Williamsburg is Dead

The Lukewarm Seat: City Council Candidate Evan Thies

Evan Thies. Photo by Agaton Strom.

Evan Thies is running for  City Council in Brooklyn's 33rd District, which is basically a gentrification stew consisting of Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Park Slope, DUMBO, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights and Boerum Hill. We talked to the 29-year-old Williamsburg resident and former senior adviser to current council member David Yassky about responsible development, the particular challenges of setting policy for Williamsburg, and working in Hillary Clinton's office.

For those who don't know, what exactly does a city council member do?
The City Council is fundamentally a check to the mayor, and has power to pass laws, amend and pass City budgets, change property tax rates, and control land use in the five boroughs.  Unfortunately, I believe that the Council has ceded much of this power to the mayor, and does not currently do a sufficient job of raising public debate by taking opposing positions to the mayor, and fighting more often for significant changes to the way this City operates.  A stronger Council willing to take on big fights--whether by opposing re-zonings that are bad for our neighborhoods, by halting tax giveaways, or simply by better debating the details of our $60 billion budget--would mean a stronger New York.

What are the challenges in shaping policies for a neighborhood as young and transient as Williamsburg?
The biggest challenge is getting people involved in the political and government processes.  Although more and more people are staying and making a home for their families in Williamsburg, there are still many residents --especially young adults right out of college, in graduate school, or who have just moved here from somewhere else--who aren't yet putting down roots.  We have to make the case to these folks that local government affects their lives every day, and that their only way to make positive change is to get involved.

McCain's Last Stand: Williamsburg Spots to Watch the Debate

Aside from the usual suspects who will be showing the debate tonight (Matchless, Cornichon, Hope Lounge, Pete's Candy Store, Black Rabbit), Soundfix (110 Bedford Ave) is adding a little zazz to its election night festivities by adding drinking games and post-debate antics from crazy old man psuedo-candidate Sparrow. I recommend watching tonight, just in case McCain--now backed into a corner--does something especially desperate or mavericky.

Barack Rock Benefit - Indie Rock We Can Believe In

The Barack Rock Benefit is tonight at 7:30 the Music Hall of Williamsburg. 40$

Nobody to watch the debates with? Then perhaps you'll accept the company of Andrew Bird, the Fiery Furnaces and Eugene Mirman whilst you watch Obama town hall it up with cranky old man Mc(insert terse snide remarkery here).

Yes We Can Ironically Donate Money to a Presidential Campaign. So As Long As There Are Indie Bands
Yes, 40 dollars may seem steep, but bear in mind that all of the proceeds go directly to the Obama campaign. And sure, the polls look good now, and that rusty Republican machine is finally starting to creak and groan, but we're not home free yet.

Just think of Barack Rock like a donation that comes with the added of bonus of some virtuoso whistling, prog pop, and Flight of the Conchords-y comedy. Check it out tonight at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Doors open at 6:30.

Where to Watch the Debate

There's a debate tonight! It's a town hall-style event, so expect a lot of "I feel your pain" anecdotes. Matchless, Hope Lounge, Cornichon and Monkeytown will all be showing it at 9pm.

Local Politics n' Stuff: Town Hall Meeting

Last week's NAG (Neighbors Allied for Good Growth) Town Hall meeting didn't involve any monorail-related issues, but we did talk about the major concerns of the neighborhood: irresponsible construction, tenants' rights, bike safety, quality of life issues (crime and street cleanliness) and waterfront access.

The most interesting part of the meeting, for me at least, was seeing who was represented at the meeting. The vast majority had lived in the neighborhood for at least 10 years, which makes sense--these are the people who have truly committed themselves to living here, and who actually care about the long-term health of the neighborhood. Greenpoint and North Williamsburg were represented well, but the South Williamsburg presence was woefully absent. Perhaps more Spanish-language outreach is needed? Anyway, I was one of the few Southsiders there. While the crowd was on the older side of the spectrum, I did see a fairly impressive turnout among younger residents.

Another interesting divide? Bikes! Older people seem to hate bikers and their propensity for riding in the middle of the street and running red lights, while the younger people were all like "Stop hitting us with your cars!" Ultimately, the younger generation needs a primer on bike etiquette, while the older generation needs to accept the fact that bikes will only become more popular in the future and that they need to be careful pulling into intersections.

For me, the most pressing issue discussed was the irresponsible behavior of construction companies and developers, and the absolute ineptitude of the Department of Buildings in a neighborhood experiencing unprecedented development. One lady’s Kafkaesque tale of dealing with scaffolding put up against her building by a neighboring construction crew was absolutely harrowing. If you've ever dealt with the DOB, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

Overall it was a constructive evening, and I can only hope more and more young people will get involved in the future.   

Where to Watch the VP Debate

Tonight's debate should be as hilarious as it will be depressing. First up, the Republicans have a woman who says things like:

"As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where– where do they go? It’s Alaska. It's just right over the border."

Plus, she doesn't blink! The Democrats, however, have a man who said this about his very own candidate:

"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."

Now, I'm obviously supporting Biden over Palin, as Biden would be a competent yet gaffe-prone president if the situation were to arise, while a Palin presidency would mean floating on driftwood rafts as we tried to sneak into Europe as impoverished refugees.

Now, you should still attend the NAG Town Hall at 7pm, but it will be done in plenty of time to watch the debate at 9pm at Monkeytown, Matchless, Hope Lounge or Cornichon. And Jesus or Buddha or Spaghetti Monster, if you're out there, please don't let Sarah Palin become our next Vice President.
 

Bloomberg, Hasids, and Democrats, O My!

Brooklyn politics can get pretty messy--as detailed in this NY Daily News story about warring Hasidic factions, a Democratic party in peril, resentment over circumcision meddling, and Bloomberg snubbing.

As an added bonus, the story features three pictures of New York politicians on the right hand side, each one older than the one above. And if you scroll down the page quickly, it looks like the sequence at the end of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where the villain drinks from the wrong grail. Who knew Brooklyn politics could be so much fun?

Yes We Can ... Party

If you read this blog, then you are probably pulling for Barack Obama, although I don't begrudge you if are a McCain man/woman. Anywho, anyone looking to Barack the vote should check out Greenpointers for info on the Ba-Rack Brooklyn event happening Saturday night including short films, 17 bands and food from The Queen's Hideaway. Events will be taking place all around Greenpoint and you can get your $20 ticket at Permanent Records.