New York State Independent Redistricting Commission

Noriyuki
February 13, 2023
To Whom It May Concern: My name is Noriyuki Matsuura. I live in Greenpoint Brooklyn. Today, I am sending you this comment to express my deep concern for our Greenpoint community being split in half per the new assembly plan proposed by NYS. I live on the boarder line of the cut off line where NYS's assembly plan is splitting our Greenpoint community in half. I live on the East side of the line which is to be put together with some parts of Queens according to the new assembly plan and it really concerns me. It really does not make any sense for our community to be cut in half like that and be put together with some areas of Queens which are very different from our Greenpoint and Brooklyn community. Queens and Greenpoint Brooklyn have distinctive characteristics when it comes to cultures and lifestyles people of each community choose; therefore, I don't feel my voice will be heard if my area which is on the East side of the cut off line in Greenpoint to be combined with parts of Queens. Please seriously reconsider this assembly plan as it does not make sense for Greenpoint residents. Our culture is similar to that of Williamsburg, so please keep us together with the rest of Greenpoint and other Brooklyn neighborhoods like Williamsburg. Thank you, Noriyuki Matsuura

Miranda
February 12, 2023
I am writing in opposition to the Draft Assembly Plan which removes a portion of the the 52nd assembly district and places it in the 44th assembly district. I am a resident of Carroll Gardens/Gowanus which is a part of the 52nd Assembly District. For many years the adjoining neighborhoods of Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, and Boerum Hill (sometimes referred to as BoCoCa) have been part of the 52nd assembly district. These neighborhoods are long established communities of interest sharing the vibrant walkable commercial corridors of Smith and Court Streets, bus routes, parks schools, a police precinct, a library, medical facilities, etc. Carroll Gardens contains a very small historic district and this proposed plan cuts off the north side of President Street between Smith and Hoyt Streets and places it in another assembly district. A landmarked historic district is certainly a community of interest that should remain intact and in one district. The close knit neighborhoods of Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens neighborhoods are communities of interest and should remain intact. Significantly, the 52nd assembly district contains the entirety of the northern portion of the Gowanus Canal Superfund site corridor. Almost every lot along the canal has been designated a brownfield under NY State, and the area is also in a FEMA flood zone. Three former manufactured gas plants in the area are significant sources of contamination to the land and to the Canal as well. Given the environmental and technical complexities of the Gowanus Canal corridor, it should be in one district as it has been for decades.

Theresa
February 12, 2023
This plan is horrendous! I would attend the meeting on the 15th however, I am a morning the passing of 49 yrs. My husband Frank passed away January 22! You cannot let this happen. It does not make sense to do this and play into the hands of special interest. We will protest this as much as possible. Sincerely, Theresa Noll, home, owner, 119 Vanderbilt St. between McDonald and east 2nd Street!

Reem
February 12, 2023
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Melissa
February 12, 2023
To Whom it May Concern, I am unable to attend the public hearing this week due to work, family, and health considerations, but I am reaching out to express my dismay with the proposed redistricting. My family and I were upset to see the proposed redistricting of our neighborhood. We live on McDonald Ave between Greenwood and Vanderbilt in Kensington-Windsor Terrace and see that the Commission is proposing to cut off the 44th AD using the Prospect Expressway as a dividing line. Anyone who has spent any time at all in our area would understand that this simply doesn't make sense! The area West of the Expressway is very much part of the area to the East-- our children attend schools together on both sides of the Expressway; we worship at churches, synagogues and mosques together; we cross this border regularly to shop, dine, visit. Our closest subway stop, the Ft. Hamilton F/G, has exits on either side of the Expressway, so this redistricting would split that single subway station in half!! In short, in every sense of the word, this area is a united neighborhood and we share the same concerns and issues. The 51st AD, a vibrant district located to the West containing Sunset Park and Red Hook, is on the other side of Green-Wood Cemetery and is very much a distinct neighborhood from ours. The Cemetery creates a very real boundary of hundreds of acres-- one that can not be easily crossed. (It is quite literally closed to the public after dark.) We in our neighborhood fear that if we were redistricted into the 51st AD, our tiny sliver of a neighborhood would be an afterthought. I am respectfully asking the Commission to restore Green-Wood Cemetery along 20th Street to be the Western border of the 44th AD, not the Prospect Expressway as in the draft plan, and Green-Wood Cemetery along McDonald Avenue and Fort Hamilton Parkway out to 39th Street as the Northern boundary between the 44th and 51st ADs. This is a shift of only a few blocks but makes complete sense geographically. Without this change the portions of Kensington and Windsor Terrace cut out of the 44th AD will be a small afterthought in the 51st AD divided from that district by the hundreds of acres of Green-Wood Cemetery. I hope that the Commission will consider visiting our sliver of a neighborhood. I know you will quickly understand that this proposed new map needs to be adjusted. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Melissa Weinberg

