Atlantic Yards is the name of a massive development located at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues in downtown Brooklyn, NY. Proposed as a way of "revitalizing" a run-down area, the project would be built over the LIRR's rail yard as well as require the condemnation by eminent domain of a number of homes, apartment buildings, and businesses.

I oppose the current plan for Atlantic Yards, and as a result will vote against candidates who support the Atlantic Yards project in next week's primary.

I think that some aspects of the project are good. However the entire process has been one of railroading opposition, paying off local groups or creating fake "grassroots" groups to support the project.

If you believe the EIS, which was funded and developed by the developer, Forest City Ratner, Atlantic Yards will bring the densest concentration of urban development to an already dense, congested area of Brooklyn. The city and state are offering $500,000,000 of taxpayer money to help the project along, in addition to a sweetheart deal for the rail yards.

There is no legal requirement nor commitment for afforable housing, only a vague community benefits agreement which has no legal standing in court.

There is no commitment to beef up the public infrastructure to support the influx of people, cars, trucks, and refuse from the project.

It's a bad project, being rammed down the throats of Brooklynites. City, and New York State residents should poll their own candidates to see what their positions are on using $500 million of taxpayer funds to subsidize what's essentially a massive, private, real estate development in the heart of Brooklyn. I believe strongly in the use of market economics to justify development. If the local real estate market truly supports this development then it should not require such a massive subsidy of taxpayer monies.

I've prepared the following tables of candidate's positions on Atlantic Yards based on the "Atlantic Yards" Voter Guide:

Candidates opposed to Atlantic Yards

Office	Name	Supports Atlantic Yards?
57th A.D.	Bill Batson	No
18th S.D.	Velmanette Montgomery	No
25th S.D.	Ken Diamondstone	No
10th C.D.	Charles Barron	No
11th C.D.	Chris Owens	No
NY Governor	Tom Suozzi	No
NY Attorney General	Sean Patrick Maloney	No

Brooklyn candidates' positions on Atlantic Yards

Office	Name	Supports Atlantic Yards?
57th A.D.	Bill Batson	No
57th A.D.	Hakeem Jeffries	Yes
57th A.D.	Freddie Hamilton	Yes
18th S.D.	Velmanette Montgomery	No
18th S.D.	Tracy Boyland	Yes
25th S.D.	Ken Diamondstone	No
25th S.D.	Martin Connor	Yes
10th C.D.	Charles Barron	No
10th C.D.	Ed Towns	Yes
10th C.D.	Roger Green	Yes
11th C.D.	Chris Owens	No
11th C.D.	David Yassky	Yes
11th C.D.	Carl Andrews	Yes
11th C.D.	Yvette Clarke	Yes
NY Governor	Tom Suozzi	No
NY Governor	Eliot Spitzer	Yes
NY Attorney General	Sean Patrick Maloney	No
NY Attorney General	Andrew Cuomo	Yes
NY Attorney General	Mark Green	Yes
NY Attorney General	Charlie King (withdrew)	Yes

This guide is also available as a separate file here: http://epcostello.net/library/ayvote.html.