the Christian Cultural Center in Canarsie/Flatlands and the Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Fort Greene.