It seems like we’ve been talking about the proposed Chinatown Business Improvement District for a very long time. The discussion is not over quite yet. The City Council has decided to schedule a second public hearing to give anyone who’s interested an opportunity to speak out on the controversial plan.The hearing will take place next Wednesday, September 7th, at noon, at Emigrant Savings Bank, 49-51 Chambers.
Opponents of the BID were not at all happy with the way the first Finance Committee hearing was handled back in May. Quite a few people had trouble getting inside to speak. A number of them quarreled with security guards, who said the small meeting room could not accommodate everyone who wanted to attend.
In a letter to property owners who had filed objections, Chin (a BID backer) wrote, “we want to ensure that everyone has a chance to voice their opinion on the proposal.”
Opponents say they’re concerned a BID would add new and unnecessary financial burdens in a neighborhood that’s suffering economically. They’re also worried that the business district will quicken the pace of gentrification, forcing out independent business owners and longtime residents.
Chin is hopeful a vote on the BID can take place by the end of this month.
The reason yet ANOTHER hearing needs to be done is because the May 26th hearing was a sham. Councilmember Margaret Chin let this happen, knowing that property owners who wanted to testify were being shunned away. That hearing should have been canceled and postponed and set up at a location that could accommodate the many legions of anti-BID protesters. Chinatown does not want the BID and the double taxing it would bring.
The Chinatown BID should be dead in the water NOW! And, this hearing should not even be held! No NYC councilmember in good conscience will support a BID proposal that has had a record high number of VERIFIED OBJECTIONS FILED AGAINST IT!!! The Chinatown BID has had more objections filed against it than ANY other BID in NYC BID history!!! NYC Councilmembers, do you get the message!?
The discussion about the Chinatown Business Improvement District (BID) is a important subject not only for those that are property owner(s) in Chinatown, but also for those that work or live in Chinatown, and commute to Chinatown for business or leisure. Everyone has at least one friend or acquaintance in Chinatown. New York’s Chinatown is a very special place; probably the longest and richest in history (dating back to the 1850’s) compared to other Chinatowns in the world.
For a lot of Chinese people, Chinatown is a place where new Chinese immigrants come to live or work due to their limitation in language and skills. Chinatown will be MERCILESSLY SCACRIFICED if a BID is formed. The small businesses, mom and pops shops, the Chinese who depend on their businesses and jobs in Chinatown to earn a living, will be MERCILESSLY SCACRICIED if a BID is formed. The BID will cause the cost of living and business operations to rise where it will become unaffordable thereof driving the Chinese out of Chinatown. It is a subject worth talking about if your well being and survival is threatened by this BID.
AMERICA is a democratic society. If a BID were to be formed, ALL the affected property owners should be properly notified and informed about the BID; and ALL the affected property owners should have their VOICES, OPINIONS, and BALLOTS properly recorded, on whether they support or object the BID. If the property owner(s) are the targeted ones to pay for this “Chinatown BID”, their voices should matter and be heard. Anyone would be furious, if they were forced to pay for something that they never agreed to and never even got their voice heard.
In the letter to property owners, Council Member Recchia and Council Member Chin, they also wrote, “Please note that the Objection period for the Chinatown BID ended at 5 p.m. on June 24, 2011. This will not amend any objection you may have filed with the City Clerk.”
This is basically saying that our chance to OJBECT has ended and nothing will change. The BID will be formed like it or not. CHINATOWN will be MERCILESSLY SACRIFIED.
Please excuse my misspelling on MERCILESSLY SACRIFICED
Dear ED,
You are correct and the reason you are still hearing about this BID is because the majority of the Chinatown businesses and property owners are fighting tooth and nail against this BID. It took a long time to disseminate the truth about how detrimental the BID will be for Chinatown. On top of that the proponents of the BID have tried everything to prevent the [NO Chinatown BID] people from effectively objecting to this BID. How UN-American. This fight has been lopsided because the Steering Committee had all of the bag of tricks taught to them by their paid PR Spin Doctors, deep pocket rich supporters and the clout of our Council member. Every property and business owner and citizen who opposes this BID (and we are many) should attend this meeting, hopefully be allowed to speak on Sept 7 despite the fact that it was inconveniently scheduled right after a long summer weekend. We will fight it to the bitter end.
Chinatown needs a BID, there is no evidence that BID’s push out small businesses. There is plenty of evidence to show that without additional sanitation services, the community will be a hot mess. There are too many businesses, residents and visitors that will benefit from these services to let a few of Chinatown’s naysayers squash this proposal. The opponents are concerned they will lose their power because another NPO representing the business and property owners will have a seat at the table.