Commissioner Qualifications

One of the key issues that the Citizens Emergency Committee to Preserve Preservation is focusing on is, of course, LPC Commissioner Independence. Our first step was to file a lawsuit which would force the Mayor to reappoint or replace Commissioners whose terms have expired (we should have a further update on the lawsuit in April).

The next step is to develop a list of qualifications that every candidate for Commissioner should posses. After all, recent appointments to LPC have been a bit disappointing. It is our hope that these qualifications will be adopted by the next Mayor and City Council and lead to a better LPC in the future. Take a look at our proposed qualifications and let us know what you think. If you would like to sign your organization up in support of these proposed qualifications, let us know. We'll be developing a growing list of supporting groups heading into the election.

CECPP proposed requirements for LPC Commissioners:

Commissioners appointed to the Landmarks Preservation Commission should possess:

· KNOWLEDGE of the historical and architectural heritage of the city

o Commissioners should demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the city’s cultural heritage and a commitment to the basic principle underlying the Landmarks Preservation Law: “the standing of this city as a world-wide tourist center and world capital of business, culture, and government cannot be maintained or enhanced by disregarding the historical and architectural heritage of the city and countenancing the destruction of such cultural assets.”

· EXPERIENCE in safeguarding and promoting the city's historical and architectural heritage

o Commissioners should be thoroughly familiar with the landmarks law and with the procedures and precedents of the Landmarks Preservation Commission. Commissioners should have personally participated in historic preservation activity in New York City prior to appointment.

· INDEPENDENCE in exercising judgment strictly on the merits without regard to political pressures or lobbying from developers, real estate or other interests.

o Commissioners should be committed to the core principles of the landmarks law: “it is hereby declared as a matter of public policy that the protection, enhancement, perpetuation and use of improvements and landscape features of special character or special historical or aesthetic interest or value is a public necessity and is required in the interest of the health, safety and welfare of the people.”

Mayor Bloomberg's Landmarks Budget

Mayor Bloomberg released his proposed Fiscal Year 2008 (July 1, 2007-June 30, 2008) budget on Thursday, January 25th. Overall, the budget was considered to be an easy one to swallow, featuring tax cuts, increased baseline funding for parks and cultural institutions (a first, as far as anyone can remember) and improved transparency in the Capital Budget.

As for the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), Mayor Bloomberg proposed a $4.3 Million budget, with 57 staff positions. This is $100,000 more than the current $4.2 Million budget that LPC is working under and 2 positions more than the 55 positions currently funded. While we certainly thank the Mayor for increasing LPC’s budget rather than cutting it, we believe that his proposed increase is just a fraction of what is needed (in fact, just 1/10th).

Why? The Mayor's proposed 2008 budget for LPC is $1 million (19 %) less than what their budget would be, in 1991 constant dollars. In layman's terms, this means that while LPC's budget has increased, its actual buying power has shrunk by $1 Million since 1991. In addition, LPC had 70 staff members in 1991, 13 more the Mayor's proposal for 2008. The Citizens Emergency Committee to Preserve Preservation believes that LPC needs a budget and staff equal to the 1991 number, in order to increase the pace of landmark designation, increase the enforcement of the law, and help the Agency better serve the public. There is already evidence that last year's budget and staff increase has had a positive effect on LPC's work output. Imagine what another $1 Million could do!

Mayor Bloomberg wants NYC to prepare for 2030 , and one million new New Yorkers, we feel a good first step would be to increase the the Landmarks Preservation Commission's budget to its 1991 buying power.That’s not so much to ask, is it?

So, what can you do to help increase LPC's budget and staff?

1. First, email us at Citizens@savelpc.org and give us permission to list your organization as a supporter of the $1 Million increase. Over the next few days, we will begin a running list of supporting organizations on our site. The more we have, the better!

2. Write a letter to Mayor Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. Thank them for increasing LPC's budget, but ask them to increase it by $1 Million. Why is this important? Take a look at the Mission Statement and Problem Statement on our website. In addition, feel free to provide them with evidence of your own. After all, you are the experts in our city's neighborhoods. If you do write a letter, be sure to provide us with a copy, so that we can keep track of our campaign progress.

In the near future, CECPP will be providing additional ways that members can support this advocacy effort, such as writing and delivering testimony to the City Council and asking your local Community Board for support. Stay Tuned!

Follow-Up: City and Suburban Tenements

Way back in November, we posted a story about the City and Suburban Tenements , located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. This complex, known for its light and airy apartments for working-class New Yorkers (a rarity in the early 1900's) was protected as a landmark back in 1990. Unfortunately, the Board of Estimate reversed the Landmarks Preservation Commission's decision on several buildings within the complex, ultimately leaving two of them vulnerable to development.

On Thursday, February 1, the City Council voted unanimously to extend protection to the unprotected buildings, following the LPC's decision to protect the sites, back on November 21st. The Citizens Emergency Committee to Preserve Preservation would like to thank the City Council, Council Member Jessica Lappin and LPC for reversing the Board of Estimate's decision and making things right.

More on the story here .