Dear Fellow Resident of Roosevelt Island: There may be nothing I do as President of your Residents Association that is more important than this request. Governor Andrew Cuomo has violated Roosevelt Island’s newly established tradition of community elections to nominate members of this community’s Board of Directors. Both his Democratic predecessors honored the collective voice of residents and appointed members of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation’s Board of Directors from a roster of residents nominated by residents. This was an important forward step toward rule of Roosevelt Islandby the voting of residents, not the confused decisions of outsiders. Governor Cuomo ignored this tradition recently, and – without consultation of any kind – put a non-resident on the RIOC Board. We don’t know whether he did this out of ignorance of the established tradition of local elections, as part of a political deal, or specifically and directly to offend every resident of Roosevelt Island. We must tell Governor Cuomo, in no uncertain terms, that this kind of high-handed dealing with the Roosevelt Island community is completely unacceptable. Please contact the governor. Put it in your own words if possible. If you cannot, just mail the enclosed editorial from The Main Street WIRE, with your signature and your name and address.
Thank you. Matthew Katz President, RIRA |
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