Civic Center Residents Coalition NYC: Chinatown

Showing posts with label Chinatown. Show all posts

Friday, November 16, 2012

Chinese business owners left "post-storm aid meeting" with disappointment.

Chinese business owners left "post-storm aid meeting" with disappointment.

The government-held post-storm aid meeting was a great disappointment ; Chinese business owners cried they "need subsidies not loans"

10^th Nov 2012

Our reporter Jacky Wong in New York reports Sing Tao NY

Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Assoc. Mott st.

Many politicians and representatives at all levels from government gathered in the auditorium of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association yesterday (9th Nov), introduced various post-storm aid programs. The event attracted about 200 people from the business community to attend, however the aid is just low-interest loans rather than subsidies therefore many people felt disappointed. More importantly, the business owners pointed out the Chinatown economy has been barely breathing for 10 years, future is not guaranteed even they made through this time. Politicians and community agencies which taking government money need to produce a long-term rehabilitation plan.

Although the business owners have different backgrounds, but all have the same anger. The owner lady of Bayard Street Old Sichuan Mrs. Chu already became very impatient when listening to the loans introduction, at last she was the first who shot. She pointed to the speakers on stage and yelled, "You talk a lot. But we don’t want loans. We need direct subsidies. Just like that after 911, each of our employees received 500 dollars. We all are realistic." Her argument won approvals from many business owners in the audience. In those, Chan Kin Yung said, "One needs to pay back the loans. Everybody wants direct subsidies. Another added, banking system in Chinatown reserves 60 hundred million cash for many years and the fund is sufficient. Government procedures for loan application are complicated. Who would take that difficulties rather than the easy approach?

Old Sichuan restaurant owner, Mrs. Chu arguing with Councilmember Margaret Chin Sin Man

However, members of Congress Velazquez pushed the problem to the Republican Party, said that she had made a funding proposal in Congress but Republicans blocked it. She also said the new session will start next week, and she will once again raised the subsidy plan. Business owners are expected to be patient.

It is followed by the owner of Hong Kong Station Lai Chi Fung. He pointed out that losses made by the storm cannot be recovered, and Chinatown economy is stagnant as a pool of still water. What is the direction to go in future? Business owners still have to continue to pay rents, utilities and labor. “What plans do the politicians, associations, community agencies and BID (Business Improvement District) have?” Although the City councilor Margaret Chin tried to take the question, she was unable to provide any actual answer because there are structural deadlocks in the Chinatown economy and it is not her expertise. Then business owners in the audience were getting more fierce. The owner of Mott Street Mottzar Kitchen couldn’t help shouted, "Otherwise no one will come to your meeting next time", meaning they all we have to close down.

Margaret Chin reminded the owners can come to her office if they need helps on the loan applications. To that, the owner of Man Yau Stationery Lee Kwok Wai expressed with his dissatisfaction, "If it is about to fill in the forms, we can do it on our own on Internet." Or it is even easier to have these information printed on the media. Because the losses including goods and profits are difficult to estimate, everyone wants to know the way to go on. He also hoped that, by this chance, the business owners are able to help each other and think about the future together.

The owner of Mottzar Kitchen Wong Suet Yu said, "if there is no plan, they have to close the business and then lots of people will become unemployed."

In fact, the storm matter indeed evoke people’s introspection about Chinatown economy. Issues such as transportation policies failed to attract tourists and housing policies crowding the middle class second-generation Chinese immigrants have cut these two upscale consumer groups. While other Chinese communities have been set up, the demands are diluted. However to solve these structural problems involves the interests of several large bodies in Chinatown. Just as what a community member Cheung Ying Ying said, “People holding vested interests don’t easily let go."

Many representatives from different community presented yesterday, including Director of the Business Improvement District Wellington Chen Jok Chow whose achievements only limited to street cleaning, Director of the Asian Americans for Equality Christopher Kui Yuen Yee who became a large landowner in Chinatown benefited from parity house policy, Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce Yue Kum Shan who claims himself representing the interests of the commercial sector but did nothing for years. The business owners’ views are worth to them to think about.

