LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Continued from p. 10
Smaller businesses do it right To The Editor: Re “East Villagers map out a plan to keep chain stores in check” (news article, Nov. 28): Small business makes the world turn. It is the main economy. As a small business owner and employer of 16 people in the East Village for the past 10 years, I can tell you that my employees have been much better paid, by far, and much better treated, by far. Why would they stay with me for four, five, six — and some, seven years? Can they make $9.50 an hour as a starting salary, $13.50 as a salesperson and $18.50 as a manager at a big-box store? I don’t think so. My friends who work in large corporations, which I have done as well, are envious of my ability to actually make decisions, to turn on a dime, and to actually take advantage of market trends. Small businesses are, ounce for ounce, 10 times more productive than big ones.
Illegal hotels hurting Little Italy To The Editor: Re “Illegal hotel operator is gone — but so are rentregulated units” (news article, Nov. 28): Thank you for this helpful and informative article. Little Italy’s affordable housing stock has been decimated by this black-market activity of illegal hotel rentals, in some cases, with the collusion of landlords. And many of us wonder when our elected officials will step forward to do something about it. Community Board 2 held a special meeting on Nov. 4 about the fate of the Elizabeth St. Garden, one of the precious few, open green spaces in our area, which is being eyed for affordable senior housing by Councilmember Margaret Chin. If the illegal hotel rentals were ended, we would have a treasure trove of residential units that could be repurposed to their original intended purpose: affordable housing. Groundfloor units could be offered on a first-rights basis to elderly individuals who may have trouble with stairs. I have not heard that adage in awhile that seems readymade for this situation: Housing for People, Not for Profit.
Dominique Camacho
Georgette Fleischer Fleischer is founder, Friends of Petrosino Square
I didn’t call him ‘Boss’ Johnson!
E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to news@ thevillager.com or fax to 212-229-2790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 515 Canal St., Suite 1C, NY, NY 10013. Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. The Villager does not publish anonymous letters.
To The Editor: Re “The Schwartz-Schulkin shift” (Scoopy’s Notebook, Nov. 28): While I did have the discussion with Lincoln Anderson about my new position, I don’t recall using the term “boss” regarding Councilmember-elect Corey Johnson. I think that was Lincoln’s comment. I also wanted to thank Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, state Senator Brad Hoylman and the four district leaders, John Scott, Jean Grillo, Keen Berger and Arthur Schwartz. They all had the confidence I would do a good job and work well with them and, of course, my co-state committeeperson, Rachel Lavine. A special thanks to Corey Johnson, who did everything he could to get me in place for the coming year. He will be a strong leader for the people in the Third Council District, but not the boss (LOL). Alan Schulkin
Schulkin simply spilled the beans To The Editor: Re “The Schwartz-Schulkin shift” (Scoopy’s Notebook, Nov. 28): Actually, the hearsay printed in Scoopy’s Notebook is far more accurate than the quotes given in response in both the actual Scoopy’s item and in The Villager’s comments section. Two other candidates and I weren’t even consulted by the four district leaders, nor were we given any notice that a meeting was to take place, nor made aware that Arthur Schwartz was preparing to resign at a future date. While I regard the new state committeeman as a friend, and have faith that his 30-plus years of activism will allow for him to do a remarkable job, it cannot be denied that he simply spilled the beans when initially speaking with Lincoln. Dodge Landesman
TheVillager.com
SCOOPY’S, continued from p. 3 human-scale buildings, carriage houses, stoops and winding streets. N.Y.U. has moved from being a friendly neighbor to a power-hungry, land-grabbing, politician-buying, bullying Scrooge. I encourage everyone that loves the Village to lend their support and voice to protecting this beloved oasis of Manhattan.” The items will be sold in a silent online auction from Mon., Dec. 9, through Wed., Dec. 18, giving bidders worldwide plenty of time to place their bids. Bidders will be notified by e-mail when they are outbid. For a preview of auction items and more information, go to nyufasp.com/ auction/#preview .
www.reddenfuneralhome.net
CHAIRPERSON CHATTER: Never one to be cowed by convention, David Gruber, Community Board 2 chairperson, is planning to have the board consider putting off its board officer elections from June, when they’re usually held, till as late as next October. Gruber tells us other community boards have made this switch, and he thinks there’s some logic to it. Mainly, it gives new board members, who are appointed in April, a chance to get to know their colleagues so they can make informed votes in the election. However, one C.B. 2 member we bumped into recently told us she believed Gruber, in fact, wants to go for a third one-year term, which would break with the board’s unofficial chairperson term limit of two one-year terms in a row. (Shades of Quinn and Bloomberg???) Nope, Gruber said. He told us while, personally, he’s “agnostic” on the idea of a third term for C.B. 2 chairpersons, he will be stepping down after his current term — that is, whenever it actually does end. “I’m not ready for a third term,” he stated. Meanwhile, we hear some people still hope to recruit Terri Cude to run for board chairperson. Sorry to all the Cude fans out there, but she’s not running — yet. “It’s not my time,” she told us. December 5, 2013
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