Immigrant Entrepreneurship and the City by Arturo Ignacio Sanchez

English translation - Originally published in QueensLatino

New York is a city of immigrants and small family-based businesses. The connection between immigration and small-scale entrepreneurship is a long-standing trend that can be traced back to the late 19^th century. In effect, every U.S. Census since 1880 has shown that immigrants have a higher incidence of self employment than the native-born population. This tendency for immigrants to establish small businesses is facilitated, in part, by their tendency to cluster residentially in specific neighborhoods. Geographically, this resulted in a protected market niche for co-ethnic goods and services; employment opportunities for recently arrived co-nationals; and the emergence of a highly defined sense of community that revolved around engagement in dense ethnic networks.

As we enter the second decade of the twentieth century, New York City is struggling with the socio-economic dislocations associated with the global economic crisis that erupted in 2007. In this regard, as of December 2010, the city’s unemployment rate was 8.9 percent. This dark economic situation was compounded by a deflated commercial real estate market, a dramatic upswing in residential mortgage default rates, a significant drop in municipal tax receipts, impending cutbacks in public sector employment, and retrenchment in the delivery of municipal services. And if the past is a window into the future, the quality-of-life in low-income and immigrant neighborhoods will be affected disproportionately.

In a city overwhelmingly populated by immigrants and their native-born children, any viable attempt at addressing the current economic crisis must include a well designed set of public policies that supports the small business sector and the socio-economic sustainability of local neighborhoods. It is a well documented and irrefutable fact that small-scale firms –in particular immigrant enterprises – are important generators of job growth. In addition, a wide-range of empirical studies have indicated that dense ethnic social networks - connecting immigrant firms and markets - function as important conduits for the efficient circulation of capital, goods, services, information, and labor. This so-called virtuous circle supports an economic environment amenable to small business start-ups and the expansion of local labor markets. As such, from a macro-citywide and micro-neighborhood perspective, a strong case can be made for designing an economic revitalization policy that explicitly includes a small business perspective.

Crafting public policy is not an exact science. It is a process of approximation that includes a degree of uncertainty. And in the best of circumstances it is an attempt at minimizing unintended consequences. This is especially the case when designing policy initiatives revolving around such crucial issues as immigrant incorporation, migrant entrepreneurship, and ethnic-based strategies supporting upward socio-economic mobility. 

Unfortunately, much of the discourse on immigrant issues is clouded by muddled assumptions and stereotypical perceptions that debilitate and – in some cases – undermine the viability of public policy. These poorly formulated policies increase the probability that unintended consequences will dominate the supposed outcomes. In short, what are required are public policy initiatives that are deeply informed by empirically-based research on immigrant issues.

Fortunately, there is hope for optimism. During the past two decades a vibrant body of empirical scholarship on immigrant entrepreneurship has emerged. This intellectual spadework has marshaled a host of inter-related concerns that connect in useful ways with research findings in such diverse academic disciplines as economic sociology, geography, and anthropology – to only mention a few. Examples of such research topics include : GROUP-BASED DYNAMICS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP - why certain immigrants groups have higher levels of entrepreneurship than other groups; BUSINESS NICHES - why certain ethnic groups are able to capture and dominate particular business markets; ETHNIC ENCLAVES - how certain immigrant groups are able to utilize their ethnic networks and social capital in structuring markets that are geographically defined and in which access to ownership and labor recruitment patterns are ethnically determined; BLOCKED MOBILITY & ENTREPRENEURSHIP - why certain immigrant groups engage in entrepreneurship for only one generation, while other ethnic groups encourage their children to continue in the family business; ALTERNATIVE PATHS TO ENTREPRENURSHIP - how and why different immigrant groups establish divergent entrepreneurial pathways that revolve around either formal (regulated) or informal (unregulated) business ventures.

In the final analysis, a key challenge facing elected officials, analysts, and community activists is how to successfully integrate these emerging research findings on immigrant entrepreneurship with a range of pragmatic policy initiatives that revolve around issues related to local neighborhood economic development. In an ethnically diverse city, the drafting of novel approaches in local economic development and entrepreneurship is a messy and contentious democratic process that ultimately requires collaborative engagements that bring to the proverbial table a wide-range of voices. Is New York City up to the challenge? I am cautiously optimistic. To quote the philosopher Plato: “The city is what it is because our citizens are what they are.”

Arturo Ignacio Sanchez teaches at Cornell University in Department of City and Regional Planning, and is a long-standing member of Community Board 3, Queens.

The 2010 - 2011 NYC Exams for Jobs Booklet..!

Read original...


The New York City City-wide Administrative Services "Exams for Jobs" booklet has been updated with the latest information about upcoming civil service exams.

