Here's a press release we just received from the New York City Comptroller 's office:
THOMPSON TO CITY: BUILD SCHOOLS, NOT PRISONS
- Comptroller Joins Lawsuit to Prevent City from Re-Opening the
New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. today joined with elected officials and community organizations to announce the filing of lawsuit to prevent a $440 million capital expansion project at the Brooklyn House of Detention on
At a news conference in front of the facility (between Smith St. and Boerum Place), Thompson blasted the City for increasing increase capital funding for resurrecting the Brooklyn House of Detention while other more pressing needs, such as adequately funding school construction, are not being fully addressed.
"At a moment of financial crisis, this City is purposely leaving the public out of a decision to build a jail we don't need at a time that we can't afford it," Comptroller Thompson said. "We are confident that the courts will recognize this unacceptable breech of the public trust, and move to prevent this $440 million-boondoggle from moving forward."
In a letter to Mayor Bloomberg, Thompson faulted the City for moving ahead with this expansion while simultaneously ignoring unacceptable levels of overcrowding in public schools, overwhelming community opposition to the re-opening of the facility, and the project's likely negative impact on
Both Thompson's letter and the report are available at www.comptroller.nyc.gov .
"In these challenging fiscal times, the City would be better served to redirect this nearly half a billion dollars to school construction, an already proven under-funded need," Thompson said. "Why threaten the successful economic revitalization of Downtown Brooklyn when the money could be better spent building ten new schools?"
The lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court, contends that the City broke state law by applying to the State Department of Corrections to re-open the existing House of Detention without notifying the public. If successful, the suit would reverse the re-opening of the facility, which began Sunday, until the City follows the procedures it ignored.
"The administration's most recent funding decision once again demonstrates a process that has been characterized by poor long-term planning and the absence of meaningful community involvement," Thompson said. "This disjointed and non-inclusive approach has resulted in a serious misalignment of City priorities."
Thompson has been advocating against the reopening of this facility and urging the city to sell the property and return it to the tax rolls since 2005. To view information related to the Comptroller's previous efforts, please visit www.comptroller.nyc.gov .
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