Sing Tao News - Translated article about Post Sandy Forum at Lin Sing Association

restaurant owner Wallace Lai ,HK Station

"After more than 10 years of restraint they now burst out; Chinatown business owners all rise up and howl after the storm"

08^th Nov 2012

Our reporter Wong Dik in New York reports from Sing Tao NY

Improper policies made for Chinatown led to the barely breathing of economy for 10 years. Now it is stricken by the Northeast storm just right after the Storm Sandy. Difficult situations forced peoples’ anger exploded at an event in the Lin Sing Association yesterday (08th Nov), Chinatown business owners howled to the politicians and a representative from non-profit organization.

Yesterday, several business owners were invited to the Lin Sing Association. They expected that they will receive subsidies for their losses however the speakers just gave a bunch of empty words and hastily introduced the procedures of applying for loans and insurance claims on Internet. The owner of Hong Kong Station (Wallace) Lai Chi Fung was the first to start revolt. He said angrily. "What’s the purpose of invitation? We can fill in the forms on Internet at home! What you these agencies can provide us? If it is wasting time, we’d rather go back and do more businesses!"

Lai Chi Fung couldn’t have sleep for days already. He came to blame with a pair eye bags which are large enough for shopping. "Chinatown business owners are leading a very hard time after the storm and we have to continue to pay the rents, utilities and wages. The economy in Chinatown is so bad but community agencies are telling their own stories. How to revitalize the economy in Chinatown after all? Who can tell me! "

Lai Chi Fung’s comments are quite strong and the words go to the point. He won applause from everywhere at the scene. Consultant of the Lin Sing Association (Eddie) Chiu Man Sang who was one of the organizer originally had nothing to do with the matter however he had no choice but to meet the trick. He pointed out that it is a long-term problem in Chinatown and lots of other things are involved. But Lai Chi Fung was so aggressive. At last Eddie Chiu Man Sang was completely thrown off by the questions and exclaimed, "I have meetings with the government everyday. I will ask the mayor and governor to come." The business owners expected to receive subsidies at Lin Sing however they got the opposite of what they wanted therefore the atmosphere became more and more intense. Eddie Chiu Man Sang then simply and directly put that “The theme today is to send out blankets!" The boss of Shanghai Asian Manor pleaded with tactful words saying that it is a better choice for the community agencies to take some actual actions.

The Director of Human Resources Center Lee Hong Sing is the only representative from non-profitable organization, however finally he became the target of attacks for no reason. Facing attacks from the business owners, this gentleman was also struggling to cope. He claimed himself is a victim too because the Human Resources Center hotlines went dead. He also turned and threw the question to the ChinatownPartnership Local Development Corporation (CPLDC) saying that it is an organization established for economic development in Chinatown. When speaking about CPLDC, the owner of Man Yau Stationery Lee Kwok Wai whose shop in the Confucious Plaza was filled with pent-up anger. He complained, "We don’t’ want to listen to the truths and theories. Just tell us what we can do for you? And what you can do for us?"

The owner lady of Bayard Street Old Sichuan Mrs. Chu probably ate too much chili so she was especially fierce yesterday. She lashed out directly, "Loans are not what we want, we need direct subsidies, just like those after 911. This time it is even worse than 911. Where are Lau Sun Yat and Councilmember Margaret Chin? Why do politicians come for money for elections and they disappeared when we need helps?" It’s hard to tell for the past 40 years, but Margaret Chin indeed tried to fight for direct subsidies for owners of small businesses, even if there are no actual results. 14:00 today she will also work with other politicians for an aiding event held in the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent.

Finally, Mrs. Chu appeared to be helpless, and raised a suggestion with a no-harm-to try attitude, "Maybe one of you can give 500 dollars to each of our employees, 300 dollars will do anyway! Regretfully the speakers looked at each other and do not know what to do."

Menin’s telling her own story and people don’t bother to hear it

In fact, Julie Menin who is the former chairman of the First Community Board came to donate 500 blankets. She was running for the district head and originally intended to take this event to win people's hearts. However and to her surprise, she was lost to the bewilderment when the business owners threw their complaints in Chinese to her.