Included in the book:

• Complete schedule of upcoming exams
• Upcoming promotion exams for City employees
• How to apply online or by mail
• Directions to our new Computerized Testing Centers
• Starting salaries
• Job descriptions
• The education or work experience you need to qualify

View Complete Booklet (in pdf)  

New York City is an Equal Opportunity Employer

h/t to: Rep Greg Meeks for the info...

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio Launches "The Public Advocate's Guide to Community Organizing" - NYC Public Advocate

Read original...


Public Advocate Bill de Blasio today launched “The Public Advocate’s Guide to Community Organizing” a toolkit offering New Yorkers easy to understand information about how City government works, strategies to make City government more responsive, and tools to organize residents around issues affecting their communities.

“Government and democracy work best when citizens are engaged. In a place as diverse as our City, we need to give every community the ability to make Government accountable to its needs,” Public Advocate Bill de Blasio said. “Our Community Organizing Department and this new guide will help New Yorkers have a greater say in the policies that shape our City.”

Click here to view these pictures larger

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio was joined by Councilmember Jumaane D. Williams, Ana Maria Archila - Co-Executive Director of Make the Road New York and Millie Bonilla - Coalition for Educational Justice as well as staff members Jose Davila and Leslie Cagen...(see photos)

The guide, which was presented at a meeting with members of the New York City ethnic and community media, is available in a user-friendly online format as well as downloadable PDF documents at the Public Advocate’s Website: www.advocate.nyc.gov/organizing-toolkit. It can be accessed in seven languages, English, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Haitian-Creole, Arabic and Spanish.

Copies are also being sent to community-based organizations, Community Boards, and members of the City Council.

The first installment of this guide includes two main parts with key information about how New York City Government works and organizing techniques, including:

Part A- Institutions that Impact our Lives
Section 1: How the New York City Government Works- An Overview

Section 2: Other Local Institution and Centers of Power

Section 3: Making your Voice Heard

Part B- Organizing for Change
Section 1: Power in Numbers: Strengthening and Building Community Groups

Section 2: Getting Started

Section 3: Developing and Running Campaigns

Section 4: Outreach

The guide is a dynamic document that will be regularly updated and improved. More sections will be added in the coming months, including topics such as the city budget, land use and zoning processes, as well as how to work with media and new communications technology.

This new resource is the latest addition to the Public Advocate’s effort to increase civic participation in the City through its Community Organizing Department. Other initiatives already in progress include: Advocate for Advocate’s Town Halls, Public Advocate on the Street, the Parent Advocacy Coordinating Team, and Community Organizing workshops.

In its first six months, the Community Organizing Department has engaged over 10,000 New Yorkers through organizing work, including town hall meetings, workshops, volunteerism, and petition signing.

City Buys Buffer Land Around Reservoirs by Emily B. Hager - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com

Read original...


New York City’s water supply got a little more protection Tuesday with the purchase of 1,124 additional acres scattered around the city’s upstate reservoirs, for $4.75 million. That makes 155,000 acres that the city has bought or obtained easements on to create open-space buffers around its 19 drinking water reservoirs to guard against contamination. The new parcels are in Greene, Ulster and Delaware Counties. “This land acquisition is part of a $1.5 billion overall investment in watershed protection programs that allows New York City to continue supplying the majority of its drinking water from unfiltered sources — a status that only five large cities in the country share,” Cas Holloway, commissioner of the city’s Department of Environmental Protection, said in a statement.

Map: How the Gulf Oil Spill Looks Compared to NYC by John Del Signore - Gothamist

Read original...



Just in case it's not abundantly clear how catastrophic the ongoing Gulf oil spill really is, Google Earth is putting it in horrific perspective for you, letting you fathom just how enormous the spill is by transposing the giant mess over your home town. Via Paul Rademacher, a Google Maps engineering manager, here's the oil spill as it looks compared in size to NYC. As you can see, the oil slick is saturating the entire metropolitan area but carefully avoiding Newark, where even toxic oil is too scared to ooze.

Seized Bikes Are Waiting For You at 7th Precinct by John Del Signore- Gothamist

Read original...

An NYPD truck delicately carts away an explosive arsenal of bombs sinisterly disguised as bicycles; photograph by Martha Cooper

With the NYPD press office continuing to stonewall us on the matter of the bikes confiscated along Obama's motorcade route yesterday, we made some calls to the local precincts. A cop at the 9th Precinct told us that all the seized bikes were taken to the 7th Precinct. When we called over there, an unidentified officer told us to call the 9th Precinct, ha ha. But after putting us on hold, we were able to confirm that all the seized bikes were in fact taken to the 7th Precinct.

If your bike was one of those confiscated, you can go retrieve it on Monday before 12 p.m. at the 7th Precinct. We were told that bike owners can appear as early as 4 a.m., and that there is "a special way" of determining that each bike is returned to its lawful owner. Cyclists will be asked to describe their bikes, but the cop who spoke with us said you should also bring a photo of you with the bike.

