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Editorial

December, 2007

Downtown scores again

Editorial: Are there problems with all this development going on Downtown? Of course. But on the balance, Downtown’s rebirth is far better off in the hands of the market than in those of the bureaucrats. Comments (1).

Doctoroff’s disaster

Editorial: We always knew that the Atlantic Yards project would afford us many occasions over the next 30 years to say, “We told you so.” But we just didn’t expect to get one so soon. Comment.

Big win on Duffield St.

Editorial: The city’s decision to spare a house on Duffield Street is a good one — but now the Bloomberg Administration must go one step further and ensure that a museum to Brooklyn’s Abolitionist past gets built. Comment.

Another backroom deal

Editorial: The Brooklyn Paper would love to be the loudest cheerleaders for Ratner’s City Tech tower, reportedly slated to be the tallest residential building in the city. But until public officials answer reasonable questions about this backroom deal, we will remain skeptical. Comments (1).

November, 2007

Hypocrisy in Coney

Editorial: Some elected officials have come out against the mayor’s plan for Coney Island. Where were they when the mayor was making the same mistake at Atlantic Yards? Comment.

End Barclays deal now

Editorial: The Brooklyn Paper once again calls on Bruce Ratner to sever his relationship with Barclays, which has now been found to be propping up the dictatorial regime of African strongman Robert Mugabe. Comments (1).

Bloomy to the rescue?

Editorial: The city’s plan to crush Joe Sitt’s plan for a Coney Island Xanadu raises a lot of questions. Comments (2).

Say no to Noach

Editorial: Voters must reject Noach Dear for Civil Court and choose his worthy opponent, the Republican James McCall. A Republican for judge? In Brooklyn?! Here’s why. Comment.

October, 2007

Big step forward for Downtown

Editorial: A plan for retail stores in the ground floor of the Municipal Building is a major step in the right direction towards revitalizing the entire area — a common-sense move long resisted by Metrotech builder Bruce Ratner. Comments (1).

Atlantic Yards case is strong

Editorial: A federal appeals court must reject Atlantic Yards unless it wants to defy the Supreme Court’s landmark Kelo ruling from just two years ago. Comments (2).

Park’s slippery slope

Editorial: More evidence of why the state condo, commercial and open space project commonly referred to as Brooklyn Bridge Park is not, in fact, a park. Comment.

September, 2007

Tell us what you think!

Editorial: The Brooklyn Paper has started inviting its readers to add their comments directly below the articles that appear on our Web site. Here are some ground rules. Comments (1).

Sad irony on Duffield

Editorial: Editorial: The city ceremonially co-named Duffield Street “Abolitionist Place” on Thursday. Forgive us if we didn’t celebrate. Comment.

Who needs an F express?

Editorial: Local politicians’ call for an F express train ignores one reality: An F express would not improve F-train service through Brownstone Brooklyn. Comments (2).

Brooklyn’s tourist trap

Editorial: Two new reports show that Brooklyn’s leaders need to do more to attract visitors and keep them here long enough to spend their money. Comment.

Keep asking the locals

Editorial: The mayor’s new tourism campaign — “Just ask the locals” — falls flat in Brooklyn, where tourists have been forced to beg for directions for years. Comment.

August, 2007

Marty’s varying views

Editorial: A single extra story — 10 feet! — drew the ire of Borough President Markowitz last week when the Beep recommended that the city deny a developer, Two Trees Management, a variance to build a little higher. Comment.

Arabic school missteps

Editorial: Our editorial take on the city’s ongoing inept handling of an Arabic language and culture school. Comment.

Why not Thor?

Editorial: What does the city have against Joe Sitt and his company, Thor Equities? Comments (1).

July, 2007

Marty’s blind spot

Editorial: Borough President Markowitz championed the MTA’s land giveaway to pal Bruce Ratner, yet now says MTA mismanagement is behind a proposed transit fare hike. Markowitz shares the blame Comment.

Throw out this bill

Editorial: The Paper opposes a bill that would criminalize the distribution of leaflets and circulars. Comment.

June, 2007

The Ratner Clause

Editorial: The latest Ratner sweetheart deal is the worst of them all. Comment.

Let Joe Sitt build

Editorial: The Paper urges the city to get out of the way and let the market dictate what developer Joe Sitt can build in Coney Island. Comment.

