front cover courtesy of colleen tighe colleentigheart.com
NOV 20
NOV 23
Community Board 2 — Land Use Committee Meeting
Community Board 2 is one of 59 community boards throughout the city of New York, which is composed of 50 volunteer members appointed by the Queens Borough President in consultation with the Council Members of the Board district. CB 2 serves as a local representative body of City government. Members must reside or work in the community they represent. CB 2 plays an important advisory role in dealing with land use and zoning matters, the City budget, municipal service delivery and many other issues relating to the community's quality of life issues. 43-22 50th Street, Suite 2B Woodside, New York 11377 6:30 pm
Amazons Against Amazon Black Friday Action
Unite against the sale of our city to a corrupt and unethical corporation. We'll "carol" our way to the Amazon Bookstore, spreading the news about how dangerous the #AmazonHQ is for our community. Meet on the steps of the NYPL at 2PM to start our walk. RSVP for more details. Hosted by Amazons Against Amazon and PrimedOut NYC NYPL The New York Public Library Fifth Avenue at 42nd St, New York, New York 10018 Resist Amazon — Long Island City Community Forum
DEC 10
Amazon has announced it will build a new headquarters in Long Island City, with giveaways from the state and city reaching up to $3 billion. Meanwhile subway service degrades, schools are overcrowded, we put up with run-down conditions in our buildings, and rents keep going up. With Amazon's move, we can only expect things to get worse, as landlords and the city have new incentives to push working people out. Join members of the Long Island City community to discuss the impact Amazon will have on Western Queens and how we can organize to strengthen tenant protections and strengthen our community. Hosted by NYC Democratic Socialists of America New York Irish Center 1040 Jackson Ave, Long Island City 11101 7-9pm
NOV 20
NOV 23
Community Board 2 — Land Use Committee Meeting
Community Board 2 is one of 59 community boards throughout the city of New York, which is composed of50 volunteer members appointed by the Queens Borough President in consultation with the Council Members of the Board district. CB 2 serves as a local representative body of City government. Members must reside or work in the community they represent. CB 2 plays an important advisory role in dealing with land use and zoning matters, the City budget, municipal service delivery and many other issues relating to the community's quality of life issues. 43-22 50th Street, Suite 2B Woodside, New York 11377 6:30 pm
Amazons Against Amazon Black Friday Action
Unite against the sale of our city to a corrupt and unethical corporation. We'll "carol" our way to the Amazon Bookstore, spreading the news about how dangerous the #AmazonHQ is for our community. Meet on the steps of the NYPL at 2PM to start our walk. RSVP for more details. Hosted by Amazons Against Amazon and PrimedOut NYC NYPL The New York Public Library Fifth Avenue at 42nd St, New York, New York 10018 Resist Amazon — Long Island City Community Forum
DEC 10
Amazon has announced it will build a new headquarters in Long Island City, with giveaways from the state and city reaching up to $3 billion. Meanwhile subway service degrades, schools are overcrowded, we put up with run-down conditions in our buildings, and rents keep going up. With Amazon's move, we can only expect things to get worse, as landlords and the city have new incentives to push working people out. Join members of the Long Island City community to discuss the impact Amazon will have on Western Queens and how we can organize to strengthen tenant protections and strengthen our community. Hosted by NYC Democratic Socialists of America New York Irish Center 1040 Jackson Ave, Long Island City 11101 7-9pm
Queens Neighborhoods United: STATEMENT ON AMAZON TO COME TO QUEENS
To make it very clear, Queens Neighborhoods United is entirely against Amazon. We will not negotiate our survival and we’ll do everything in our power to shut them down. Our line is clear, fast and unflinching. We will make it impossible for them. We will target the politicians, the individuals, the institutions, the organizations and whoever else had the power to stop this deal. In a city with such wealth, we still have over 65,000 families homeless, NYCHA is 16 billion dollars in debt – its residents and many of our neighbors are living in mold-infested hazardous buildings, experiencing eviction, landlord terrorism, and crumbling infrastructure. We are told by city officials that this is because there are not enough tax revenues to repair these social dilemmas. How did the city suddenly come up with a plan to give such significant tax breaks and incentives to a corporation led by the richest man in the world? (Jeff Bezos makes $3,182 every second, according to Time.com) They say Amazon will create good jobs, but Amazon has a track record of relying heavily on short-term contract-based jobs without long-term security or benefits. Amazon uses mafia tactics to bully smaller thriving businesses forcing them to submit and sell their ownership status to Amazon (see what happened to diapers.com as an example).
