New Yorkers speak up for reform of Atlantic Yards governance

Since BrooklynSpeaks launched an online petition calling on legislative leaders to act on bills directing the ESDC to form a dedicated subsidiary for oversight, over 600 New Yorkers have signed on online and in hardcopy. Here are some of the comments of concerned residents.

"It is outrageous that the Atlantic Yards is still the only State project with no formal oversight. This is unacceptable." Jean S.

"Ratner has enjoyed special priveleges and the needs and desires of the surrounding communities have been ignored. He has been given public money for an essentially for-profit project. Now that it's an inevitablity it's time to exercise some oversight over the results." Rachel K.

"Having granted the developer rights to build over an extended time period, it is now time to protect the state's citizens from the many potential conflicts and disturbances that a project of this massive a scale inevitably entails." Alan R.

"Please bring the public into this 'public' project." Carey K.

"This project needs neighboorhood oversight and involvement to help preserve the neighborhoods this project is 'supposedly' going to help." Alysha C.

"We need unbiased oversight of this project to insure that the taxpayers are not robbed and left with a mess." Nina G.

"You cannot trust that commercial developers and corporate entities will act in the best interest of the public." Jessica A.

"I'd prefer this whole thing not exist but since it does we need some control over it for all the public 'investment' we have made." Monica C.

"Better late than never. Taxpayers deserve accountabilty and proper oversight of the Atlantic Yards Project and the ESDC in general." John B.

"Let the community be heard. It will benefit all in the long run." Sarah J.

Concerned citizens can sign the online petition here.