Reena
February 12, 2023
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Jill
February 12, 2023
I live in Ghent, New York. Looking at the proposed 107AD I can see why the committee had difficulties creating this district. It is sprawling and has areas that do not share similar challenges and interests. Ghent is an integral part of Columbia County (I am a member of Zero Waste Columbia, the Ghent Climate Smart Communities Task Force, a founding member of Columbia County Reduces Waste (BYO) and other Columbia County groups. It is important that Columbia County be kept within the same AD. Ghent residents support our much cherished cultural institutions (Olana, Hudson Opera House, PS 21, Art Omi, the Basilica), care about maintaining the agricultural character of the land and are part of the Columbia County Land Conservancy. We need to be represented by a member of the Assembly who knows and appreciates our many strengths and challenges. Please keep Columbia County whole. Thank you. Dr. Jill Berman

joan
February 12, 2023
The goal of redistricting should not be defined by equality of the numbers or 'sensibly' shaped districts. The goal should be to keep together communities of interest: i.e., cities, towns, villages, school districts. All too often, these communities of interest are shattered into pieces for the sake of mathematical or geometric purity, in effect, leaving the residents of these communities without representation.

Maya
February 12, 2023
I am writing about the proposed redistricting for Assembly District 44. There are a number of issues with the map, but the biggest for the 44th Assembly District is that the commission cuts Windsor Terrace into two Assembly Districts, by making the Prospect Expressway the dividing line, rather than the natural boundary of Green-Wood Cemetery. Additionally, the commission draws a dividing line at Dahill Road instead of Fort Hamilton Parkway, cutting out several blocks in Kensington which have been in the 44th AD for decades. It does not make sense to cut Windsor Terrace district at the expressway rather than at the cemetery. The commission should restore Green-Wood Cemetery along 20th Street to be the western border of the 44th AD, not the Prospect Expressway as in the draft plan, and Green-Wood Cemetery along McDonald Avenue and Fort Hamilton Parkway out to 39th Street as the Northern boundary between the 44th and 51st ADs. This is a shift of only a few blocks but makes complete sense geographically. Without this change the portions of Kensington and Windsor Terrace cut out of the 44th AD will be a small after thought in the 51st AD divided from that district by the hundreds of acres of Green-Wood Cemetery. The 51st AD contains most of the thriving neighborhood of Sunset Park and Red Hook and those neighborhoods historically dominate that district. The inevitable result of the draft plan is that the few blocks of Windsor Terrace and Kensington attached to the vast bulk of Sunset Park and Red Hook will be underserved.

Suzannah
February 12, 2023
Please do not slice off parts of Kensington and Windsor Terrace. The new districting lines put one part of Brooklyn - a part on the KWT side of Green-Wood cemetery into the neighborhoods on the other side of this cemetery. For years, Green-Wood cemetery has been a dividing line between the neighborhoods and despite the Prospect Expressway, the neighborhood of WT has been cohesive and a united community. Making the Prospect Expwy the dividing line demonstrates a lack of understanding of the historic and communal feel of this neighborhood and asks the western part of KWT to be included with Sunset Park, a geographically and historically distinct community. The needs and perspectives of this section of KWT will be lost in the different needs of Sunset Park. Please do not make the expressway the dividing line.

Therresa
February 12, 2023
I am firmly opposed to splitting Greenpoint into two districts of Queens and Brooklyn. Our neighborhood is a community that shouldn’t be broken up for anyone’s political gain. Keep Greenpoint whole! - Therresa

Jorge
February 12, 2023
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I don't want Greenpoint split into two districts with my side being grouped with neighborhoods outside of Brooklyn. Jorge

Nat
February 12, 2023
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Caroline
February 12, 2023
I am opposed to the IRC (Independent Redistricting Commission) in their proposed draft plan cut Windsor Terrace in half and put them in the 51st AD for many reasons involving the way it will make it harder for community organizations to advocate for themselves, including PS 230, which does a lot of good in this neighborhood for many families.

Randy
February 12, 2023
Dear Members of the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission, I am writing to express my deep concerns about the proposed decision to split Greenpoint's current Assembly District 50 and allocate half of it to Assembly District 38, which is entirely based in Queens. This move would significantly disadvantage Greenpoint residents by diluting our political power and lumping us in with a district that has its own priorities and needs. In addition to the dilution of political power, I would also like to raise the issue of accessibility to our representative's office. If half of Greenpoint is allocated to a Queens-based district, it will become increasingly difficult for our community to effectively communicate with and access our representative. This could result in our concerns and needs not being adequately addressed, which would have a negative impact on our quality of life. Greenpoint has its own unique issues and needs that cannot be addressed if we are divided and spread across multiple districts. Our community has been working hard to build a transparent and unified neighborhood where residents feel like they have a voice in local government. The proposed redistricting decision would undermine all of our efforts and leave us feeling neutered and silenced. As a 12 year resident of Greenpoint, I urge you to reconsider the proposed decision and keep Greenpoint whole within Assembly District 50. Our community deserves to be heard and represented effectively, and we should not be penalized for the sake of redistricting. Keep Greenpoint Whole. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Randy Liu

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