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Letters, Week of Dec. 6, 2012

Letters to The Editor, Week of Jan. 3, 2018

We need this NID — now!

 To The Editor:
Re “Park needs a NID to close cash gap, advocates assert” (news article, Nov. 29):

As a residential property owner in the Village, a member of Community Board 2 and a lifelong resident of the Village, I fully support the creation of the Hudson River Park Neighborhood Improvement District. At a time when the community is severely deficient in the amount of open space available for residents and park users, the Hudson River Park is a quality-of-life necessity for Village residents.

Further, among the NID’s proposals, improving pedestrian safety will make crossing Route 9A safer for all of us and connect our neighborhood with the park.

While some may argue that protecting the park should be a government responsibility, the park is neither a city nor state park per se, but rather, is operated by a joint state-city authority. Moreover, with government budgets for parks decreasing yearly, it is clear that the city or state budgets will not suddenly allocate monies to the Hudson River Park. It is for this reason we need to act now!

The establishment of a NID is an example where a public-private partnership can be extremely effective and can supplement the shortfalls of government.

We need this NID and we need it now, before park maintenance declines and we see this treasure fall into disrepair.

While I am in favor of the NID as one component to abate the shortfall in the park’s maintenance budget, I strongly oppose any residential development in the park.
Maria Passannante-Derr
Derr is a steering committee member, Hudson River Park Neighborhood Improvement District

NID will be good all around

To The Editor:
Re “Park needs a NID to close cash gap, advocates assert” (news article, Nov. 29):

Thank you for your fair article on the Hudson River Park Neighborhood Improvement District. I own two commercial properties in the West Village within the proposed district’s boundaries and I fully support the proposal. This reasonable assessment is an investment in my property and our neighborhood; I encourage all property owners to support this proposal.

Hudson River Park is an essential and beloved part of the West Side of Manhattan. Protecting the park is necessary and working on ways to better connect the park with the neighborhood is a benefit to all. Improvement districts have had great success throughout New York City — helping communities address their most important needs. This NID would be a great advocate for our neighborhood residents and businesses alike.

I also have the pleasure of serving as a Chinatown Business Improvement District member. As such, I am a firsthand witness as to how a BID (or NID) benefits and assists the needs of both residents and store owners.

Again, I want to express my full support for the Hudson River Park Neighborhood Improvement District because I think it is a right solution for the current financial challenges facing the park and a needed resource for the West Side of Manhattan.
John Pasquale

Make NID tax retroactive

To The Editor:
Re “Park needs a NID to close cash gap, advocates assert” (news article, Nov. 29):

Even Ms. Wils has been candid about the lack of contribution from property owners and developers, whose increased value has resulted in zero contribution to the park up to this point. Any agreement to found a NID should not simply pass along the cost to property owners and commercial tenants from its infancy. It should include retroactive billing — in a tax-like lump sum commensurate with that increased value — of developers who have gorged on value brought by this park yet offered nothing tangible in return. This would be a fair, endowment-like amount, on top and before the yearly assessments, to really get this process started. Anything short of this should be opposed as an incomplete and unfair plan.
Patrick Shields

Vital info, moving photos

To The Editor:
I wanted to write to “my” community paper and thank you for all the information and news, which is of great help, especially at this time, the aftermath of Sandy and in the Village and Soho: information on where to go for help, which stores are open and available, sales, etc. Thank you.

I also want to thank you for the extra present, the moving photo in your Nov. 15 issue of the two mayors, including our own Ed Koch, along with Congressmember Rangel, riding together at the Veterans Day Parade. And the photo above them is of the original American, the real Native American, the Navajo Code Talker, who transmitted vital messages during World War II and saved so many lives.

You made my day once again. It was really a beautiful Thanksgiving for me.
Lorraine Colville

E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to lincoln@thevillager.com or fax to 212-229-2790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 515 Canal St., Suite 1C, NY, NY 10013. Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. The Villager does not publish anonymous letters.