NYC Mayoral Candidates Debate the Broken Promises of Atlantic Yards
Channel: CitizensDefendLibes
Date: 2013-04-04

Video by Jonathan Barkey. License: Creative Commons. For broadcast rights, contact: jonathanbarkey.com

Event: NYC Mayoral Forum. Host: Brooklyn Reform Coalition. Venue: St. Francis College. Date: 4/3/2013.

New York City Democratic mayoral hopefuls respond to a question posed by Ede Fox, president of Prospect Heights Democrats for Reform, about the Atlantic Yards Community Benefits Agreement and project developer Forest City Ratner's largely unfulfilled commitments to creating jobs and affordable housing. Asks Fox, "What are you going to do as mayor to make sure that these promises are kept?"

Participating candidates: Bill de Blasio, Bill Thompson, Christine Quinn, John Liu and Sal Albanese.

The audience, including members of Citizens Defending Libraries, was able to submit written questions to moderators during the forum. But no question about the planned sale of two Brooklyn public library sites made it into the discussion. 

Both libraries — Brooklyn Heights and Pacific Street — are in close proximity to properties owned by Atlantic Yards developer Forest City Ratner. FCR, a potential player in these controversial real-estate deals, is a corporate "bad citizen" well-known for receiving massive public subsidies while reneging on its many commitments to communities in Brooklyn.