Business owners sitting at the front were exasperated. The elders kept staring at the blankets behind the speakers because they actually came for the blankets. Ng Aan Sim who is the owner of Amazing 66 Restaurant lost patience after sitting for a while. She kept showing the whites of eyes and finally threw a "Waste of time", left with the owner of the Red Egg David Wan each with a blanket under their arms.

Some politicians, non-profit organizations and trade unions in Chinatown are still remained at the thoughts of civil rights movement in the 1960s, and not keeping up with the immigrants’ positive objectives of climbing the social ladder. Some of them were driven by the principle of “Weak forces demanding strong non-profitable policies”. As consequences, many wrong population, housing and economic policies were produced in the past 40 years which resulting in poverty and aging problems in Chinatown and therefore pulling out an endless stream of social and economic problems. These parties usually play the role of "A troop representing a just cause", but they sacrifice people’s benefits because the policies are only for their own institutional and political interests. Flushing and the 8th Avenue are also Chinese communities but their practices are widely divergent as they are helping Chinese immigrants to build up wealth. Even though the business owner spoke out of the topic and complained at a wrong event, but this outbreak tells that the business owners have long been aware of the facts thus became unbearable. It is worthy for the community agencies to ponder and introspect.

Ng Aan Sim (rt) who is the owner of Amazing 66 Restaurant lost patience

after sitting for a while.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Chinatown Property Owners with AALDEF declare victory over illegally imposed retroactive tax

Chinatown BID Interim Board minutes with Politician's representatives listed,
Board member's names and suggested period to start taxing property owners.
CLICK HERE
"In September, the City Council passed the Chinatown BID law and the mayor also signed off of it, but it did not get final approvals from the State Comptroller until January, 2012, spokesperson Merideth Weber said. The amount to be charged for the fiscal year will be around $500,000 instead of $900,000 and property owners will be notified of the assessment being charged and how credit will be applied for those that did pay the fees, she said." - the Village Voice, Sam Levin

"[Wellington] Chen called the issue a "technicality," dismissing AALDEF's characterization of the BID fees as being "illegal."

"This is an accounting issue," Chen said. "It does not warrant wasting time and energy."

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, in their analysis of the B.I.D. law, concluded that the B.I.D. cannot impose BID taxes on property owners PRIOR to the BID becoming a legal entity.
They also concluded that the BID was not formed at the time Mayor Bloomberg signed the BID into law ( apparently a popular belief among BID Board members and even its Exec. Dir.) in Sept. 2011, but rather when it was signed by the State Comptroller and then finalized by Small Business Services in Jan. 31 2012.

According to the minutes provided by the Chinatown BID interim Board, Eddie Eng of Small Business Services advises the BID Board they have two choices in which to start the "funding" of the BID, either July 2011, or October 2011. The BID board supposedly voted unanimously to do the later, although this recently has been questioned by some on the BID Board itself.
MINUTES:

Page 1

- 1 -

Minutes of the Chinatown District Management Association (CDMA – aka BID) Meeting

February 2, 2012

4:00 – 5:30 PM

The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association

62 Mott Street

New York NY 10013

CDMA Interim Board Members Present:

Jimmy Cheng, United Fujianese American Association

Kenneth Cheng, Fukien American Association

Nolan Cheng, Law Offices of Nolan Cheng

Peter Cheng, Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corporation

Priscilla Cheung, eRxCity Corporation

Stephen Cheung, D.H. Realty & Management

Anthony P. Colombini, Esq., Chu and Partners

Eddy Eng, Small Business Services, Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office

Frank F. Gee, Gee Poy Kuo Association

Dr. Wilson Ko, Multispecialty Physician Group

Philip Lam, Green City Realty

Meng Lao, representing Jack Eng, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association

Peter Lau, Confucius Pharmacy

David J. Louie, David J. Louie, Inc.

Dr. Chun Ka Luk and Bernice Luk, Broadway Chinatown Realty

Gabe B. Mui, the American Legion Lt. B.R. Kimlau Memorial Post 1291

John Pasquale, PEP Realty

Michael Salzhauer, Benjamin Partners

Sio Wai Sang, Golden Jade Jewelry

William Su, Grand Hotel

Matt D. Viggiano, Council Member Margaret S. Chin’s office

Tony C. Wong, Wong & Co., CPA’s

Wellman Wu, Kam Man Food, Inc.