Amazon is notorious for abusing workers who must work intensive hours to the point where they are forced to pee in bottles to keep up with delivery orders. Jeff Bezos announced a wage increase to $15 an hour, but simultaneously stripped worker’s access to stock options and bonuses, leaving workers worse off. Amazon spent millions of dollars to lobby and buy out politicians and non-profits in Seattle to overturn a tax which would have created an affordable housing fund for homeless evicted residents that is desperately needed in that city. Most recently, Amazon has colluded with ICE and police departments across the country to create a bug-ridden, raciallybiased facial recognition software system that puts our communities in danger. Amazon holds the largest share of governmental contracts to maintain databases about detainees and undocumented people. We have to remember that these politicians and these corporate behemoths are afraid of people coming together to fight for community self-determination. They will say Amazon is too powerful to take on, and that we should make concessions, but as we look back to our beloved NYC history those who conceded never make history. New Yorkers did not concede to Robert Moses and his corporate gang to bulldoze NYC communities to build a mega expressway for wealthy suburbanites.
Queens Neighborhoods United: STATEMENT ON AMAZON TO COME TO QUEENS
To make it very clear, Queens Neighborhoods United is entirely against Amazon. We will not negotiate our survival and we’ll do everything in our power to shut them down. Our line is clear, fast and unflinching. We will make it impossible for them. We will target the politicians, the individuals, the institutions, the organizations and whoever else had the power to stop this deal. In a city with such wealth, we still have over 65,000 families homeless, NYCHA is 16 billion dollars in debt – its residents and many of our neighbors are living in mold-infested hazardous buildings, experiencing eviction, landlord terrorism, and crumbling infrastructure. We are told by city officials that this is because there are not enough tax revenues to repair these social dilemmas. How did the city suddenly come up with a plan to give such significant tax breaks and incentives to a corporation led by the richest man in the world? (Jeff Bezos makes $3,182 every second, according to Time.com) They say Amazon will create good jobs, but Amazon has a track record of relying heavily on short-term contract-based jobs without long-term security or benefits. Amazon uses mafia tactics to bully smaller thriving businesses forcing them to submit and sell their ownership status to Amazon (see what happened to diapers.com as an example).
Amazon is notorious for abusing workers who must work intensive hours to the point where they are forced to pee in bottles to keep up with delivery orders. Jeff Bezos announced a wage increase to $15 an hour, but simultaneously stripped worker’s access to stock options and bonuses, leaving workers worse off. Amazon spent millions of dollars to lobby and buy out politicians and non-profits in Seattle to overturn a tax which would have created an affordable housing fund for homeless evicted residents that is desperately needed in that city. Most recently, Amazon has colluded with ICE and police departments across the country to create a bug-ridden, raciallybiased facial recognition software system that puts our communities in danger. Amazon holds the largest share of governmental contracts to maintain databases about detainees and undocumented people. We have to remember that these politicians and these corporate behemoths are afraid of people coming together to fight for community self-determination. They will say Amazon is too powerful to take on, and that we should make concessions, but as we look back to our beloved NYC history those who conceded never make history. New Yorkers did not concede to Robert Moses and his corporate gang to bulldoze NYC communities to build a mega expressway for wealthy suburbanites.
100,000 New Yorkers did not concede to corporations when they successfully fought and protested to establish an 8-hour work day in the 1800s. NYC has always been the city that belonged to the tenants and the workers. We should not look to these crooked politicians because they will wear the resistance band for street credit while behind closed doors negotiate our survival with corporations. Instead we are the change we have been waiting for. This is not just a Queens problem, this is a fight for our City, and we need everyone fighting alongside us, disturbing the peace every step of the way, in any way possible. So this is a call to individuals and community groups and anyone that’s interested in fighting against this ain’t-shit-company, share this and join us. Pray for the dead, fight like hell for the living. Amazon, it’s on.
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXEJ JONAS GAGARIN-ALLEN
100,000 New Yorkers did not concede to corporations when they successfully fought and protested to establish an 8-hour work day in the 1800s. NYC has always been the city that belonged to the tenants and the workers. We should not look to these crooked politicians because they will wear the resistance band for street credit while behind closed doors negotiate our survival with corporations. Instead we are the change we have been waiting for. This is not just a Queens problem, this is a fight for our City, and we need everyone fighting alongside us, disturbing the peace every step of the way, in any way possible. So this is a call to individuals and community groups and anyone that’s interested in fighting against this ain’t-shit-company, share this and join us. Pray for the dead, fight like hell for the living. Amazon, it’s on.
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXEJ JONAS GAGARIN-ALLEN
Queens Anti-Gentrification Project: Liars Don’t Represent Us – Van Bramer: Say NO to Amazon or Resign
On November 9th, City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer made a series of Tweets regarding Amazon setting up a headquarters in Long Island City, Queens. On the surface he is trying to position himself as a progressive who is coming out in opposition to Amazon. However, we understand these comments to be political doublespeak – Van Bramer is a mainstream, establishment Democrat who has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from real estate. He claims that he isn’t taking money from real estate anymore, but some of the money raised in previous cycles has transferred over to his Borough President campaign. We would like to begin by sharing a quote from Van Bramer in full support of Amazon from a Queens Chronicle article published in October of 2017: "I am excited to see the New York City Economic Development Corporation recognize in their proposal what thousands of New Yorkers have been recognizing for years now: that Long Island City and Western Queens as a whole are among New York City’s most dynamic and innovative neighborhoods,” Van Bramer said in an emailed statement: “I am an enthusiastic supporter of the proposal, and of any plan to bring good paying jobs to my district. I think it is clear that Amazon HQ2 would be an ideal fit for Long Island City and for the entire borough of Queens. I look forward to working with the Economic Development Corporation in the months to come to support Long Island City’s proposal."