When asked if any signs were put up in advance to notify bike owners, the officer said, "No, they just did this because the president was coming and they didn't want anything on the sidewalks. You're not supposed to lock you bike to signposts anyway, they have those new bike racks you're supposed to use." Of course, in many parts of NYC, the number of bike racks can't meet demand, and cyclists have no choice but to lock to signposts.

On a related note, next month is Bike Month in NYC, and Transportation Alternatives will be kicking things off with a party at Brooklyn Bridge Park on Saturday, May 1st from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. During the festivities, the NYPD will be on hand to etch ID codes on your bike, making it easier to reclaim it next time they steal it from you.

Related articles and information:

http://gothamist.com/2010/04/23/seized_bikes_are_waiting_for_you_at.php

http://www.freewilliamsburg.com/archives/2010/04/happy_earth_day_1.html

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/bike-stolen-check-the-police-station/

New Study Shows $18 Million In Parking Tickets Owed By Foreign Governments

180 Deadbeat Countries To Be Targets of Rep. Weiner's Bill

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens and Brooklyn) released a study showing that foreign diplomats owe New York City $18 million in parking tickets. Weiner’s legislation would ensure that this money goes directly into City coffers.

Representative Anthony Weiner (D – Brooklyn and Queens), a member of the House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee, unveiled a new study showing that 180 foreign nations owe New York City $18 million in parking tickets. Rep. Weiner announced legislation which would ensure that this outstanding debt is paid to New York City.

In 2001, Congress passed legislation to withhold foreign aid to countries in amounts equivalent to their outstanding parking fines, but the withheld money was never passed on to New York City. The current law has allowed the State Department to move withheld funds to other programs, rather than paying down the debt to NYC.

"It’s insulting to all New Yorkers that countries like Yemen, Zimbabwe and Iran owe the City millions in unpaid parking tickets,” Weiner said. “Diplomats park illegally, ignore paying their parking tickets and expect New Yorkers to pick up the tab. This needs to end.”

Among the highlights of the study:

• Many countries that receive hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid—like Egypt, Colombia, Kenya and Mexico—all have at least hundreds of thousands of dollars in outstanding parking fees.

• Egypt leads all nations in owing the City with nearly $2 million in parking tickets, followed by Kuwait, which owes nearly $1.3 million, and Nigeria, which owes $1 million.

Nations that owe the most in parking tickets:

Countries Money Owed To New York City

1. Egypt $1,929,142
2. Kuwait $1,266,901
3. Nigeria $1,019,998
4. Indonesia $692,200
5. Brazil $608,733
6. Morocco $582,883
7. Pakistan $575,108
8. Senegal $486,929
9. Sudan $475,970
10. Angola $438,486

Source: New York City Department of Finance

Rep. Weiner announced legislation that will require the State Department to use the withheld funds to pay New York City directly. Countries that do not receive foreign aid from the State Department will not be subject to the Weiner legislation, but nearly 85% of countries that owe New York City parking ticket fees receive aid from the U.S. Under Weiner’s legislation, a country like Egypt that owes $1.9 million in parking tickets, would have $2.1 million in foreign aid withheld by the State Department and send the entire amount to NYC.

Weiner said, “The law passed in 2001 was a step in the right direction, but my bill will ensure that the money we receive from diplomatic parking fees goes directly where it belongs—into the coffers of New York City.

Ignitable Drinking Water in Candor, NY, Above Marcellus Shale...

Visit http://toxicstargeting.com/ for more information.

Ignitable Drinking Water From a Well in Candor, New York, Located Above the Marcellus Shale Formation (Spill #: 0811696)

USS New York (LPD-21) Visits NYC - November 4th, 2009...

Click here to view these pictures larger

The Following information is from Wikipedia...

USS New York (LPD-21), the fifth San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, is the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named after the state of New York. The New York has a crew of 360, and can also carry up to 700 Marines.

Construction

The ship is the first to be designed fully from the CAD-screen up to support all three of the Marines' primary mobility capabilities — the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), Landing Craft Air Cushion and MV-22B Osprey.

Shortly after 11 September 2001, Governor of New York George E. Pataki wrote a letter to Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England requesting that the Navy bestow the name USS New York on a surface warship involved in the War on Terrorism in honor of September 11's victims.

The contract to build the New York was awarded to Northrop Grumman Ship Systems of New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2003. The New York was under construction in New Orleans at the time of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

7.5 short tons (6.8 t) of the steel used in the ship's construction came from the rubble of the World Trade Center. The steel was melted down at Amite Foundry and Machine in Amite, Louisiana, to cast the ship's bow section. It was poured into the molds on 9 September 2003, with 7 short tons (6.4 t) cast to form the ship's "stem bar" — part of the ship's bow. The shipyard workers reportedly treated it with "reverence usually accorded to religious relics", gently touching it as they walked by. One worker delayed his retirement after 40 years' work to be part of the project.