Jimmy Yan, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer’s office

Chih-Ping Yu, Lin Sing Association

Other Class E Representatives:

Mary Cooley, Senator Daniel Squadron’s office

Karen He, Assembly Speaker, Sheldon Silver’s office

John K. Leo, Community Board #3

Michael Levine, Community Board #1

Iris Quinones, Hon. Nydia Velazquez

P.O. Nicky Teo, NYPD 7

Precinct

P.O. Sue Too, NYPD Community Affairs Bureau

Antony Wong, Community Board #2

Xiao Min Zhao, Council Member Margaret S. Chin’s office

Chinatown Partnership

Wellington Chen

Shu Mei Guan Chow

Lamgen Leon

Tony Wong

Page 2

- 2 -

The meeting was called to order at 4:05 p.m.

David Louie welcomed everyone and started the meeting off with a blessing performed by Tony C. Wong.

Members of the Interim Chinatown BID Board introduced themselves, and Mr. Louie asked everyone to

review the minutes from the last meeting that was already posted on the Chinatown BID’s website within

three days of the BID’s January meeting.

Clarification was made in that the Interim Board members listed on the minutes do not represent the

complete board, but just the members that were present at the last meeting.

Michael Salzhauer questioned the procedures of posting the minutes without the review and approval of the

board first as it is typically done. Both Mr. Louie and Wellington explained that they already posed this

question to the office of Council Member Chin, and the response was that it was the City Council’s ruling.

However, Council Member Chin’s representative, Matt Viggiano, will ask the City Council to review

whether to allow posting of the minutes within three business days after the Board’s approval as the standard

operating procedure.

Motion to approve the minutes of January 5, 2012 passed unanimously.

Eddy Eng reminded everyone that the BID needs to work on the Incorporation papers, the by-laws and the

Executive Committee needs to sign an agreement with the Chinatown Partnership, unless the BID hire an

Executive Director. He also reminded that the incorporation documents will need an organization name.

Wellington emphasized based on outreach feedbacks that the (real) final BID’s name needs to be diverse and

not offend or leave out anyone or sectors or industries, but we need a name for incorporation purpose for

now, and there will be a DBA under the official name similar to other BIDs.

After discussions on whether to choose either a cleaner or a lengthier name, the name of “CHINATOWN

DISTRICT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC.” with a 15 to 9 vote was selected over “Chinatown

Business Improvement District Management Association, Inc.”

The By-laws Committee has been working very hard on the by-laws and will have a preliminary draft soon.

Presented for review was the “Draft Committee Survey” based on the preliminary feedback from the

previous meeting. Michael Levine asked the different between “Program Service Committee” and “Program

Development Committee”. Wellington explained that the latter one is basically the same as fundraising and

marketing. All these committees need to work alongside with the Chinatown Partnership as tandem.

Motion to change the “Program Development Committee” to “Fundraising and Marketing Committee”

passed unanimously.

Eddy Eng agreed to Co-Chair with Frank Gee the Fundraising and Marketing Committee. Peter Cheng also

announced that he would like to join and Chair the Nomination Committee.

Motion to approve all the Committees chairs as indicated in the “Draft Committee Survey” results pending

their acceptance passed unanimously.

Page 3

- 3 -

Treasurer Report

Tony Wong reported that the board needs to decide on the fiscal year and the billing date for the BID.

There are two options: 1) start the billing in July 1, 2011, when Chinatown Partnership started paying the

expenses for the BID; or 2) October 1, 2011 when the BID was officially approved and the Partnership

extended the service to the entire BID’s service area.

Eddy Eng mentioned that once the BID decided on the billing date, the property owners will receive the bill

in April, and once the BID’s bank account is set, the BID will receive 75% of $1.3 million dollars (the BID’s

budget), and 50% of the FY 2013’s Annual Budget by July 2012.

