"A hit and an error" Daily Freeman 5/29/7

While neighborhood residents are enthusiastic about the construction of a new MetroNorth station at Yankee Stadium, keep in mind we are also financing garages for thousands of cars in addition to the station. Your tax dollars at work!

This comes from the "Couldn't Have Said It Better Ourselves" Department:

"Now, there is a $91 million plan to build a train station. And the Yankees, who famously paid $40 million for a mediocre pitcher named Carl Pavano, will not pay a penny of it. Nope, not one penny. Instead, taxpayers will cough up the loot through the MTA and New York City.

"Meanwhile, politicians in Albany have been wrestling with how to comply with a court order to properly fund New York City schools.

"In historical context, if you will, it all puts into pretty good focus both the inertness and priorities of modern government and the lack of commitment of the Yankees to the fundamentals of their fan base.

"Finally, it is interesting that the new commitment of government to provide mass transit to professional baseball comes as ticket prices surge into the stratosphere. In other words, government is now using tax money to pay for mass transit to accommodate people who have no problem with paying, oh, $250 to buy lousy seats for a family of four to see the Bombers play the hapless Kansas City Royals.

"And what will ticket prices be when the Yankees take occupancy of the new stadium in 2009?

"So, at last you'll be able to get there from here. But won't it be the ultimate irony if, after all of those years of inconvenience when you could have afforded a game, you now won't have the dough to take the last few steps through a turnstile? Instead, the government will have used your tax money to make it more convenient for those who do have the money.

"All aboard?"

Click the title above to read the entire article.

Growing subsidy for Yankee Stadium

Patrick Arden in Metro NY reports:

"The city’s contribution to the new Yankee Stadium has been growing. According to a City Council report released last week, the mayor’s capital plan now includes $236.7 million to cover parks replacement and other “ancillary” costs, $76.2 million more than last year’s capital budget."

Click the title above to read the article at Metro's site.

"Yankee stadium station gets Metro-North nod" Crain's 5/21/7

"Plans to build a new Metro-North station at the new Yankee stadium crossed the final hurdle after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Metro-North Railroad committee inked a definitive deal with the city.

"Under the agreement, the MTA will foot $52 million of the $91 million project. The city will contribute the remaining $39 million for the new station, which is expected to handle up to 10,000 people during Yankee home games."

Click the title above to read the entire article at Crain's. Under the circumstances it is increasingly less clear why those garages should be built. If you can think of one valid reason NYC taxpayers should subsidize parking for out-of-town ball fans, by all means leave it in the comments!

Ms. Albertha Hunter has passed away

On behalf of Save Our Parks, the Board of Directors, and its membership, we are saddened to announce the untimely death of Ms. Albertha Hunter. Ms. Hunter passed away on Tuesday morning, May 1, 2007, at the Burn Unit located in Jacobi Hospital. On April 29th, Sunday evening past, an electrical fire broke out in her 1005 Jerome Avenue Apartment, where she was overcome by the intensity of the fire and smoke inhalation.

As an energetic community activist, Ms. Hunter, who was 85-years-young, has left behind numerous family members and a plethora of community admirers as well. In May 2006, Ms. Hunter was elected to the Board of Directors of Save Our Parks, where she served with distinction, honor, and integrity until her untimely death.

Further details about Ms. Hunter's funeral arrangements will come forth as soon as her family is ready to make an announcement; inclusively, donations will also be kindly accepted and forwarded to Ms. Hunter's family under the proper conditions.

At this juncture, I want to offer my personal condolence on this most tragic loss both to her family and to our community. Albertha, who is in a better place with the Lord and angels, was a person that I truly admired and respected. Alberta will be sadly missed, always loved, but never forgotten.

Sincerely yours,
Michael Levy Trotter, President / Save Our Parks