On 9 September 2004, Gordon R. England announced that two of her sister ships will be named the USS Arlington (LPD-24) and the USS Somerset (LPD-25) in commemoration of the places two of the other planes used in the attack came down: Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and Arlington, Virginia.

Christening & Commissioning

The New York was christened on 1 March 2008, in a ceremony at Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans. Dotty England, the ship’s sponsor, smashed the traditional champagne bottle on the ship’s bow and christened the ship the New York. Several dignitaries were in attendance, including Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon R. England, members of the New York City Police Department and the New York City Fire Department, and family members of September 11 victims. The champagne bottle did not break the first time it was struck against the hull of the ship, but the second attempt was successful.

The ship was delivered to the Navy on 21 August 2009 at New Orleans. The ship's delivery was accepted by its first commanding officer, CDR F. Curtis Jones,USN, a native of Binghamton, New York. It set sail for Norfolk, Virginia, on 13 October.

The ship commissioning of USS New York is planned to take place on 7 November 2009 in New York City. On 2 November 2009 the ship passed the World Trade Center Site for the first time and gave the site a 21-gun salute.

Approximately one in seven of the plank owners are from New York state, a larger number than usual.

Slideshow photos by: Dom Pedone - Ozone Park, NY

Rep. Weiner Statement on Today's Photo-Op Flyover in Manhattan...

Representative Anthony Weiner (D - Brooklyn and Queens) released the following statement on the decision not to notify New Yorkers about a flyover in lower Manhattan:

"It is a debacle all around – whether it be the Department of Defense thinking it is a good idea to buzz ground zero with fighter planes or the Federal Aviation Administration ordering it be kept quiet or New York City officials keeping us all in the dark. It was simply a bone headed thing to do. And all this for a photo op?"

Schumer, Weiner Discuss Provisions in Stimulus Package That Have Not Been Highlighted and Are Not Well Known But Help New Yorkers in a Big Way

Major Aid for Parents with Kids in College, Subway, Rail and Bus Commuters, Help for Small Business and Many Others

President Obama to Sign Stimulus Package in to Law Today

Officials Will Also Release Detailed Report on Economic Boost For NYC

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and Representative Anthony Weiner today discussed several smaller, not widely noticed, provisions in the economic stimulus package that could end up saving middle class New Yorkers hundreds of dollars every year. Schumer and Weiner will list the top five tax-breaks and other provisions that both officials fought to have as part of the final package, including a $2,500 tax credit on college tuition costs, a doubling of the federal mass transit benefit, and eliminating onerous fees and red tape on government small business loans. The officials also released a new report on the overall economic benefit of the package on the New York City economy but will highlight some of the smaller provisions that will help create jobs and give families much needed financial relief.

“This is a huge package that will be a big help for New York’s economy, but there are also several smaller provisions that will pack a real punch for New York families,” Schumer said. “These smaller tax breaks and benefits will give middle class New York families some much needed relief during these difficult times and, taken together, can save those families thousands of dollars over the next two years. We need to use every tool the federal government has to get these economy going again and this economic stimulus package, from the top to the bottom, does just that.”

“This one package is going to do more to help New York's middle class than any in recent memory. It cuts taxes on our families and it eases the burden on our small businesses. The Big Apple is going to get a major economic boost just when it needs it,” Weiner said.

Tax Break for Middle Class Parents Struggling to Pay High Price of College Tuition

The final economic recovery bill includes a version of Senator Schumer’s new tax credit for families paying college tuition. Senator Schumer was the leading advocate for adding this provision to the package. The new credit of $2,500 is up to 40 percent refundable, making it a significant improvement over the current HOPE credit, which has a maximum benefit of $1,800 and is non-refundable, and greatly increasing the benefit for those families that currently take the deduction for college tuition (which maxes out at a benefit of $600 or $1,000, depending on a family’s tax bracket).

In 2007, more than 550,000 New York families claimed either the HOPE credit or the college tuition deduction. The new tax credit should benefit hundreds of thousands of additional families due to three factors: (1) the benefit can be used for more than one student in the household; (2) the new credit is partially refundable, meaning that the millions of New York families with incomes too low to owe federal income taxes can still claim a partial benefit; and (3) the income limits are slightly higher than in current law, reaching zero at $75,000 for singles and $150,000 for married. In order to be eligible for the new credit, students must be enrolled at least half-time. In the 2008-2008 academic year, there were 826,000 full-time students enrolled in institutions of higher education in New York State, as well as 339,000 part-time students.