After all the considerations and discussions, the motion to approve the Chinatown District Management

Association’s fiscal year as July 1 to June 30; and start the DMA assessment billing on October 1, 2011,

passed unanimously.

Eddy Eng also suggested using a special occasion to announce the billing to the community and in a positive

way.

Acknowledgment of Chinatown Partnership

Wellington reported that the Chinatown partnership has been paying for all the BID’s expenses since July of

2011 and is now in a cash flow situation. The Partnership already laid-out more than $200,000 dollars for the

BID and cannot sustain forever in this fashion.

David Louie acknowledges all the works the Partnership’s board has done for the BID and suggested a

donation or reimbursement to the Partnership for the expenses they had incurred once the BID receives its

funding.

Motion to approve the reimbursement to the Chinatown Partnership of necessary and verifiable expenses

related to the BID from July 1, 2011 until the BID receives its own funding passed unanimously.

The interim Chinatown Business Improvement District Board of Directors includes these representatives:

-Alice Cancel, Comptroller John C. Liu's office

-Pauline Yu, Mayor's Community Assistant Unit

-Eddy Eng, Small Business Servies, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's office

-Elizabeth DeLeon, Small Business Services

-Michael Melamed, Small Business Services

-Matt D Viggiano, Council Member Margaret S. Chin's office

-Xiao Min Zhao, Council Member Margaret S. Chin's office

-Jimmy Yan, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer's office

-Mary Cooley, Senator Daniel Squadron's Office

-Karen He, Assembly Speaker, Sheldon Silver's office

-John K Leo, Community Board # 3

-Michael Levine, Community Board # 1

-Iris Quinones, Hon. Nydia Velazquez

-P.O. Nicky Teo, NYPD 7th Precinct

-P.O. Sue Too, NYPD Community Affairs Bureau

-Antony Wong, Community Board #2

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Madison Square Garden Network sponsored Knicks Game viewing party - Lucky Plaza restaurant last evening. Cheers from fans of all ages.

Madison Square Garden network sponsored the second Chinatown Knicks game viewing event with Julie Huang of Kaimen public relations, organizers of Chinatown Restaurant Week, last evening. Nearly a hundred people spent their rainy Wednesday in the company of fellow Knicks fans munching on delicious egg rolls and noodles and listening to thumping beats from the professional DJ and M.C. provided by MSG networks. Two members of the famed Knicks City Dancers were present posing for photos and greeting fans. The Chinatown Community Young Lions were excited to be at the party and wore their trade mark red sweatshirts to support the occasion and their hero Jeremy Lin. Tickets to Knicks games were raffled off as well as posters and a prized sneaker signed by Jeremy Lin!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Not a Solution, and not permanent - the BID is an aberration

Opponents of the BID battled the plan every step of the way, charging the district with placing a burdensome tax on owners and being too politically tied.

Obviously we are disappointed, but we’re not surprised,” said Chinatown business owner Jan Lee, who has led the charge against the BID’s formation.

He alleged that the district plan was expedited due to political will, noting that a series of inquiries will eventually reveal that figures used to show widespread support for the BID are inaccurate.

“We do want to get the point across that the BID is a temporary aberration in Chinatown that will be eventually dismantled,” Lee said. “It should not be looked at as a permanent solution because it’s not a solution, and it’s not permanent.” -www.dnainfo.com

In response to the City Council's 50:0 vote in favor of a Chinatown B.I.D.......

A ludicrous mockery of truth and fairness has been perpetrated upon the Chinese-speaking property owners of Chinatown!

So unbelievable to realize that the City Council is so ably in lock-step and synchronized to be marching to the financial Pied Piper's tunes - what a travesty that will live in Chinatown infamy!

Herbert Din

September 23, 2011

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

An Open Letter To City Council and Mayor Bloomberg about the Chinatown B.I.D.

An Open Letter to the New York City Council and Mayor Bloomberg,

We at The Coalition Against the Chinatown BID, as well as many of the business owners, constituents, and voters of greater Chinatown oppose the BID for the following reasons:

Chinatown property owners submitted a record number of official BID objection forms during the month of June causing Patrick Synmoie, the City Clerk’s counsel who has overseen the birth of almost two dozen B.I.D.s in the last decade to exclaim “We’ve never had anything like this.” According to the Daily News the City Clerk’s office said that the number of objections to the Chinatown BID filed was “impressive”. With well over five hundred verified properties in objection to the Chinatown BID we ask that you do not support the BID and vote “no”.