Here we will address his recent comments, tweet by tweet: “Bypassing ULURP isn’t just about trying to get around me, it’s a direct assault on community engagement and consultation on a project that would change the face of Queens. #AmazonHQ2” Right off the bat, Jimmy Van Bramer is calling for a community engagement process. It is very important for people to understand that this is NOT a statement opposing Amazon. It is a statement opposing Amazon happening without going through ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Process). For those who don’t know what ULURP is, it is the mandatory public review process that takes place for most land use proposals, such as rezonings or major developments such as this one. The unpleasant fact about ULURP is that once a plan enters ULURP, its chances of passing become overwhelmingly likely. A vast majority of proposals that enter ULURP are approved regardless of community opposition. Van Bramer is aware of this fact. If Amazon enters into ULURP, regardless of what the community board says, it has no veto power, which means if the politicians want Amazon, and they are all on record saying they do, then we will get an Amazon. Public review is being used as a facade by Van Bramer. It allows him to tacitly support Amazon while pretending to oppose it.
Queens Anti-Gentrification Project: Liars Don’t Represent Us – Van Bramer: Say NO to Amazon or Resign
On November 9th, City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer made a series of Tweets regarding Amazon setting up a headquarters in Long Island City, Queens. On the surface he is trying to position himself as a progressive who is coming out in opposition to Amazon. However, we understand these comments to be political doublespeak – Van Bramer is a mainstream, establishment Democrat who has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from real estate. He claims that he isn’t taking money from real estate anymore, but some of the money raised in previous cycles has transferred over to his Borough President campaign. We would like to begin by sharing a quote from Van Bramer in full support of Amazon from a Queens Chronicle article published in October of 2017: "I am excited to see the New York City Economic Development Corporation recognize in their proposal what thousands of New Yorkers have been recognizing for years now: that Long Island City and Western Queens as a whole are among New York City’s most dynamic and innovative neighborhoods,” Van Bramer said in an emailed statement: “I am an enthusiastic supporter of the proposal, and of any plan to bring good paying jobs to my district. I think it is clear that Amazon HQ2 would be an ideal fit for Long Island City and for the entire borough of Queens. I look forward to working with the Economic Development Corporation in the months to come to support Long Island City’s proposal."
Here we will address his recent comments, tweet by tweet: “Bypassing ULURP isn’t just about trying to get around me, it’s a direct assault on community engagement and consultation on a project that would change the face of Queens. #AmazonHQ2” Right off the bat, Jimmy Van Bramer is calling for a community engagement process. It is very important for people to understand that this is NOT a statement opposing Amazon. It is a statement opposing Amazon happening without going through ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Process). For those who don’t know what ULURP is, it is the mandatory public review process that takes place for most land use proposals, such as rezonings or major developments such as this one. The unpleasant fact about ULURP is that once a plan enters ULURP, its chances of passing become overwhelmingly likely. A vast majority of proposals that enter ULURP are approved regardless of community opposition. Van Bramer is aware of this fact. If Amazon enters into ULURP, regardless of what the community board says, it has no veto power, which means if the politicians want Amazon, and they are all on record saying they do, then we will get an Amazon. Public review is being used as a facade by Van Bramer. It allows him to tacitly support Amazon while pretending to oppose it.
"It’s outrageous, secretive and the height of corporate Democrats tripping over themselves to provide corporate welfare to the richest man in the world without any community review or votes.” Jimmy Van Bramer is a corporate Democrat. He has been proclaimed the “Champion of the Long Island City Partnership,” a Business Improvement District organization that touts board members from Bank of America, CitiBank, Jet Blue, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, and several other corporate behemoths. Throughout his career, he has routinely made keynote addresses at real estate conferences, and is on the record praising the development that has taken place thus far in Long Island City. He mentions community review, but does not oppose Amazon. “Amazon Cuomo has every right to sell his individual naming rights but we will challenge his ability to sell Queens without review.” Again, Van Bramer positions himself opposite Governer Cuomo in order to appear the progressive good guy. However, he admits in plain English here that Cuomo’s attempt to sell Queens is all well and good, as long as it goes through a rigged review process. “I call on @NYCMayor to reject the @NYGovCuomo’s desire to bypass ULURP, the local Community Board, the Borough President, City Planning and yes, the local Councilmember & @NYCCouncil. The Mayor must not be a party to this undemocratic process.” Here Van Bramer makes his final call for public review. As previously explained, ULURP itself is an undemocratic process, and the pro-real estate Mayor, City Council, and Department of City Planning are not going to save us by being included in this proposal.
