Yetta Kurland, Candidate for City Council, Steps In on Two Village Sites
New York, NY. September 13, 2009. Yetta Kurland, candidate for City Council in the Third District, has supported the nomination of Westbeth, a West Village residential complex for artists, for listing on the State and National Register of Historic Places.
She has also demanded that New York University stop actions that are destroying the iconic theatre, the Provincetown Playhouse, in which many of the plays of Eugene O'Neill were first performed.
"It is essential that community leaders step in to preserve the historic integrity of our heritage," Kurland said. "Both Westbeth and the Provincetown Playhouse deserve support from this community."
Yetta Kurland wrote to endorse the nomination of Westbeth to the Register of Historic Places by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. "The investment made in Westbeth has paid dividends many times over in terms of supporting the arts here in the arts capital of the world," she wrote.
Kurland wrote to NYU President John Sexton that she was concerned the university had gone back on its word in starting to destroy the Provincetown Playhouse. She asked President Sexton "to stop any and all destruction of the theatre, and to restore those areas that have been damaged."
Yetta Kurland has pledged to consult with community residents on all development projects to make sure that their concerns are accommodated by all developers.
New York, NY. Tuesday, September 6, 2009. Yetta Kurland, whose opponent is Christine Quinn in the hotly contested City Council race in the 3rd District, expressed outrage at Quinn's refusal to show up to four consecutive debates on central issues to the community.
"These debates highlighted key issues in the District, and issues Quinn has staked her re-election bid on claiming leadership in. Yet she is totally absent when it comes time for the community to ask her hard questions on what has really happened under her tenure as City Council representative for the 3rd District, and when its time to tell the community where she stands on education, LGBT youth, good government and historic preservation. How dare she claim to be a leader in these issues when she won't even show up to talk face to face with the people in our district about these issues?"
One of the forums Quinn ducked on was held last week at FIERCE, an LGBT youth advocacy organization. Kurland stated at the forum "I am saddened that [Quinn] is not here, LGBTQ youth have been ignored for too long. And you deserve to have all three of the candidates here tonight... We need our elected officials listening better."
Quinn was also AWOL at a televised debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters earlier this week.
"The League of Women Voters is perhaps one of the most important forces working for good government and fair elections in this City. It is unthinkable to me that she would refuse to attend especially given recent concerns around the extension of term limits."
Quinn, who is running against Kurland because she extended her own term limits so she could run for a third term has been sharply criticized by many for this maneuver, with claims of undermining the democratic process in City government because of her too-close relationship with Republican Mayor Bloomberg.
Today Quinn will be missing in action again at a debate on historic preservation sponsored by Historic Districts Council & The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation. This is especially shocking given the fact that Quinn has claimed that neighborhood preservation is "the most important issue" to her in the City Council race, making numerous claims about her commitment on this issue including "stopping irresponsible development" and "expanding affordable housing".
"Anyone can claim they want to stop irresponsible development and expand affordable housing, but Quinn's absence in the only opportunity to debate these important issues speaks volumes. The simple fact is that under Quinn's leadership we have lost more affordable housing then ever before. Perhaps she does not want to come to this debate because she will be asked how it is possible that she supports the current proposed Hudson Yard development plan that offers not a single unit of onsite permanent affordable housing."
Most recently Quinn is now refusing to attend a debate on education sponsored by Public School Parents Advocacy Committee and Class Size Matters.
"It is unthinkable that my opponent would refuse to show up to talk with parents and educators about the crisis in our education system just days after she sent out a mailing extolling her leadership in education and claiming that she "is always there for our kids".
In fact the only debate Quinn agreed to attend was a forum organized by the Villager and Gay City News two papers who endorsed Quinn and who held a tightly guarded debate format in which much press and many community members were unable to attend.
"We in the 3rd District have a right to representation, too." Kurland said. "This backing out of local debates is typical of Quinn's attitude toward the residents here. We just don't count in her eyes. She had something more important to do. She is better than us.
"The people of this district are crying out for a voice to articulate their concerns and to deal with them. Political leaders must - absolutely must - communicate with the people, so that they draw upon the people's wisdom and strength. I am doing that in this campaign.
"In quitting on communicating with the people, Quinn is, in effect, quitting her job," Kurland said. "I am ready to take her place."
New York, NY. September 3, 2009. Yetta Kurland, who is now being acknowledged as having a real chance of winning the City Council race in the 3rd District, is encouraged by a snap poll conducted by NY1 and aired last night showing that only 24% of the respondents said her opponent Christine Quinn should be re-elected, and an overwhelming 76% said she should not be re-elected to City Council.
"It is more than a significant spread" stated Kurland. "At the same time people have already made clear that they want their elected officials to serve for two terms and only two terms. I believe they will make this clear for a 3rd time at the Democratic Primary on Tuesday, September 15th.
Yetta Kurland is running against Christine Quinn, who many say is having serious difficulties getting support for her bid for re-election due to her decision to extend term limits against voter will, her too-close relationship with Republican Mayor Bloomberg and the slush fund scandal which she is still under federal investigation for.
"We have not been polling, we have been talking to the people of the 3rd district, and what they are telling us is that they want change. They want someone who can stand up for them in City Hall to stop overdevelopment and be a voice for our community. I will be that person."
Kurland is running on a platform of restoring the voice of our community and has received dozens of endorsements from community leaders, democratic clubs, good government groups and local organizations.
