Among the City Council reps who sided with the Bloomberg Putsch and betrayed two votes of NYC voters on term limits was Sara Gonzalez. Fortunately there is a good candidate running against her for the Democratic Primary in the 38th District...as first announced on Daily Gotham (go here for my initial comments on Galarza). There seems to be something of a spat between Galarza and his opponent, Gonzalez, regarding a moratorium on any new building construction in Sunset Park, something Gonzalez has apparently adopted from Galarza without acknowledgment (I am a scientist, so in my field you reference who you get your ideas from even if they are rivals, and if you don't, it is considered dishonest). This is a press release from Galarza's campaign:

Brooklyn, NY — March 5, 2009 — While I am flattered that Council Member Sara Gonzalez has finally come around to repeating the call I made a year ago (Brooklyn Eagle, Sunset Park Rezoning Plan Addresses High-Rise Fears, March 14, 2008) for a moratorium on any new building construction in Sunset Park, her call for a moratorium this week is at best, disingenuous and at worst, insulting and damaging to the residents of Sunset Park, the 38 District and the City of New York. In a few days the Department of City Planning is set to certify a flawed rezoning plan that will begin the destruction, displacement and increase the gentrification of Sunset Park. It's just the latest community targeted by an out of touch administration and their enablers on the City Council — such as Sara Gonzalez — who have decided that the people who breathe life into this city are no longer worthy to call it home, much less afford to pay the rent.

Given that a source of Gonzalez's campaign contributions are the developers and landlord lobbying groups themselves it’s no wonder why she waited until the absolute final hour to make her hollow call for a moratorium. In recent filings with the New York City Campaign Finance Board (visit www.nyccfb.info), Gonzalez received $5,000.00 from RNJ Management, nearly $5,000.00 from developer Martin Pearlstein, $1,000.00 from the pro-landlord group Taxpayers for an Affordable New York, and local realtor Danny Chen a “bundler” of campaign contributions.

Most insulting to the members of the Latino and Asian community — who form the largest constituency in Sunset Park — is the exclusion of Eighth Avenue in the rezoning proposal and the up-zoning of several avenues including the Fourth and Seventh. Hardworking low-income families are already being forced out by rising rents this will just worsen the situation. To claim that she's now an advocate for affordable housing and an opponent of luxury condo development, while she accepts the contributions of developers working in her district (even on her own block) is outrageous.

I remain hopeful that several local groups including the Sunset Park Alliance of Neighbors (SPAN), a local group I helped to found; the Chinese Staff and Workers Association (CSWA); and several local churches and community leaders will continue to challenge this rezoning at future hearings and forums. Collectively we will continue to lead the call for greater protection and responsible development for our neighbors. Not long ago, Councilperson Gonzalez stated to several of my supporters that I “mean to do her harm.” Nothing can be further from the truth. Despite the insinuation, my issues with Gonzalez have never been personal. Indeed as illustrated above, the harm is being done by Sara Gonzalez herself and the victims are the people of the 38 City Council District. For my part, and with no money from developers or those would seek to profit from our community at the expense of low-income families, I intend to become the next Council Member for the 38 District and fight for our right to live with dignity and respect in a truly affordable neighborhood.

The statement above was written in response to a March 4, 2009 article in the Brooklyn Eagle: Gonzalez Seeks Moratorium on New Buildings in Sunset Park.

DAVID GALARZA FOR A NEW DAY
P.O. BOX 200-004, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11220
(718) 512-8656 WWW.DAVIDGALARZA.COM

For those who would like to meet David Galarza, he is having an event Sat. Mar 7, 2009, at Tabla Rasa Gallery, 224 48th Street, Brooklyn, from 6 to 9 pm. Having met him I can say it is well worth your time showing up and meeting him.