What we are demanding from Jimmy Van Bramer, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and all other Queens politicians, is an unconditional opposition to Amazon. We cannot fall for the political doublespeak and pseudo-progressivism of the Democratic Party. If Van Bramer cannot take a genuine stand against Amazon, we call for his resignation. Liars don’t represent us. To get involved in the campaign against Amazon, email us at queensantigentrification@gmail.com
"It’s outrageous, secretive and the height of corporate Democrats tripping over themselves to provide corporate welfare to the richest man in the world without any community review or votes.” Jimmy Van Bramer is a corporate Democrat. He has been proclaimed the “Champion of the Long Island City Partnership,” a Business Improvement District organization that touts board members from Bank of America, CitiBank, Jet Blue, JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, and several other corporate behemoths. Throughout his career, he has routinely made keynote addresses at real estate conferences, and is on the record praising the development that has taken place thus far in Long Island City. He mentions community review, but does not oppose Amazon. “Amazon Cuomo has every right to sell his individual naming rights but we will challenge his ability to sell Queens without review.” Again, Van Bramer positions himself opposite Governer Cuomo in order to appear the progressive good guy. However, he admits in plain English here that Cuomo’s attempt to sell Queens is all well and good, as long as it goes through a rigged review process. “I call on @NYCMayor to reject the @NYGovCuomo’s desire to bypass ULURP, the local Community Board, the Borough President, City Planning and yes, the local Councilmember & @NYCCouncil. The Mayor must not be a party to this undemocratic process.” Here Van Bramer makes his final call for public review. As previously explained, ULURP itself is an undemocratic process, and the pro-real estate Mayor, City Council, and Department of City Planning are not going to save us by being included in this proposal.
What we are demanding from Jimmy Van Bramer, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and all other Queens politicians, is an unconditional opposition to Amazon. We cannot fall for the political doublespeak and pseudo-progressivism of the Democratic Party. If Van Bramer cannot take a genuine stand against Amazon, we call for his resignation. Liars don’t represent us. To get involved in the campaign against Amazon, email us at queensantigentrification@gmail.com
EXCERPT FROM "THE SUBWAY BELONGS TO US" BY ANDY BATTLE FOR COMMUNE MAG / PHOTO BY @SUGARBOMBING
AMAZON TAX BREAK AMID A CRUMBLING, UNDERFUNDED, AND OVERCROWDED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Thirty-two years and a political-economic revolution later, construction resumed on the half-dug tunnels, and in 2017, with meticulously choreographed fanfare, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo cut the ribbon on the Second Avenue Subway, ninetynine years after the first plans were drafted. Like all public projects in these shriveled times, though, the Second Avenue Subway bore the marks of the austerity regime under which it was conceived. Comprising just three stations, the line serves a twenty-four block stretch of the Upper East Side, one of the city’s more comfortable sections. Its major effect so far has been to jump-start real estate development, the sine qua non of all New York City politics, pushing up rents and lining the pockets of the big developers who fund the governor’s political campaigns. I used to think things like subways were built because there was a social “need” for them. That was before I learned what capitalism is and how it works.
EXCERPT FROM "THE SUBWAY BELONGS TO US" BY ANDY BATTLE FOR COMMUNE MAG / PHOTO BY @SUGARBOMBING
AMAZON TAX BREAK AMID A CRUMBLING, UNDERFUNDED, AND OVERCROWDED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
Thirty-two years and a political-economic revolution later, construction resumed on the half-dug tunnels, and in 2017, with meticulously choreographed fanfare, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo cut the ribbon on the Second Avenue Subway, ninetynine years after the first plans were drafted. Like all public projects in these shriveled times, though, the Second Avenue Subway bore the marks of the austerity regime under which it was conceived. Comprising just three stations, the line serves a twenty-four block stretch of the Upper East Side, one of the city’s more comfortable sections. Its major effect so far has been to jump-start real estate development, the sine qua non of all New York City politics, pushing up rents and lining the pockets of the big developers who fund the governor’s political campaigns. I used to think things like subways were built because there was a social “need” for them. That was before I learned what capitalism is and how it works.