Fourth Avenue rising right

Editorial: Grabbing a beer on the new Fourth Avenue provides an object lesson in the difference between good development and bad development. Comment.

City wrong on vendors

Editorial: The city should reward the long service of the Red Hook food vendors, not put their spaces for bid on the open market. Comment.

Yards mess continues

Editorial: Editorial: Now Con Ed wants a 17-percent rate hike. State officials are shocked — shocked! We’re not. Comment.

May, 2007

The value of local voices

Atlantic Yards: Our editorial on the politically motivated purge of community board members by Borough President Markowitz. The board members dared question the Atlantic Yards mega-development of Markowitz buddy Bruce Ratner. Comment.

On board with bikes

Editorial: Two powerful editorials: one in favor of more bike lanes and another urging District Attorney Charles Hynes to arrest someone already! Comment.

Save the Duffield Seven!

Editorial: The Paper opposes a city plan to tear down seven houses linked to the Underground Railroad. Comment.

April, 2007

Good Bloomy, bad Bloomy

Editorial: The two faces of Mayor Bloomberg are again on display. One day, the mayor is one of the nation’s leading advocates of environmentally sound, community-sensitive, sensible development. The next day, he’s a backroom crony greasing the wheels for a developer who ignored the community. Comment.

Credit where due

Editorial: Former Borough President Howard Golden was honored for saving the borough on Monday night — but The Brooklyn Paper has a slightly different view of who deserves the credit. Comment.

Questions Ratner still hasn’t answered

Editorial: This week, Bruce Ratner finally responded to a question from The Brooklyn Paper — the first time in a year. So why does he ususually dodge? Because he doesn’t want you to know the truth. Comment.

March, 2007

Why people are mad

Editorial: The city needs to stop dumping plans on Brooklyn neighborhoods with no consultation or discussion. Comment.

The Ratner ripoff

Editorial: The Paper wants to know why the city is buying land for Bruce Ratner. Comment.

Bruce’s Yards built on lies

Editorial: This week brought yet more evidence that Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards mega-project is built on a foundation of deception. Comment.

City left with Yards mess

Editorial: Bruce Ratner has barely put a shovel in the ground at his Atlantic Yards mega-development and already the city’s Department of Transportation is putting Band-Aids on the machine gun wound that the project will cause in the heart of Brooklyn. But don’t blame DOT; blame the state planners who ignored traffic in the borough so Atlantic Yards would sail through the approval process. Comment.

February, 2007

Ratner doesn’t get it

Editorial: Bruce Ratner’s landscape architect told the truth this week — and his comments reveal a great deal about the developer’s lack of commitment to sane urban planning. Comment.

Why say no to Wal-Mart?

Editorial: The Paper supports a Wal-Mart — with some caveats, of course — on the Fulton Mall. Comments (2).

Editor’s note: Our Barclays coverage

Editorial: Barclays has requested a retraction from this newspaper (and others) for stories about the bank’s link to slavery and other dark moments in human history. We stand our ground. Comment.

Why they lie

Editorial: The truth is the first casualty of development in Brooklyn. Otherwise, how would today’s generation of Master Builders pick your pocket? Comment.

From the editor: Our Barclays coverage

Editorial: Barclays has requested a retraction from this newspaper (and others) for stories about the bank’s link to slavery and other dark moments in human history. Comment.

January, 2007

Call it Harriet Tubman Park

Editorial: Brooklyn missed a great opportunity when Bruce Ratner sold the naming rights to his Nets arena to a foreign bank with no connection to the borough. He should have named it Jackie Robinson Arena. With that damage done, The Paper is now calling on state officials to not make the same mistake at the so-called Brooklyn Bridge Park. It must be named “Harriet Tubman Park.” Comments (3).

‘Barclays’ has a bad ring

Editorial: Bruce Ratner has stabbed his black supporters in the back. Comment.

It’s still not a damn park!

Editorial: Opponent of the plan for the Brooklyn Heights waterfront played right into the state’s hands. Comment.

Roger Green, at long last, have you no sense of decency?

Editorial: The disgraced former Assemblyman — who once had to resign after being convicted of stealing state funds — hit a new low just before leaving office last month with a vendetta-filled move to block funding for an independent review of the massive Atlantic Yards project. Comment.

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