I asked Brad Lander, who
is running for City Council in the 39th district, some questions in an
email about what he considered highlights and low points of the
campaign. I asked him about lessons learned. I also asked Lander: For many readers who are trying to decide between you and Josh: can you articulate the true difference between the two of you?
I promise a reflective email on Wednesday about the highs, lows,
and lessons. Sorry I can't do it now, but I'm afraid I still have many
things to do tonight, and am not yet ready to start looking back.
and lessons. Sorry I can't do it now, but I'm afraid I still have many
things to do tonight, and am not yet ready to start looking back.
As for the differences between Josh and me: I think it really boils down to what we've each been doing the past 15 years.
I've
spent that entire time working every day to make a difference in our
community and around the city. When you walk down Fifth Avenue, or
President Street, or Union Street, or 13th Street, or Smith Street, or
4th Place, you're often walking past once-abandoned buildings that I
helped renovate into mixed-income housing and locally-owned businesses.
Through my decade as director of the Fifth Avenue Committee, we helped
literally thousands of people find and keep affordable housing and good
jobs. In my six years at the Pratt Center, we won significant changes
to zoning, tax, and transportation policies to preserve livable
neighborhoods and create a more sustainable city. Through my volunteer
work as a member of Community Board 6, and with BrooklynPTA.org, I've helped move forward responsible contractor policies and raised money for our neighborhood public schools.
spent that entire time working every day to make a difference in our
community and around the city. When you walk down Fifth Avenue, or
President Street, or Union Street, or 13th Street, or Smith Street, or
4th Place, you're often walking past once-abandoned buildings that I
helped renovate into mixed-income housing and locally-owned businesses.
Through my decade as director of the Fifth Avenue Committee, we helped
literally thousands of people find and keep affordable housing and good
jobs. In my six years at the Pratt Center, we won significant changes
to zoning, tax, and transportation policies to preserve livable
neighborhoods and create a more sustainable city. Through my volunteer
work as a member of Community Board 6, and with BrooklynPTA.org, I've helped move forward responsible contractor policies and raised money for our neighborhood public schools.
Josh is a nice guy, with some good ideas. We've
got the same basic position on almost every issue. We both oppose
Atlantic Yards and corruption in government; support the Superfund, the
downzoning of Carroll Gardens, marriage equality, congestion pricing
and better transit; and want to see less testing and smaller class
size.
got the same basic position on almost every issue. We both oppose
Atlantic Yards and corruption in government; support the Superfund, the
downzoning of Carroll Gardens, marriage equality, congestion pricing
and better transit; and want to see less testing and smaller class
size.
But only one of us has a track record of bringing
people together to get real things done. Josh has been active with a
political club, has worked on some electoral campaigns, and is a
composer and IT director. I've got a nearly two-decade-long record of
results on issues that matter in our community — preserving
neighborhood quality-of-life, renovating abandoned buildings, creating
and saving affordable housing, helping people find good jobs, and
supporting small businesses.
people together to get real things done. Josh has been active with a
political club, has worked on some electoral campaigns, and is a
composer and IT director. I've got a nearly two-decade-long record of
results on issues that matter in our community — preserving
neighborhood quality-of-life, renovating abandoned buildings, creating
and saving affordable housing, helping people find good jobs, and
supporting small businesses.
Of course, its not the past that matters, its the
future. I promise to work even harder in the City Council than I did
at Fifth Avenue Committee or the Pratt Center, so you can count on even
better results.
future. I promise to work even harder in the City Council than I did
at Fifth Avenue Committee or the Pratt Center, so you can count on even
better results.
Question for the blog: Any idea if Prospect Park’s annual Turkey Trot is on for this Thanksgiving morning??? I can’t find anything about it for 2009, so I look to you…Thanks Brooklyn savvy neighbor!