The Atlantic Yards project, budget cuts to community boards and holding up City Council discretionary funds to non-profit organizations.
These were a few of the concerns that City Comptroller William Thompson heard on a recent politicking trip to the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill neighborhoods.
Thompson, who was born and raised in Brooklyn and currently lives in Bedford-Stuyvesant, is considering a run for mayor in 2009.
According to a Thompson spokesperson, the comptroller has been making neighborhood visits over the last several years to hear about issues that are affecting the city’s neighborhoods.
The Fort Greene/Clinton Hill visit included a tour around Myrtle Avenue with the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership followed by a luncheon with community leaders at the South Oxford Space, 138 South Oxford Avenue.
Opposition to the Atlantic Yards project was immediately brought up by long-time community activist Ruth Goldstein, who is also on the board of Development Don’t Destroy Brooklyn – the controversial anti-Atlantic Yards organization.
Thompson responded that he originally supported the project because of the community benefits agreement between Atlantic Yards Developer Forest City Ratner and several organizations from the community.
Further, Thompson said he liked the affordable housing mix in the massive $4 billion project.
“Right now I don’t know what Atlantic Yards has become,” said Thompson. “I’m concerned that the project [as proposed] can be done and I’m taking a second look.”
Community Board 2 Chair John Dew expressed concerns that the current budget being negotiated included first a 5 percent and now an 8 percent cut to community boards.
“We have a very limited staff already and it is increasingly difficult to fulfill our mission,” said Dew.
Thompson replied that all city agencies have been asked to make cuts including his own comptroller’s office.
However, the community boards’ budget hasn’t been increased over the years so it doesn’t make sense that they should have to face cuts now, he said.
City Councilmember Letitia James asked Thompson if his office could speed up getting Council discretionary funds approved that are earmarked for local non-profit organizations.
Thompson, whose office must approve these funds, said the problem is with the city’s Department of Investigations, which has been looking at all the Council’s discretionary funds doled out to non-profit organizations.
“Every city agency has been using the comptroller’s office as an excuse for holding up these payments,” Thompson said.