AMAZON PROVIDES ICE, POLICE, AND MILITARY WITH FACIAL-'REKOGNITION' TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH DONE BY SABRINA RICH, HUNTER CRAASH
Amazon is currently selling Rekognition to ICE, police, and military officials, and employees are proud of their participation in oppressive systems. "We are ready and willing to support the vital [Homeland Security Investigations] mission.” “We feel really great and really strongly about the value that Amazon Rekognition is providing our customers of all sizes and all types of industries in law enforcement and out of law enforcement.” “Amazon is designing, marketing, and selling a system for dangerous mass surveillance right now. Amazon’s website brags of the system’s ability to store and search tens of millions of faces at a time. Law enforcement has already started using facial recognition with virtually no public oversight or debate or restrictions on use from Amazon” (Medium). Rekognition cannot be brought into our communities. The mayor is currently planning on building four new jails in NYC, which will inevitably need to be filled. Incarceration rates are going to increase, and policing of immigrants and communities of color is going to worsen. This technology will only assist police departments and ICE officials in surveilling, incarcerating, and oppressing low-income communities of color. Resist Amazon’s move to NYC. Resist the building of new jails. https://medium.com/s/powertrip/im-an-amazon-employee-my-company-shouldn-t-sell-facial-recognition-tech-to-police https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/10/23/amazon-met-with-ice-officials-over-facial-recognition-system-that-could-identify-immigrants/
AMAZON PROVIDES ICE, POLICE, AND MILITARY WITH FACIAL-'REKOGNITION' TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH DONE BY SABRINA RICH, HUNTER CRAASH
Amazon is currently selling Rekognition to ICE, police, and military officials, and employees are proud of their participation in oppressive systems. "We are ready and willing to support the vital [Homeland Security Investigations] mission.” “We feel really great and really strongly about the value that Amazon Rekognition is providing our customers of all sizes and all types of industries in law enforcement and out of law enforcement.” “Amazon is designing, marketing, and selling a system for dangerous mass surveillance right now. Amazon’s website brags of the system’s ability to store and search tens of millions of faces at a time. Law enforcement has already started using facial recognition with virtually no public oversight or debate or restrictions on use from Amazon” (Medium). Rekognition cannot be brought into our communities. The mayor is currently planning on building four new jails in NYC, which will inevitably need to be filled. Incarceration rates are going to increase, and policing of immigrants and communities of color is going to worsen. This technology will only assist police departments and ICE officials in surveilling, incarcerating, and oppressing low-income communities of color. Resist Amazon’s move to NYC. Resist the building of new jails. https://medium.com/s/powertrip/im-an-amazon-employee-my-company-shouldn-t-sell-facial-recognition-tech-to-police https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/10/23/amazon-met-with-ice-officials-over-facial-recognition-system-that-could-identify-immigrants/
A TROJAN HORSE NAMED AMAZON EXCERPT FROM MEDIUM ARTICLE BY MEMO SALAZAR
While New Yorkers were busy voting out Republicans at the polls, their fearless incumbent Governor, confident of a third term, quietly released a bombshell he clearly hoped would be drowned out by the election day hype: Amazon is Coming To Town in the form of a second headquarters in Long Island City. There are plenty of articles briefly giving you the basics of that deal, from the pro-business side to the critical side, so let’s cut right to the chase: allowing Amazon to establish a Headquarters in Queens is a stupid, foolhearted, irresponsible, destructive and moronic move no matter how you look at it, unless you happen to be a greedy, short-sighted real estate developer working in New York City who’s looking to make a lot of easy money at the expense of everyone else. The Amazon deal is a first-rate Trojan Horse; while it will affect Queens residents most of all, it actually damages everyone living in this country in some very fundamental ways. If you’re not convinced of that seemingly hyperbolic statement, allow me to present the evidence: 1. Amazon, the Company. Most Americans these days are so beaten down by corporate America, they accept behavior that 50 years ago was considered inconceivable by even the greediest of companies. News of Amazon coming into their neighborhood is met with the fatalistic acceptance of aw, shucks- but change is part of life. If it’s not them, someone else will come in and do the same thing. Well… no, actually. Yes, corporate conglomerates in general are pretty bad, and we shouldn’t let any company enter a neighborhood unless it is truly beneficial to the community, but Amazon is an especially despicable- and dangerous- case. For starters, they don’t just give little back to a community. They give nothing back… to anyone. In 2017, they made $178 billion dollars in profit, yet paid zero dollars in Federal taxes that same year. Let me repeat that: ZERO DOLLARS. That’s the kind of news that should send Americans revolting and the IRS rethinking its tax code, but it barely made a dent in our beaten-down-by-rampantcapitalism society. Liberals and Libertarians both agree that this type of crony capitalism is not what anyone intended when they signed our constitution into being, so why have we accepted this? Tax dollars is how our government pays for… um… everything. The basic premise behind taxing our income is that as clever and brilliant as you might be as a businessman, you don’t exist in a vacuum. You depend on society to function, and your taxes are how you ensure society’s survival as a whole while you work on your survival as an individual. It’s a symbiotic relationship. When you exploit the loopholes of a tax system to such an extreme, that relationship is gone and the system breaks down.