Tax Break for Subway, Rail, and Bus Commuters

The final legislation includes a proposal to bring parity to tax-free commuting benefits offered by employers. Until now, employers could offer their workers a tax-free mass-transit benefit of $120 a month, but the maximum benefit for monthly parking costs was $230. The economic recovery act brings the transit benefit up to $230 a month, the same as the parking benefits.

According to the TransitCenter, this legislation will help the 15,000 employers and 650,000 employees in the NYC metro area who utilize the transit benefit save money. Under the provisions of this legislation, employees can save up to $1,000 a year, which is an additional $440 a year over current law if their transit commute exceeds the current monthly cap of $120/month. In total, this provision is expected to save commuters in NYC an additional estimated $37.5 million a year.

Makes It Easier for Small Businesses to Secure Gov’t Loans

The stimulus bill appropriates $730 million to improve existing SBA programs and create new initiatives that will address the current economic crisis. As a result of the financial crisis and the recession, small business lending in the SBA’s flagship loan programs – 7(a) and 504 programs – is in a freefall. The bill allocates $375 million to allow for temporary waivers or reductions in the fees the SBA charges to lenders and borrowers in the 7(a) and 504 loan programs. When determining the amount and structure of the waivers/reductions, the bill requires the SBA to give borrowers and smaller banks priority in receiving fee relief.

Tax Incentives for Small Businesses
*NYC has more than 200,000 companies qualify as small businesses, accounting for 2/3 of the city’s private sector jobs. (Of these, 96% have fewer than 50 employees).
*Temporarily increases the amount that small businesses can write-off for capital expenditures (i.e. to acquire or upgrade equipment, property, or industrial buildings) to $250,000, up from $125,000.
*5-year carryback of net operating losses for small business, up from 2 years. A net operating loss occurs when tax-deductible expenses exceed taxable revenues for a taxable year.
*$730 million to improve existing and create new Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs.
*$375 million to allow for temporary waivers or reductions in the fees the SBA charges to lenders and borrowers in the existing loan programs.

Funding to Repair Elevators at NYC Public Housing Complexes

Schumer brokered an agreement with Congressional leaders and the Department of Housing and Urban Development that will ensure the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) can use the capital money it is expected to receive from the economic stimulus package to cover the high cost of elevator repairs and upgrades at its public housing complexes. Schumer said the money will go a long way to upgrading antiquated elevator equipment at affordable housing complexes across New York City. Overall, New York City could receive as much as $600 million in federal housing money as part of the final package.

Tax Break for Seniors

The final stimulus includes $250 tax credit to 406,375 New York City SSI Recipients. SSI is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled New Yorkers who have little or no income to provide cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.

New Tax Break on Car Purchases

New Yorkers who buy new cars, light trucks, recreational vehicles and motorcycles will now be able to deduct the state sales and excise taxes from the purchase on their federal returns next year.

250+ Friends of NYC Parks - Statement of Principles and Friends List...

If you would like to be added to the list of 250+ Friends Of NYC Parks, send an email with your name and affiliation/location to carl160@aol.com - If you would simply like to receive their e-mails, send an email to the same address asking to be added to the email list...Thank you!

====================================================

250+ FRIENDS OF NYC PARKS

STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES

In recent years, communities throughout New York City have experienced increasing difficulty in reaching agreement with the New York City Parks Department on a variety of issues concerning the safety and maintenance of our Parks. As persons who care deeply about the Parks in our neighborhoods, we call upon our City and State legislators to hold hearings and to enact legislation providing for:

a. Transparency in the awarding of concessions through legislation that includes a lower threshold for triggering public review and legislative oversight of any such contract.

b. Assignment of monies collected from activities in parks to the maintenance and operations of City parks as an addition to, not a substitute for, city funding for parks.

c. Enforcement of the City's duty to require public participation in and legislative oversight for any proposal for the alienation of any parkland in New York City.

d. Public review and legislative oversight for any transfer of a park's management/operation to a private entity.

Carol Rinzler Carol Greitzer Carol Schachter Pat Dolan

Gary Papush

====================================================

Friends List (Signed by/Organizations for Informational Purposes Only)

Tim Abraham, Member, Citizens Union

Miguel Acevedo, Member, Manhattan CB4

Katrin Adam, Officer, Fulton Ferry Landing Association, Brooklyn
C. Murray Adams, President, Cobble Hill Association

Elizabeth Aivars, NYS Democratic Committee, 74th AD

Joe Amoroso, Kissena Park Civic Association

Joie A. Anderson, 300 East 77th Street Block Association

Phyllis Andrews , Union Square Community Coalition

Fred Arcaro, President, Manhattan East Community Association

J. Arndt, Manhattan

Sandra Atwell, Hollis 11423 Block Association

Leslie and James d'Auguste, Manhattan

Martin Barrett, Stuyvesant Cove Park Association

Steve Barrison, Esq., President, Bay Improvement Group

Sugar Barry, East 10th Street Block Association (4th/5th Avenues)

Corey Bearak, Esq.

