BP candidates spar over development
BY BEN VERDE
The leading candidates for
Brooklyn borough president
sparred over development and
business projects during a recent
televised debate, making
for some of the most heated moments
of the race thus far.
With just over a month until
the June 22 primaries, candidates
took the cross-examination
portion of the May 18 debate,
which was televised on
NY1, to take jabs at their rivals,
putting some of the race’s frontrunners
on the defensive.
Former Brookdale Hospital
executive Khari Edwards
used his turn to question Councilmember
Robert Cornegy
over his acceptance of campaign
donations from the real
estate sector, given the high
rate of displacement in his gentrifying
district of Bed-Stuy
and Crown Heights.
“You mentioned that you
have one of the highest displacement
of Black people in your district,
specifi cally over the last
eight-to-ten years,” Edwards
said. “Yet 30 percent of your donations
COURIER L 12 IFE, MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2021
are coming from developers,
four or fi ve of which have
been known to be anti-tenant,
and anti-tenant advocacy. How
in the reality of serving the entire
borough where we are getting
displaced, where affordability
is the issue, could you
defend accepting money from
those guys knowing the displacement
rate in your community?”
“I’ve never received a dime
from any developer that had
any business before me in my
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district, or any business that
I had purview over,” said Cornegy,
who has worked to establish
himself as a centrist, business
friendly candidate.
Cornegy, when given the
chance to question a candidate,
put the screws to Councilmember
Antonio Reynoso, questioning
him over his lack of support
for the failed Industry City rezoning
in Sunset Park, which
backers claimed would bring
thousands of jobs to the waterfront.
“Months later, there has
been no alternative plan for job
creation in that area, no alternative
for putting people on a
pathway to any opportunity in
that area,” Cornegy said. “I’m
curious as to how you count
that as a win when nothing else
has been created?”
Reynoso maintained that
many locals opposed the project
— among them, the neighborhood’s
community board,
and its sitting Councilmember
Carlos Menchaca. The candidate
argued that it would be
important for the next borough
president to listen to local communities
when weighing in on
land-use decisions — one of the
only things borough presidents
have sway over.
“You’re going to be taking on
the role of borough president,
you’ve got to pay attention to
the people,” Reynoso said. “The
community board voted against
the Industry City rezoning, every
single elected offi cial that
represents that district voted
against it, and I think that given
their experience and their time
in their community, that they
know what’s best for that community.”
Limited polling has shown
Cornegy and Reynoso neckand
neck for the lead.
The latter has worked to establish
himself as the furthest
left of the leading candidates,
but is not wholly anti-development.
When moderator Errol
Louis asked which of the eight
debate participants would try
to fundamentally reshape the
tenets of the current rezoning
proposal, every candidate but
Reynoso raised their hands.
The north Brooklyn pol
explained that he supported
meeting certain stipulations
before passing the rezoning,
but that he felt it was important
to develop in wealthy neighborhoods
like Gowanus.
“We have to be careful
about potential NIMBY aspects
here,” Reynoso said.
Other candidates for Borough
Hall include Councilmember
Mathieu Eugene,
Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon,
and pastor Kim Council.
Borough president candidates participate in a NY1 debate. Screenshot
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