A TROJAN HORSE NAMED AMAZON EXCERPT FROM MEDIUM ARTICLE BY MEMO SALAZAR
While New Yorkers were busy voting out Republicans at the polls, their fearless incumbent Governor, confident of a third term, quietly released a bombshell he clearly hoped would be drowned out by the election day hype: Amazon is Coming To Town in the form of a second headquarters in Long Island City. There are plenty of articles briefly giving you the basics of that deal, from the pro-business side to the critical side, so let’s cut right to the chase: allowing Amazon to establish a Headquarters in Queens is a stupid, foolhearted, irresponsible, destructive and moronic move no matter how you look at it, unless you happen to be a greedy, short-sighted real estate developer working in New York City who’s looking to make a lot of easy money at the expense of everyone else. The Amazon deal is a first-rate Trojan Horse; while it will affect Queens residents most of all, it actually damages everyone living in this country in some very fundamental ways. If you’re not convinced of that seemingly hyperbolic statement, allow me to present the evidence: 1. Amazon, the Company. Most Americans these days are so beaten down by corporate America, they accept behavior that 50 years ago was considered inconceivable by even the greediest of companies. News of Amazon coming into their neighborhood is met with the fatalistic acceptance of aw, shucks- but change is part of life. If it’s not them, someone else will come in and do the same thing. Well… no, actually. Yes, corporate conglomerates in general are pretty bad, and we shouldn’t let any company enter a neighborhood unless it is truly beneficial to the community, but Amazon is an especially despicable- and dangerous- case. For starters, they don’t just give little back to a community. They give nothing back… to anyone. In 2017, they made $178 billion dollars in profit, yet paid zero dollars in Federal taxes that same year. Let me repeat that: ZERO DOLLARS. That’s the kind of news that should send Americans revolting and the IRS rethinking its tax code, but it barely made a dent in our beaten-down-by-rampantcapitalism society. Liberals and Libertarians both agree that this type of crony capitalism is not what anyone intended when they signed our constitution into being, so why have we accepted this? Tax dollars is how our government pays for… um… everything. The basic premise behind taxing our income is that as clever and brilliant as you might be as a businessman, you don’t exist in a vacuum. You depend on society to function, and your taxes are how you ensure society’s survival as a whole while you work on your survival as an individual. It’s a symbiotic relationship. When you exploit the loopholes of a tax system to such an extreme, that relationship is gone and the system breaks down.
No one represents us, but liars who want to play it both ways especially don’t represent us and will be singled out, beginning with: @jimmyvanbramer — who is not opposed to Amazon’s move. He always has been a staunch supporter of HQ2. He is asking for public review, he is NOT opposing HQ2. See https://queensantigentrification.org/2018/11/12/liars-dontrepresent-us-van-bramer-say-no-to-amazon-or-resign/ Now back to precedent and struggle: Google recently abandoned Berlin base after two years of resistance. Kreuzberg residents were concerned about tech giant’s unethical practices and gentrification driving up rents. “The struggle pays off,” tweeted GloReiche Nachbarschaft, one of the groups opposed to the Kreuzberg campus plan and part of the “Fuck off Google” campaign. Some campaigners objected to what they described as Google’s “evil” corporate practices, such as tax evasion and the unethical use of personal data. Some opposed the gentrification of the district, which might price many people out of the area. See https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/oct/24/googleabandons-berlin-base-after-two-years-of-resistance We are on it, and we remind artists that lines are being drawn in our communities: Do not cross the peoples’ picket-line. Research done by @queens_antigentrification Project.
No one represents us, but liars who want to play it both ways especially don’t represent us and will be singled out, beginning with: @jimmyvanbramer — who is not opposed to Amazon’s move. He always has been a staunch supporter of HQ2. He is asking for public review, he is NOT opposing HQ2. See https://queensantigentrification.org/2018/11/12/liars-dontrepresent-us-van-bramer-say-no-to-amazon-or-resign/ Now back to precedent and struggle: Google recently abandoned Berlin base after two years of resistance. Kreuzberg residents were concerned about tech giant’s unethical practices and gentrification driving up rents. “The struggle pays off,” tweeted GloReiche Nachbarschaft, one of the groups opposed to the Kreuzberg campus plan and part of the “Fuck off Google” campaign. Some campaigners objected to what they described as Google’s “evil” corporate practices, such as tax evasion and the unethical use of personal data. Some opposed the gentrification of the district, which might price many people out of the area. See https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/oct/24/googleabandons-berlin-base-after-two-years-of-resistance We are on it, and we remind artists that lines are being drawn in our communities: Do not cross the peoples’ picket-line. Research done by @queens_antigentrification Project.