Implications in the proposal that could lead to abuse of low income people's civil and human rights:

We fear the Chinatown BID will likely impose its will against those individuals it deems as "unfavorable" to the business environment. Who is to say what is favorable or unfavorable in the interest of business? As one example, Chinatown is blessed to have numerous street musicians that come and go at will, however with a BID in place the Board can replace or evict those free spirits in favor of performers it deems as more talented, more presentable or an even more caricatured version if its directors want to promote an even more “Chinese” experience for its much-touted tourist populous that it aims to please so desperately. As one Chinatown BID Steering Committee leader said over coffee one day “ Let’s dress them in Chinese costume, put them on a box at the corner of Mott and Bayard and let the tourists take photos with them like they do in Times Square with that guy who dresses as the Statue of Liberty”. We simply cannot allow a Chinatown-for-the-tourist mentality to prevail. Business can and often does confuse promotion and exploitation, especially in ethnic neighborhoods in America.

Under a BID, with property owners heavily outweighing anyone else on the Board, there is an unnatural influence guided by a select group which can stifle anyone or anything it deems contrary to the interests of the business it seeks to promote, which ultimately will end up being its largest and wealthiest patrons. With nearly all of the Board of Directors of The Chinatown Partnership LDC (the progenitor of the Chinatown BID) already contributing to Councilmember Chin’s campaign fund we reject this intimate relationship between multimillion dollar business interests and politics in Chinatown.

Conversely without a BID there is no such entity to dictate who controls the street and sidewalk in favor of business over residential experiences. Academics and planners who will operate this BID are more often than not relying on biased studies to justify street closures as “good for business” rather than constantly updating field study to gauge the popularity of the actions they prescribe and intend to enact. Case in point are the night markets and street fairs prescribed as good for business by The Chinatown Partnership LDC, The Chinatown Working Group, and The Rebuild Chinatown Initiative (An AAFE handbook for the recovery of Chinatown post 9/11). Chinatown restaurants and merchants hate these ideas, yet they keep appearing in literature by people promoting a BID for Chinatown. This is a slap in the face to seasoned businesses in Chinatown who simply don’t want their streets taken over by night markets and street fairs.

The BID will privatize public space.

Public space plays a vital role in democracy, as a site of free speech, association, and protest. Urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg writes that the downtown, with its bars, coffee shops and public spaces, constitutes an important "third place," different from the first and second places of home and work. Chinatown’s parks and open spaces are included in the Chinatown BID, yet each park has its own maintenance. In fact Kim Lau Square has recently embarked in project working with NYC’s Partnership For Parks to organize gardening and maintenance volunteers to brighten the neglected square.

When the policing of a district and its maintenance are based on profit-driven concerns rather than the need to create and maintain noncommercial space where people assemble, it's difficult to use public space the way it was intended. There's been substantial attention to the manner in which BIDs globally have often attempted to rid the spaces they control of the homeless, ethnic minorities, and political activists who might frighten off shoppers. Yet, public space is there to accommodate the right of the people to assemble, and the city's streets and sidewalks are not a country club. You should not have to be the "right" race or in the "right" income bracket in order to walk them. Union Square Park was embroiled in a bitter battle over its use of public space and ultimately lost the year round use of its jewel which was the stone pavilion because business took it over. With a strikingly similar stone pavilion in Columbus park, which was defiantly left inside the BID district plan despite Community Board 3’s resolution declaring approval of the BID only if Columbus Park was removed**, we feel strongly that the Chinatown residents will also lose year round unfettered access to every square foot of park space which is so desperately needed in this compact community. Again, business interests have dictated that the Park is useful to them, and therefore refused to remove it from the BID, this is indicative of future undemocratic use of space and defiant abuse of BID power.

The power that the BID has over public space seems unlimited.

