I’m sure you’ve all been waiting patiently for my 2005 election cycle endorsements. The sad fact is there is not much to be excited about in the upcoming NYC elections. Freddy Ferrer has squandered much of his goodwill from the 2001 elections, and the Democratic contenders are likely to savage each other in the primary and hand Bloomberg an easy re-election. And, sadly, there doesn’t seem to be a strong independent candidacy to support.
The outlook is considerably brighter in Brooklyn, where community activist Gloria Mattera is running for Borough President. Gloria is a community activist with deep support in Park Slope, where she received 30% of the vote in a City Council election in 2001. She has been a very strong anti-war voice, and, as the Chairperson of the NYS Green Party, she has helped ensure that the party extend its message beyond environmentalism to become a true progressive champion of responsible development, community control, peace and justice and economic rights.
She is the only credible candidate in the Brooklyn Borough President race, where the incumbent, Marty Markowitz, clowns around as “Brooklyn’s biggest cheerleader,” and the Republicans probably don’t have enough support to field a candidate. Gloria’s campaign will be the highest profile campaign for an independent progressive during this election cycle, and deserves support from good people around the city.
A letter from Gloria Mattera:
Dear Friends and Supporters,Some of you may already know that I have decided to run for Brooklyn Borough President. I need your help to make this important campaign a success.
There is something serious happening in Brooklyn that we cannot ignore. The current BP, Marty Markowitz, has allowed billionaire developer Bruce Ratner to change the character of our borough for the sake of getting himself a “hometown” basketball team.
The proposed Ratner development includes 17 skyscrapers, with most over 50 stories with a token of low income housing thrown in. Even if all the housing were affordable instead of high-end, the secondary displacement effect would destroy the diversity and culture of Fort Greene, Prospects Heights, Bed-Sty and more. This is not the only scandal attached to the Markowitz-Ratner deal.
Ratner is using eminent domain to take away the homes of those living in the footprint of the development. He has bought off and gag ordered area residents. So far, the power has been removed from the City Council for the project to be reviewed by through the Uniform Land Use Review Process. Taxpayer subsidies are over one billion and climbing. This project must be stopped!
No democrat has stepped up to challenge Markowitz on his crusade of overdevelopment throughout Brooklyn so it is up to us – Green Party members and social justice activists.
The campaign is committed to raising the 50,000 dollars necessary to receive matching funds from the Campaign Finance Program. Although I raised close to 15,000 dollars for City Council and received over 50,000 in matching funds, this effort will require more. Please give as generously as you can. Print out the attached donor card and send that with your contribution made payable to: Committee to Elect Gloria Mattera 2005, 437 2 Street #1 Brooklyn, NY 11215.
Your time and involvement in the campaign is also important. Please send me an e-mail or fill out the volunteer form at www.electgloria.org to sign up for petitioning, tabling and outreach.
The campaign will also focus on other important issues – so stay tuned for more updates. I look forward to your participation.
peace & struggle,
Gloria 718 369-2998