It does not take much to know that more working class and long standing communities and people with lower income, largely of color, will be displaced and dispossessed while Amazon gets at least $1.7 Billion to come to Queens. Look at Seattle and what Amazon's presence has contributed to homelessness and the transfer of wealth upward. In the meantime, Amazon is promising artists studio space. On this occasion, lines will be drawn in our art communities across the city. Each of us must choose either to be on the side of the people or Corporation. We hope artists think long and hard and have the sense to know that on the side of Amazon no one wins. http://gothamist.com/2018/11/14/amazon_real_estate_rents.php
It does not take much to know that more working class and long standing communities and people with lower income, largely of color, will be displaced and dispossessed while Amazon gets at least $1.7 Billion to come to Queens. Look at Seattle and what Amazon's presence has contributed to homelessness and the transfer of wealth upward. In the meantime, Amazon is promising artists studio space. On this occasion, lines will be drawn in our art communities across the city. Each of us must choose either to be on the side of the people or Corporation. We hope artists think long and hard and have the sense to know that on the side of Amazon no one wins. http://gothamist.com/2018/11/14/amazon_real_estate_rents.php
The City College Young Democratic Socialists of America Statement on Amazon HQ2:
The CUNY Board of Trustees is claiming Bezos will help CUNY by making NYC the site of its second headquarters. We know that Amazon isn’t bringing 50,000 high-paying jobs to help our communities, they’re bringing 50,000 people with high-paying jobs to replace our communities. We know that Amazon exploits its warehouse workers and is a union-busting megacorp. We know that Cuomo and De Blasio have offered Bezos upwards of $3 billion in tax incentives and subsidies. We know that making CUNY tuition-free again would cost $800 million. We know that public investment in higher education creates more jobs, and leads to more equitable, sustainable economic growth in the long-term than any other form of investment.
As such, we urge that the CUNY Board of Trustees advocate for its students, not billionaires, and demand that the money offered to Bezos be invested in CUNY instead. Furthermore, we condemn Governor Cuomo and Mayor De Blasio for insulting the intelligence of working class New Yorkers by repeatedly claiming there’s no money for public schools then turning around to offer Bezos more than twice the amount we need to fully-fund and save our schools. @CityYDSA https://y.dsausa.org/
The City College Young Democratic Socialists of America Statement on Amazon HQ2:
The CUNY Board of Trustees is claiming Bezos will help CUNY by making NYC the site of its second headquarters. We know that Amazon isn’t bringing 50,000 high-paying jobs to help our communities, they’re bringing 50,000 people with high-paying jobs to replace our communities. We know that Amazon exploits its warehouse workers and is a union-busting megacorp. We know that Cuomo and De Blasio have offered Bezos upwards of $3 billion in tax incentives and subsidies. We know that making CUNY tuition-free again would cost $800 million. We know that public investment in higher education creates more jobs, and leads to more equitable, sustainable economic growth in the long-term than any other form of investment.
As such, we urge that the CUNY Board of Trustees advocate for its students, not billionaires, and demand that the money offered to Bezos be invested in CUNY instead. Furthermore, we condemn Governor Cuomo and Mayor De Blasio for insulting the intelligence of working class New Yorkers by repeatedly claiming there’s no money for public schools then turning around to offer Bezos more than twice the amount we need to fully-fund and save our schools. @CityYDSA https://y.dsausa.org/
Keep CUNY Out of Amazon!
New York State and City recently signed a deal with Amazon to allow the company to open their second headquarters (HQ2) in Long Island City, Queens. Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world. The company exploits its workers and will inevitably gentrify the surrounding neighborhoods. This will have a disproportionate effect on working class, people of color communities, who make up the majority of CUNY's student body. Governor Cuomo used CUNY and SUNY as leverage in his deal with Amazon, stating that Excelsior Scholarship recipients will ensure an "unrivaled talent pool for Amazon." The CUNY Board of Trustees also released a statement stating that CUNY is "thrilled to be a lead partner in Amazon's exciting headquarters expansion...We will commit our considerable college assets to ensure that Amazon has a strong pipeline for talents, ideas, and innovation." The Interim Chancellor of CUNY similarly released a statement saying that "CUNY stands ready to work with Amazon, and our partners in government, to provide skilled graduates ready to compete for Amazon's 40,000 new jobs."
Keep CUNY Out of Amazon!
New York State and City recently signed a deal with Amazon to allow the company to open their second headquarters (HQ2) in Long Island City, Queens. Amazon is owned by Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world. The company exploits its workers and will inevitably gentrify the surrounding neighborhoods. This will have a disproportionate effect on working class, people of color communities, who make up the majority of CUNY's student body. Governor Cuomo used CUNY and SUNY as leverage in his deal with Amazon, stating that Excelsior Scholarship recipients will ensure an "unrivaled talent pool for Amazon." The CUNY Board of Trustees also released a statement stating that CUNY is "thrilled to be a lead partner in Amazon's exciting headquarters expansion...We will commit our considerable college assets to ensure that Amazon has a strong pipeline for talents, ideas, and innovation." The Interim Chancellor of CUNY similarly released a statement saying that "CUNY stands ready to work with Amazon, and our partners in government, to provide skilled graduates ready to compete for Amazon's 40,000 new jobs."
