LPC Budget Rumor

As you all know, despite the hard work of landmarks advocates and our allies in the City Council, the Landmarks Preservation Commission received only $300,000 of the $1 Million we asked for in the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget. The increase was disappointing, but a step in the right direction (hey, at least their budget increased). What you may not have heard is that during the final budget process, LPC Chair Robert Tierney and his staff informed the City Council that LPC had no use for an additional $1 Million, essentially undercutting our collective efforts. Our friends on the City Council were undermined by the very agency they were trying to help!

This was especially strange, since Chairman Tierney gave his initial support for the $1 Million increase and largely stayed out of the process, altogether, until the last minute. Others in the administration had also previously indicated a willingness to go along with the increase if advanced by the City Council. We certainly know how the LPC could spend an additional $1 million dollars if they had it! If you find this disappointing, you have a chance to have your voice heard tomorrow, June 27th, (or today, June 28th, if you are reading this on Wednesday) as Chairman Tierney's appointment will be considered by the City Council's Committee on Privileges & Elections. The meeting details are as follows:

Committee(s) on: Rules, Privileges & Elections
Time: 10:30 AM
Location: Council Chambers - City Hall
Chairperson(s): Diana Reyna
Details:

M 638 - Communication from the Mayor - Submitting the name of Thomas Tsang, M.D. to the Council for its advice and consent regarding his appointment to the Board of Health, Pursuant to Sections 31 and 553 of the City Charter.

M 640 - Communication from the Mayor - Submitting the name of Roberta Washington to the Council for its advice and consent regarding her appointment to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Pursuant to Sections 31 and 3020 of the City Charter.

M 641 - Communication from the Mayor - Submitting the name of Robert B. Tierney to the Council for its advice and consent regarding his reappointment to the Landmarks Preservation Commission, Pursuant to Sections 31 and 3020 of the City Charter.

LPC's Budget for 2008

Well, the yearly budget dance has come to an end as the City Council and Mayor agreed on a $59 Billion Budget for the City of New York for Fiscal Year 2008 (starting July 1st, 2007).

While the budget hasn't been published yet, we hear that the Landmarks Preservation Commission will receive an additional $300,000; $250,000 of which represents the increases won in Fiscal Year 2007, baselined for 2008. While this is far short of our $1 Million goal and we are disappointed that more could not be done during this strong budget year, we should all be pleased with the positive progress that LPC's budget made this year. Thanks to all of you for your emails and phone calls during this effort. For the first year of organized LPC budget advocacy, things turned out really well.

Also, if you get a chance, contact Council Member Jessica Lappin and thank her for her efforts. She really worked hard for the $1 Million increase. Her contact information can be found here .

Keep up the fight!

URGENT ACTION NEEDED

The City Council, now entering final budget negotiations, must hear from you about the need to increase LPC's budget in Fiscal Year 2008! Email/call/fax your local council member and members of the budget negotiating team TODAY.

Frustrated with the LPC? Their slowness to respond? Is the ever-quickening pace of development, eating away at the character of our communities? It will only get worse, unless the LPC has the resources it needs to carry out its vital mission. As you may know, CECPP is part of a broad coalition advocating for a $1 million increase in the LPC budget on top of its current budget of just over $4 million -- a modest amount of money that could make a world of difference.

What can you do to help? ACT NOW! Contact the Council, and forward this message to friends and colleagues.

Who is your council person? Click here to find out.

Who are the council members on the budget negotiating team?

Quinn quinn@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (212) 564-7347; T: (212) 564-7757

Brewer gale.brewer@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (212) 873-0279; T: (212) 873-0282

Garodnick garodnick@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (212) 818-0706; T: (212) 818-0580

Baez baez@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 584-5725; T: (718) 584-6955

Comrie comrie@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 776-3798; T: (718) 776-3700

Dilan emdilan@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 642-8639; T: (718) 642-8664

McMahon mcmahon@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 556-7389; T: (718) 556-7370

Rivera rivera@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 842-6280; T: (718) 842-8100

Dickens dickens@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (212) 442-2732 ; T: (212) 678-4505

Fidler fidler@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 241-9316; T: (718) 241-9330

DiBlasio deblasio@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 854-1146; T: (718) 854-9791

Gallagher gallagher@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 326-3549; T: (718) 366-3900)

Oddo oddo@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 980-1051; T: (718) 980-1017
Jackson jackson@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (212) 928-4177; T: (212) 928-1322

Arroyo arroyo@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 402-0539; T: (718) 402-6130

Reyna reyna@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 963-4527; T: (718) 963-3141

Weprin weprin@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 776-2302; T: (718) 465-8202

Katz katz@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 544-4452 ; T: (718) 544-8800

At-large members

Mark-Viverito viverito@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (212) 722-6378; T: (212) 828-9800

Martinez martinez@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (917) 521-1293 ; T: (917) 521-2616/2640

Seabrook seabrook@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 652-0703; T: (718) 994-9900

Sears sears@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 803-9832; T: (718) 803-6373

Stewart stewart@council.nyc.ny.us; F: (718) 951-8191; T: (718) 951-8177

Postponed

The June 14 House Party for the Citizens Emergency Committee to Preserve Preservation at 155 W. 12th Street (home of Nan & Richard Davis) has been postponed due to late-breaking development issues in the West Village (a major community board meeting has been set for the same evening).

The party/information session will be rescheduled for the near future. Please stay tuned!