Bedford Mosholu Community Association (Bronx)

Marion Bell, Member, Manhattan CB 11

Michael Benjamin, NYS Assembly, 79AD (D)

Allen J. Bennett, MD, Area 1 Chair, Queens CB 8

Marjorie Berk, Union Square Community Coalition
Big Apple Softball League

Bronson Binger, Former Assistant Commissioner./Capital Projects,
NYC Department of Parks

Leo Blackman, Manhattan

Bunnie Blei, Manhattan

Miriam Bockman, Former Vice Chair, Board of Standards & Appeals

William Borock, Council of Chelsea Block Associations [CCBA]

James F. Brennan, NYS Assembly, 44AD (D)

Meryl Brodsky, District Leader, 73AD, Part A (D)

Arline Bronzaft, Manhattan

Jack Brown, Task Force 2000

Reggie Brown, Commissioner, Big Apple Softball League

Monica Brown, Manhattan CB 11

Ruth H. Bryant, South-east Queens Concerned Neighbors

Stanley Bulbach, West 15th Street 200 Block Association

Marcus Buri, Manhattan

Scott Caplan, Manhattan

Diana Carulli, Diana Carulli Labyrinth Project

Tyler Cassell, North Flushing Civic Association

Ethel Chen, President, American Chinese Women's Association

Catherine Christer, President, Far West 10 St Block Association

Barbara M. Clark, NYS Assembly, 33AD (D)

Judy Cohen, President, North Hills Estates Civic Association

Neil Cohen, Concerned Residents of Bay Ridge

Community Board 7, The Bronx

Community Board 6, Manhattan

Community Board 11, Queens

Geoffrey Croft, NYC Park Advocates

Alberto Cruz, Co-Chair,Youth/Education/Libraries,Manhattan CB 7

Colleen Curtis, Member, Manhattan CB 6

William E. Curtis, Turtle Bay Association

Louise Dankberg, District Leader, 74AD, Part C (D), Tilden Dem. Club

Bess DeBetham, President, LDC Laurelton, Rosedale
and Springfield Gardens

Maria DeInnocentiis, Chairwoman, Civic Association Utopia Estates

Jeffrey Dinowitz, NYS Assembly, 81AD (D)

Patricia Dolan, Queens Civic Congress

Dino Dominguez, President, Liga Deportiva Estudiantil

Robert E. Doocey, Juniper Park Civic Association & Juniper Juniors

Marilyn Dorato, Waverly Bank 11 Neighbors

Al Doyle, Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association

Marjorie Drabkin, Women’s City Club

Tom Duane, NYS Senate, 29SD (D)

Ruth DuBerry, United Civic Association; Member, Queens CB 12

R. Frank Eadie, Member, Manhattan CB 4

Myrna Egeth, Friends of St. Vartan Park

Linda Eskenas, The North Shore Waterfront Greenbelt &
West Brighton Restoration Society

Henry Euler, Bayside Civic Database

Peter Falk, West Village Committee

Barbara Feldt, Former Park Warden; Founder & Director, Manhattan Botanical Garden

Edward M. Fischer, Queens

Florence Fisher, Queens League of Tenants

Judi Francis, President, Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund

Sylvia Friedman, Former NYS Assembly, 74AD (D)

Jackie Forrestal, Hillcrest Estates Civic Association

Kevin J. Forrestal, Hillcrest Estates Civic Association

Fred Fu, President, Flushing Development Center

James Gallagher, President, Fresh Meadows Civic
Association

Sarah Woodside Gallagher, We're On First

Joy Garland, Stuyvesant Cove Park Association

Alan Gerson, NYC Council Member

Carsten Glaeser, Kissena Park Civic Association

Ed Gold, Member, Manhattan CB 2

Aida Gonzalez-Jarrin, Chair, Flushing Meadows Corona Park Conservancy

Herbert J. Gormley, Belle Harbor Property Owners Association

Dick Gottfried, NYS Assembly, 75AD (D)

Alexander "Pete" Grannis, Former NYS Assembly, 65AD (D)

Paul Graziano, Queens Civic Congress

Jonathan Greenberg, The Open Washington Square Park Coalition

Scott Greenspan, Member, Manhattan CB 6

Carol Greitzer, Former City Council Member

Lesley Nan Haberman, Headmistress,The Family Schools (Dag Hammarskjold Plaza)

Christine Howard Haider Harding Heights Civic

Jo Hamilton, Member, Manhattan CB 2

Bob Harris, President, West Cunningham Park Civic Association

Anne Hearn, Member, Manhattan CB 2

Paul Hellegers, former President, Lexington Democratic Club

Richard C. Hellenbrecht, Chair, Queens CB13

Howard Hemsley, Community Organizer

Hell's Kitchen Neighborhood Association

Michael Hirsch, Working Families Party East Side Club

Tami Hirsch, President of Civic Association of Utopia Estates

Dana Hockenbury, Washington Heights Gardening Crew

Joyce Hogi, Board Member, Bronx Council for Environmental Quality (BCEQ)

Eduardo E. Hoepelman, Member, Manhattan CB 12

Robert F. Holden, President, Juniper Park Civic Association, Inc.