Most laws give BIDs the power to sue, incur indebtedness, enter into contracts, acquire real property, design, engineer, and construct urban streetscapes, manage parking, and "administer and manage central and neighborhood business districts." The last clause, in its vague, abstract language, is the most frightening, since it could encompass almost anything. Additionally anyone wishing to sue a BID is discouraged to do so because the law says that anyone who sues a BID and loses pays not only his own legal fees but the fees incurred by the BID as well. As a result very few law suits are brought against these powerful entities.

The danger lies not only in the individual BID over its domain, it lies in the combined power of several or all the BIDs in the City which can influence political votes, public policy*** over street and sidewalk use, and general quality of life issues that will permanently put business interests over that of the public good. Why should we let BIDs have precedent over any of these rights that we pay taxes for already? In the case of resident business owners, they pay twice for the use of these public spaces and services, with a BID tax being a third tax.

B.I.D. Executive Directors answer to no one.
B.I.D's are under no obligation to log or reveal any complaints against the BID.
The City's record for routine financial or satisfaction audits of BID's is abysmal.
the Fox is guarding the hen house in 65 neighborhoods in New York City

The BID is not subject to oversight and does not operate based on democratic principles.

The BID will be making the big decisions the law gives it authority over behind closed doors. The law does not require the private BID board of directors to have open meetings, or compel them to follow other public provisions that encourage citizen participation and institutional transparency. In fact BIDs have no obligation to record or reveal any complaint against the BID. The so called oversight of BIDs by politician’s representatives on BID boards is abysmal. A history of absenteeism, corruption and resignation is well documented and leaves no assurance that the City will police the BID to any degree of effectiveness with such a heavy presence of real estate interests on all the Boards.

In a time of economic depression, the BID proposes to heighten recessionary effects.

Property tax under the BID will go up eventually and thus business and residential rents will rise as well as evidenced in this article in Crain’s NY Business http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20110619/REAL_ESTATE/306199981, this will drive business to Brooklyn Chinatown where there is no BID and thus more competitive pricing for everything from bok choy to eyeglasses. The BID will affect all of us, whether we are property owners or businesses who opt in or not, by making Chinatown more expensive in general. These effects will further gentrification in Chinatown, forcing low income people out. It will also destroy small independent businesses that make up part of Chinatown’s reputation for arts, culture and cuisine since these businesses don't have a big a profit margin and will not be able to afford the rise in property taxes and rent, leaving mostly only homogenizing corporate chain businesses behind. The Chinatown BID Steering committee (lawyers, real estate tycoons, chain store owners****) is made up of millionaires who cannot relate to the average small business in Chinatown. The BID is designed to be attractive to tourists (as CPLDC has made clear ad infinitum) so mainly only hotels, restaurants and tourist gift shops will benefit, while small local businesses that rely on a more local customer base will just see a spike in rent with no additional revenue . BIDs are only supposed to be formed in areas that which are at least 3/4 zoned for commercial, industrial, and mixed use because BIDs put a devastating financial burden on residential areas.

The hidden cost to the community, which is of no consequence to the people who are the BID’s Steering Committee, because they are literally millionaires, is the loss of affordable nutrition to a community whose population is largely living under the poverty line. The businesses who provide affordable groceries and cooked meals to the working poor will be the first to flee due to rising rent as a result of the BID. Gone will be the five-for-a-dollar dumplings replaced by more $6.00 coffees from chain stores. This has a domino effect of the working poor having to relocate near a source of affordable nutrition and housing, thus expediting the gentrification* of Chinatown. This loss of affordable nutrition is key to the gentrification process and in fact is a tool used to bring in high end supermarkets or gourmet grocery stores. Chinatown may still have Chinese businesses in it, but the patron demographic will change dramatically over night. The working poor of Chinatown stand no chance against a BID in their quest to have access to affordable food because ultimately a BID will seek to derive as much income to support itself as it can on every block it occupies and “maintains”. The budget in the largest BID in New York (Chinatown) will not remain stagnant and will seek to increase its revenue any way it can. To endorse a BID knowing this is the ultimate result is unconscionable and not in the spirit of what makes New York great.