John Phillips, Executive Director of the New York League of Humane Voters, the State's largest and most influential lobby for animal welfare, said "the 52% gap in this poll is greater than any margin of error that could exist. It's clear the people think two terms is more than enough and that Christine Quinn has got to go."
I want to share with you a small victory in noise control in our neighborhoods.
Thanks to the hard work of many community members , we have, for the time being, convinced the tour buses that run along Greenwich Avenue to reduce the sound level of their loudspeakers.
I am delighted to share this news with you because I believe that it is possible to promote tourism in the city without compromising the quiet enjoyment of our neighborhoods.
To that end, we still have lots of work to do throughout the District with regard to both noise pollution and air pollution caused by traffic.
New York, NY. August 23, 2009. Yetta Kurland, candidate for City Council in the 3rd District, is leading a dog walk today with her two adopted Italian Greyhounds, Sal and Luca, along with members of the community to dog runs in their district. They will be handing out dog bandanas and talking about animal welfare issues with voters. Kurland, an animal lover who has been endorsed by the New York League of Humane Voters, is calling attention to the shortage of dog runs in her community and to the need for animal welfare legislation to be passed in the Council while she celebrates her dogs' birthday.
"There is legislation that would pass in the Council that would enrich the lives of animal lovers and would protect animals, but unfortunately the Speaker has not let those pieces of legislation out onto the floor for a vote. When I am the next City Councilmember, I will get that legislation passed, " Kurland said.
"In addition, we need more dog runs and dog runs that reflect the needs and input of our community. I know I have Sal and Luca's support on this, but we need the support of our elected officials as well."
The Dog Crawl begins at 12pm on August 23 at the dog run in Washington Square Park and will visit two other dog runs on Leroy Street and 23rd Street.
New York, NY. August 16, 2009. Below is a clip from the debate last Thursday at NYU for the 3rd City Council District in which Yetta Kurland running to unseat Christine Quinn outlined her vision for the 3rd District.
"Its time for change in City government" said Yetta Kurland. In the debate last Thursday, Yetta contrasted her vision for the 3rd District with the record of Chritine Quinn on the issues of term limits, affordable housing, education, the hudson square development and civil rights.
"The erosion of our civil liberties is central issue to why I'm running" stated Kurland who pledged to repeal the current administration's decision curtailing First Ammendment Rights of New Yokers to peacefully assemble.
On the issues of development Kurland summarized that "Development should not be something that diplaces our community it should be something that enriches our community, it should create schools and libraries, and I will make sure that happens."
"We cannot allow our current elected officials to Shepard through more luxury development that destroys our community"
Yetta Kurland, running to be the next City Council Member from the 3rd District, is taking a stand against putting three towers of luxury condominiums between 44th and 45th Streets, West of 10th Avenue.
"This proposed development goes against everything the Mayor and our Council Members have said about being sensitive to community concerns."
These development efforts are connected to the Hudson Rail Yard development that is actively being supported by current sitting Council Member, Christine Quinn.
"Didn't we learn from the crisis in school overcrowding earlier this year? These luxury high rises will eclipse and overwhelm PS 51 nearby. The school operated last year at overcapacity. Plans for a new school do not address the problems that will come with thousands of families in the proposed development let alone resolve the current crisis with overcrowding.
"Nor does the proposed development contemplate the effect it will have on automobile traffic in the area, already a nightmare, not to mention the small businesses that will be forced to shut down.
"Our elected officials are not listening to the people of the community. They are listening to the developers.
"My opponent went out of her way to speak in support of plans to develop high-rise luxury condominiums in the Hudson Rail Yards at the past Community Board 4 hearing even though there will be no permanent affordable housing whatsoever on site. She also refuses to take a stand to stop the overdevelopment proposed around PS51" Ms. Kurland said.
"Meanwhile, there are fewer affordable housing units than ever before in the area, and more homeless families. It is ironic that Council Speaker Quinn is advancing new luxury condominium development at a time when they are also advancing a bail-out plan to rescue developers called HARP which takes tax payers money and gives them to developers.
Christine Quinn, New York City Council Speaker, faces tough competition from challengers Yetta Kurland and Maria Passannante-Derr. Kurland, an openly gay civil rights attorney, has received substantial support from the LGBT community. Quinn, also openly gay, seems to have alienated a large section of the LGBT community. Several major endorsements from the gay community have gone to Kurland over Quinn. Passannante-Derr, an attorney, also chairs Community Board #2 and comes from a family with deep political ties to the area.
When we started this campaign a year and a half ago, we did so with the belief that our community needed to be better represented in local government. Today more than ever, it is clear that the people of the 3rd District want change and want a City Council representative who will be their voice in City Hall.
As your next City Councilmember, I will be that voice for you.
I would like to personally invite you to my first debate with the candidates for District 3 City Council. At the debate, I hope to bring your voice to the discussion of the key issues facing our community and I would love for you to be a part of this dialogue as well.
Please Save The Date:
COMMUNITY MEDIA'S CANDIDATES DEBATE
City Council District 3, Democratic Primary
Thursday, August 13th, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
New York University
19 West Fourth Street
(Between Mercer Street and Greene Street)
Room 101
*Please bring your photo ID to get into the building*
Doors Open at 6:30pm - Arrive early to ensure you get a seat.