Ross Horowitz, Citizens For Union Square

Brad Hoylman, Member, Manhattan CB 2

Deborah Huntington, Brooklyn

Bill Huxley, Turtle Bay Tree Fund

Jerry Iannece, Chair, Queens CB 11 & VP, Federation, Italian American Organizations/Queens

Ellen Imbimbo, Murray Hill Neighborhood Association

Anne K. Johnson, Member, Manhattan CB 3

Corey Johnson, 2nd Vice-Chair, Community Board 4, Manhattan

Garry Anthony Johnson, Member, Manhattan CB11

Joyce S. Johnson, Member, Former Chair, Manhattan CB 7

Romaine Johnson Concerned Residents of Jamica Estates

Sally Kahn, District Leader 22AD, Part B(D); Kissena Park Civic Association

Ron Kapon, Secretary, 20th Precinct Community Council

Sherrill Kazan, President, Friends of Dag Hammarskjold Plaza

Micah Kellner, NYS Assembly, 65AD (D)

Paul Kerzner, Ridgewood Property Owners & Civic Association;
Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association

Stan Koehler, Executive Director, Peace on the Street

Phil Konigsberg, Friends of Fort Totten Parks, Member, CB 7 Queens

Leah Kreger, Independent Friends of McCarren Park Inc.

David Kulick, Flushing on the Hill Civic Association

Marc Landis, District Leader, 67th AD, Part B (D); Chair, NYC chapter, Citizen Action/New York

Meg LaPorte, Manhattan

Barbara S. Larkin, Belle Harbor Property Owners

Alan Lawrence, 279 East 44 Street Tenants Association

Danyal Lawson, Piano Faculty, Greenwich House Music School

Jules Vigh Lebowitz, Manhattan

Aubrey Lees, Former Chair,Manhattan CB 2

Joan Levy, Manhattan

Laura Lopez, Member, Tilden Democratic Club

Kenn Lowy, President. Friends of Brooklyn Bridge Park

Audrey Lucas, SE Queens Concerned Neighbors

Maria A. Luna, 1st.Vice Chair NYS Democratic Committee
& District Leader 71 Ad-Pt. A

Perry Luntz, Former President, Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club

Donald Clark MacPherson, Publisher, SoHo Journal

William Manigault, Dunton Block Civic Association

Glenn McAnamama, Upper Green Side

Dirk McCall, Astoria

Beverly McDermott, President, Kissena Park Civic Association

Rita L. McKee, Member, Manhattan CB 12

Jessie McNab, Co-President, West Village Committee

Grace Meng, Esq., FOCUS (Friends/Community Unite and Serve)

Rafael Merino, Chair, Economic Development, Manhattan CB 11

Andra Miller, President, New York Society for Ethical Culture

Linda S. Mitchell, Hollis Park Gardens Association

Peter Morley. Secretary, Big Apple Softball League

Philip Mouquinho, Member, CB 2 Manhattan

Eve Moser, Union Square Community Coalition

Fay Muir, Bronx Environmental Health and Justice

Marion Newman, Kissena Park Civic Association

Eliza Nichols, Manhattan

Stan Norwalk, Member , Board of Directors, Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association

Charles Ober, Ridgewood Property Owners Association

Kim Ohanian, Parks Chair, Queens CB 7

Steven Orlow, Queens, Former Councilmember at Large

Marina Ortiz, East Harlem Preservation

Tamara Osherov, Meadowlark Gardens

Nick Pandazis, Kathryn Pandazis, Station Road Civic

Gary Papush, Chair, Parks and Landmarks, Manhattan CB 6

The Rev. Joe Parrish, Manhattan

Tom Payne, Citizen

Simon Pelman, Member, Queens CB 8

Nick Perry, NYS Assembly, 58AD (D)

Irene Peveri, Co-Chair, East Side Rezoning Alliance

Jonathan and Madelaine Piel, Henderson Place Historic District Association

Jo-Ann Polise, Stuyvesant Town

Boomie Pinter, President, West Lawrence Civic Association & Vice-Chair Queens CB 14

Morton Povman, Former City Councilmember

Jerome Poynton, M.A., Recreation and Parks Administration

David M. Quintana, Member, Queens CB 10; Highland Park/Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance; South Queens Democratic Club

Ernest Raab, Union Square Community Coalition.