The BID is undemocratic.

The entire process has been skewed in favor of BID supporters. For example New York City provides its department staff, time and information free of charge to BID supporters with unlimited access to property information and research. This can go on for years. Who knows how much tax payer money is spent supporting this endeavor?

The City does not validate any signatures of so called BID supporters who sign ballots produced and distributed by those supporters.

The Chinatown Partnership’s P.R. firm Rubenstein and its Executive Director claim 97% approval for the BID. Three community boards based their decisions on what appears to be overwhelming support and “diet” of pro-BID propoganda, yet not a single signature is validated nor connection to property ownership provided. In a clear example of what a double standard is, in contrast those wishing to oppose the BID have only 30 days to obtain an official form, get it notarized and show proof of property ownership via deed, and after that objections must account for 51% of all benefitted properties or 51% of assessed total value of the district to stop the BID from forming. We are confident that the over five hundred objection forms submitted to the City Clerk is the largest number ever to oppose any BID in the City. This represents more than the supposed 3% opposition claimed by Rubenstein and the CPLDC.

Once approved by the Council, we will not be easily rid of the BID.

The dissolution of the BID calls for the objection vote of 51% of the district's assessed value and 51% of the property in the district. Even if such a vote was made, a BID that still owes debt must remain intact. A BID can actually intentionally incur debt as a safeguard against being dissolved which would explain the cozy relationship between this Board and its banker. Those who are in the BID are locked into whatever contracts the BID enters into in perpetuity. All surrounding areas will be dramatically affected by the Chinatown BID without input into their process which is why SoHo and Little Italy vehemently opposed the Chinatown BID.

No actual objective quantitative evidence concerning Chinatown’s economy was created in support of this plan. In another words the people (real estate developers Chris Kui, Bill Lam and life- long political candidate Margaret Chin) who wanted the BID for the last decade are the ones who wrote the documents to justify its need to exist. All proponents have done is written the pamphlets themselves while failing to include the pitfalls a BID would have in Chinatown. Even if there is consent for a BID it was uninformed consent.

By attempting to gentrify the city and police classes of people out of the vibrant mix that is Chinatown, the BID proponents will eliminate the reasons why people come to Chinatown in the first place: because it is a town full of independent businesses, art, and culture with lively public spaces where a heterogeneous crowd of people can all ideally have a chance to thrive as they have for the last century.

Councilmember Margaret Chin won't listen to any alternatives to a B.I.D.

BID alternatives routinely ignored.

With 9/11 recovery money from the LMDC The Chinatown Partnership inexplicably they sent millions of tax payer dollars to a private cleaning contractor in Tennessee rather than employ non-profit local alternatives that have transparent and proven track records. During the years of the Chinatown Partnership’s existence they could have ushered many dozens of individuals through proven rehabilitation programs the employ street cleaning to help formerly homeless New Yorkers. Instead they quietly chose the private company in Tennessee Mydatt Services which has no disclosure of its hiring practices and in fact provides very little for the community other than a few stagnant jobs which largely have gone to only Chinese people. With non-BID neighborhood cleaning alternatives existing all over America Chinatown has been overwhelmed with only one solution by the Chinatown Partnership, Councilmember Chin and one of the most powerful public relations firms in the world (Rubenstein Inc.) who counts no less than two dozen multibillion dollar real estate developers as its clients.

We will not forget.

In closing, over five hundred properties with verified signatures representing blocks and lots existing within the proposed BID district currently stand in staunch opposition to the creation of a Chinatown BID and these numbers will only grow in coming months. Borough President Scott Stringer has “denied press reports that he has supported the Chinatown BID.” – NYDAILYNEWS, 6/27/11. By endorsing (voting yes) to this undemocratic, politically connected, inefficient, top heavy bureaucracy called the Chinatown BID you will seal the fate of those in Chinatown who can least afford its ill effects. We will organize again at election time against elected officials who support this exploitation of our community under the guise of “cleaning”. We encourage you to vote "NO" when the Chinatown BID comes before the City Council.

The Coalition against the Chinatown BID

Herbert Din said...

September 23, 2011 12:16 AM