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Norm Siegel Opposes Closing of Firehouses at Staten Island Rally
As fire coverage remains inadequate in NYC, Bloomberg keeps wanting to close firehouses. Does he WANT NYC to burn?
Norm Siegel is leading the fight to keep firehouses open:
STATEMENT OF NORMAN SIEGEL - December 13, 2008, at rally sponsored by the South Beach Civic Association
I am here today to say NO to the Mayor's plan to close firehouses. Although our City is facing a legitimate budget problem, we cannot and must not solve the projected budget deficit by creating a potential hazard to the public safety of any New Yorker. The closing of firehouses creates a potential danger to residents of New York City.
If it takes a fire engine a few more minutes or seconds to get to a fire or to reach a heart attack victim, those few minutes or seconds could be a matter of life or death. We cannot and must not put any New Yorker's life at risk because of necessary budget cuts.
The Mayor and City Council must begin to prioritize budget cuts. It's foolhardy to impose a 7% cut across the board. Leadership requires an agency by agency and program by program analysis. And public safety must be one of our top priority values when considering what to cut and how much to cut. Public safety cuts should be spared as much as possible.
So, Mr. Mayor and Ms. Speaker�go back to the drawing board and rethiink the budget cuts. Rethink cutting public safety items like the NYFD and the NYPD. Rethink the closing of firehouses.
To all New Yorkers, we must be united in speaking up loud and clear on this crucial matter. Today's proposed cuts can be the beginning of a painful downsizing of government services. We must make the Mayor and Speaker and all City Councilmembers understand that closing firehouses is simply unacceptable. Together, we can prevail on this matter. Together, we can be a model for other communities facing similar budget cuts. Together, we do not have to accept the closing of firehouses.
KEEP THE FIREHOUSES OPEN !!!
Those of us opposed to the irrational efforts of Mr. Bloomberg
to balance the budget on the backs of lower income New Yorkers have a special burden. In addition to protest, we have an obligation to say how, in tough economic times, we propose to pay for services. Just saying "no cuts" avoids the tricky yet essential discussion: who's going to pay for this?
In my view, one good answer is that NYC should get more substantial revenue by taxing the rich. Richer New Yorkers, as I understand it, pay taxes at a rate similar to very low income folk. If we make the tax structure more progressive, if we restore the rates to the position they were in pre-Pataki years past, NYC can gain substantial revenue.
If each group opposed to cuts in its special service (fire, food stamps etc) only demands that its service be unscathed, only those services to the less powerful will be eliminated. Just saying no is not enough.
Discussed this
I discussed some ideas in an earlier post. Not a broad solution, but some ideas.
In some cases, cuts now cost money in the long run. I would say that cutting on education, firehouses and the like will cost money in the long run...which is not a good idea particularly since we have ALREADY increased the future burden on our children and grandchildren with massive debt. Some things we need to really hesitate to cut. Given that we already have cut firehouse coverage dangerously, further cuts can hardly be a good idea.
I agrre with you Mr.
I agrre with you Mr. Millstone, however there doesn't have to be spending on "Vanity Projects" such as what Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz has proposed & is going ahead with, namely an $ 64 Million Dollar Amphitheater at Asser Levy Park, in the Coney Island/Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn. Not only is this a residential area with high rises & transportation problems with regards to traffic & parking etc., the venue that now hosts the Summer Concerts Mr. Markowitz emcees is good enough. I don't hear or see any other politicans making the case, in these dire economic times, against this "Vanity Project." These $ 64 million dollars can surely be used for much more rational projects. It could go towards MTA , Housing, Police, Fire, etc.
Bloomberg Must Hate Firefighters
This is always the first thing he looks to cut. First responders SHOULD NEVER be part of any cost savings measures. Let one person die because they can't get the proper emergency care and this will cost millions more than keeping a firehouse open.
Instead of closing firehouses, etc why don't we have another commuter tax? After all, people come here to work from NJ, Ct, LI and even Pa, use our services and what do we get back from them? As for the rich, there is only so much we can get from them and then they'll start exiting also. This City is losing middle class residents faster than you can say Bloomberg. It's becoming a city for the wealthy and the poor and the wealthy can go anywhere they want and only use Manhattan for it's social life. I just heard that the $400 rebate checks are being mailed out but they'll be a 7% property tax hike. If the clothing sales tax is repealed you'll see more NY cars in Jersey malls.
Bloomberg wants a 3rd term and I wish we never gave him the 1st one (at least I didn't vote for him).