Donna Rakitzas, Station Road Civic Association

Lois Rakoff, Bleecker Area Merchants & Residents Association (BAMRA)

Anne Raphael, District Leader, 67 Part B(D); Member, Manhattan CB 7

David B. Reck, Friends of Hudson Square

Thomas L. Rich, Manhattan

Margery Reifler, Grove Street Block Association

Carol Rinzler, former Co-Chair, Manhattan Neighborhood Council

Lou Rispoli, President, 41-36 51st Street Owners Corp.(Woodside)

Marcia Robinson, Past-President, Member, Samuel J. Tilden Democratic Club

Eugene Rodriguez, Member, Manhattan CB 11; CEO, PRIDE (Puerto Rican Intercultural Drama Ensemble)

Kay Rogers (and extended family)

Annette Rosen, Women’s City Club

Carl Rosenstein, Trees Not Trucks

Raul Rothblatt, Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats

John Rozankowski, Friends of Poe Park

Margie Rubin, Disabled in Action

Eugenia Rudman, President, Hollis Park Gardens Association

Jacob Ruppert, of counsel, Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association

Jeannie Sakol, Friends of Detmold Park

Anna Sawaryn, Coalition to Save the East Village (CSEV)

Isaac Sasson, Holly Civic

Frank Scala, District Leader,74AD (R)

Carol Schachter, President, Stuyvesant Park Neighborhood Assoc.

Jon Schachter, Member, Bellevue Hospital CAB;Public Member, Manhattan CB 5 & 6

Paula Schaeffer, Tilden Democratic Club

Gabriele Schmitt, Jamaica Hill Community Association

Warren Schreiber, Bay Terrace Community Alliance

Arthur Schwartz, Chair, Parks and Waterfront, Manhattan CB 2

Betty Schwartz, Public Member, Manhattan CB 6

Seymour Schwartz, Briarwood Community Association

Shirley Secunda, Member, Manhattan CB 2

Edy Selman, Emergency Community.Organization to Save Washington Square Park

Edith Shanker, Campaign to Save Union Square Park.

Sandro Sherrod, Chair, Health/Senior/Disabilities,Manhattan CB 6

Joanne Simon, Democratic District Leader, 52nd AD

Jean C. Silva, Commissioner, NYC Softball.com

William Simpkins, Member, Community Board 9, Manhattan

Simone Sindin, President/Board, Coliseum Park Apartments

Harbachan Singh,President, Sikh American Friendship Foundation; Member, Queens CB 8

Teri Slater, Chair, East 78th Street Block Association (Park/Lex)

Susan Slocum, Housing Advocate, Manhattan

J. Richard Smith, Parks Chair, Queens CB 9

Elizabeth Starkey, Former Chair, Manhattan CB7, Co-chair of Green Committee

Station Road Civic Association (Auburndale)

Norma Stegmaier, Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association

Ted Story, West 11 Street Association

Sean Sweeney, SoHo Alliance

Carlos Talisaysay. Member, Queens CB 7

Jack Taylor, Board Member, Union Square Community Coalition

Martha Taylor, Jamaica Estates Association

Frank Toner, President, Rocky Hill Civic Association

Teresa Toro, Brooklyn

Julie Torres, New York Democratic County Committee

Joyce Tosti, Community Associate, Queens CB 13

Taina Traverso, Advocate for Female Trees

James A. Trent, Queens Civic Congress

Mel Siegel, President, Broadway Flushing Homeowners Association

Bob Stone, Vice President, Willowtown Association (Brooklyn Heights)

Aldona Vaiciunas, President & Nicholas Evans-Cato, Vice-president,

Vinegar Hill Neighborhood Association

Annie Vanrenterghem-Raven, Member, Manhattan CB 2

Roland G. Wade & Myra B. Herce, Co-chairs, Kissena Corridor Park Conservancy

Nancy Walby, Parks Chairs, Brooklyn CB 18

Sean M. Walsh, Past President, Queens Civic Congress

George Watson, Co-Chair, Chelsea-Village Partnership

Wilbur A. Weder, Chair, Legislative Committee, Bellevue Hospital Center

Community Advisory Board; Member, Manhattan CB 6

Edwin Westley, Jackson Heights Beautification Group; Member,Queens CB 3

Christina Wilkinson, Chair, Committee to Save St. Saviour's & Newtown
Historical Society

Sharon Woolums, Public Member, Manhattan CB 2 Parks Committee

Dorothy Woo, Holly Civic Association

Alexander Wood, Disabilities Network of NYC

Kate Wood & Arlene Simon, Landmark West!

Anthony Yacub-Parson, Queens

Phyllis Yampolsky, President, McCarren Park Conservancy

Esther Yang, Yang Family Associations

Joan Zimmerman. President, Fulton Ferry Landing Association

Bob Zuckerman, Member, Community Board 6, Brooklyn