GOWANUS — The Voice of Gowanus, an advocacy group for local residents, has expressed anger at NY Governor Hochul for statements she made at a press conference on Tuesday, July 18 while visiting the neighborhood. According to a newsletter that VOG distributed on July 20, Hochul announced plans to “reconstitute a contrived version of the failed 421a tax exemption, a NY State developer-funding program that was supposed to bring affordable housing into NYC but did the opposite.” VOG pointed out in its newsletter that, although the state legislature pulled its support for the legislature, Gov. Hochul plans to implement it through executive order.
Voice of Gowanus is also protesting the Governor’s perceived indifference toward the need for environmental cleanups, as expressed in a recent letter-writing campaign. Quoting Hochul’s recorded remarks (on YouTube) “I’m asking the DEC and Department of State to just, can you streamline a little bit? Do we have to really be the toughest state for doing all this? It’s not necessary,” VOG countered that the environmental laws are meant to protect all New Yorkers.
