Roosevelt Island Historical Society

Aug

Weekend, August 6-7, 2022 – DO WE LIVE IN MANHATTAN OR QUEENS?

By admin

CITY COUNCIL REDISTRICTING WOULD MOVE OUR
DISTRICT FROM MANHATTAN TO QUEENS.

IT IS YOUR TIME TO WRITE AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE

FROM THE ARCHIVES

WEEKEND, AUGUST 6-7, 2022

THE 747th EDITION

CITY COUNCIL

DISTRICTS

DUE TO BE CHANGED

WE COULD BE IN QUEENS!!

QUEENS???

WE DO NOT LIVE IN QUEENS!

Hi,
I am writing to you to tell you that if you live east of First Avenue from 54th street to I believe 79th street (not sure whether it is south or north on 79 Street, Roosevelt Island, down to Sutton Place, down to 54th street — there are some places where it changes, it is not a straight line), the new City Council map puts you in a city council district in Queens which will be folded into an existing Queens City Council district (primarily Sunnyside and Long Island City

There is nothing wrong with Queens, except, of course, that you don’t live there — the practicality of it is that when you have a problem you will have to call your Queens councilperson, and they will be busy with issues from 75% of their consituency that lives in another borough.

It is very important that as many people from the affected area go on record with the Commissioners with respect to their opposition to this redistricting plan as soon as possible. We need as many people as possible to send letters to each of the Commissioners (list attached), as well as to attend and testify at the public hearing, which will be held on Monday August 22, 2022 from 5-9:30 (again details are in the information below and we don’t know yet whether there will be a zoom).

The redistricting plan puts Hunter College in two City Council Districts and all of the hospitals in the Queens district. If you have a small park or perhaps a school or a library that gets the benefit of participatory budgeting, how will that happen when your council person is in Queens?

Also attached is a sample letter (tailor how you wish but remember to mention the criteria in the charter, that is critical).

We need as many people as possible to send the letters and to testify at the public hearings. Please spread this to everyone in your building and in neighboring buildings and any friends you may have in the affected areas.
Please email to let me know whether you are writing letters and in addition if you are going to sign up to testify. We are doing this with other concerned community groups and neighborhood assns.

Also annexed is a resolution adopted by Manhattan Community Board 8 which gives an excellent overview of what is happening, opposes the redistricting plan, and offers an alternative that would keep Manhattan i.e., the UES in tact.

THIS IS URGENT AND NEEDS TO GET DONE BEFORE THE HEARING ON AUGUST 22.

JUST ARRIVED
CAPS
BUCKET HATS AND VISORS
SHOP THE R.I.H.S. KIOSK

CAPS IN A MULTITUDE OF COLORS $20-

VISORS IN TAN OR NAVY $18-

COLORFUL BUCKET HATS $8-

WEEKEND PHOTO

Send your response to:
rooseveltislandhistory@gmail.com

FRIDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY

FROM ED LITCHER
Ron and Fay-Vidra Vass – Another brick in the foundation has been lost.

If memory serves, their early connection to the island grew from their connection to Goldwater. They were always a dynamic duo. In the community’s early days, if anything was happening on the island Ron and Fay were always present and were probably in-charge.

Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS
Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website
Edited by Deborah Dorff
All image are copyrighted (c)

SOURCES