Council In Ground Zero Power Grab
January 25, 2003
By Stephanie Gaskell
January 25, 2003 -- City Hall and the City
Council should have more say in the development at Ground Zero,
council members said yesterday.
The plea for more input came after The Post
reported a "steering committee" had been chosen to select an
architect and site plan for the World Trade Center site - with
only one city representative.
Members of the council's Lower Manhattan
Redevelopment Committee asked the council's lawyers to find out
what jurisdiction it has over rebuilding - in the hope of a
larger role.
Five of the steering committee's members were
appointed by Gov. Pataki and two by the Port Authority. But City
Hall controls just one seat - held by Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff.
"Our lawyers should look into this," said
committee chairman Alan Gerson, a Democrat representing lower
Manhattan.
"It's wrong," Councilwoman Margarita Lopez
(D-Manhattan) said of the steering panel. "It's time for someone
to answer this question: Where is the local government
participation in the process?"
Alex Garvin, vice president of the Lower Manhattan
Development Corp., told the council its voice is being heard.
"That's why we are here today," said Garvin.
Other redevelopment officials have defended the
makeup of the steering committee, saying it will decide matters
by consensus and will not actually put issues to a vote.
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