CUNY and SUNY students will not be used as pawns in the state and city's plans to bring corrupt corporations into the city. We will not allow CUNY to be complicit in the displacement of our communities, nor will CUNY students be pipelined into corporations such as Amazon.
THESE ARE OUR DEMANDS: (1) Transparency on the exact role CUNY will play in supporting Amazon (2) Invest in students, not corporations (3) Provide adequate and affordable housing resources for CUNY students, rather than supporting a company that would actively displace students and gentrify the communities where many students come from (4) Make CUNY free for all students, rather than using resources to support Amazon (5) Take an active role in resisting Amazon's move to NYC
SIGN OUR PETITION @ https://bit.ly/CUNYnotHQ2
CUNY and SUNY students will not be used as pawns in the state and city's plans to bring corrupt corporations into the city. We will not allow CUNY to be complicit in the displacement of our communities, nor will CUNY students be pipelined into corporations such as Amazon.
THESE ARE OUR DEMANDS: (1) Transparency on the exact role CUNY will play in supporting Amazon (2) Invest in students, not corporations (3) Provide adequate and affordable housing resources for CUNY students, rather than supporting a company that would actively displace students and gentrify the communities where many students come from (4) Make CUNY free for all students, rather than using resources to support Amazon (5) Take an active role in resisting Amazon's move to NYC
SIGN OUR PETITION @ https://bit.ly/CUNYnotHQ2
The governor of New York, mayor of New York City, top CUNY executives, and a majority of our City Council have all recently come out in support of Amazon's headquarters expansion into the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens.
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Govenor Amazon Cuomo said: “The State's more than $100 billion infrastructure program - the most ambitious in our history - combined with our education initiatives like K-12 tech education and the first-in-the-nation Excelsior Scholarship program, will help ensure long-term success and an unrivaled talent pool for Amazon.” CUNY Board of Trustees Chairperson William C. Thompson Jr. said: “The City University of New York is thrilled to be a lead partner in Amazon’s exciting headquarters expansion, which promises to have a transformative impact on New York City’s economy and our collective ability to spur employment opportunities and growth. CUNY is America’s largest urban university system, and we will commit our considerable college assets to ensure that Amazon has a strong pipeline for talent, ideas and innovation.” CUNY Interim Chancellor Vita C. Rabinowitz said: “CUNY stands ready to work with Amazon and our partners in government to provide skilled graduates ready to compete for Amazon’s 40,000 new jobs. We look forward to contributing the talent and creativity of our faculty, staff and students to shape a wide ranging collaboration over the years.”
The governor of New York, mayor of New York City, top CUNY executives, and a majority of our City Council have all recently come out in support of Amazon's headquarters expansion into the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens.
8) 0 0 (2 ! e Tim Y N CU
Govenor Amazon Cuomo said: “The State's more than $100 billion infrastructure program - the most ambitious in our history - combined with our education initiatives like K-12 tech education and the first-in-the-nation Excelsior Scholarship program, will help ensure long-term success and an unrivaled talent pool for Amazon.” CUNY Board of Trustees Chairperson William C. Thompson Jr. said: “The City University of New York is thrilled to be a lead partner in Amazon’s exciting headquarters expansion, which promises to have a transformative impact on New York City’s economy and our collective ability to spur employment opportunities and growth. CUNY is America’s largest urban university system, and we will commit our considerable college assets to ensure that Amazon has a strong pipeline for talent, ideas and innovation.” CUNY Interim Chancellor Vita C. Rabinowitz said: “CUNY stands ready to work with Amazon and our partners in government to provide skilled graduates ready to compete for Amazon’s 40,000 new jobs. We look forward to contributing the talent and creativity of our faculty, staff and students to shape a wide ranging collaboration over the years.”
"AMAZON WILL BRING NEW JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THE CITY." MAKING CUNY FREE AGAIN WILL BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY!
*JOIN "NO TO AMAZON IN NYC" ON FB TO GET INVOLVED!* @cunystruggle @cunyslam #FreeCUNY #7KorSTRIKE
The city of New York constantly boasts about it's amazingly diverse public university: CUNY. What the city won't share with you is how severely underfunded CUNY is. The infrastructure of CUNY's campuses are falling apart. Ceiling tiles fall, bathrooms are out of order, asbestos is in the air, our water runs brown. CUNY adjuncts are severely underpaid. At around $3,300 per course, some adjuncts are nearing homelessness. The CUNY system exploits it's graduate students for their labor and pays them poverty wages.* CUNY food staff workers are hired through third party food service corporations. They are constantly unsure about the state of their contracts. Nearly 50% of CUNY food staff workers are living in poverty. How could CUNY execs support bringing Amazon to NYC? Tax-payers will subsidize much of Amazon's costs. That money should be going to CUNY, because CUNY is meant to serve the People, not to serve as a breeding ground for greedy CEOs. If they have $1.5 billion to give away, they have the $800 million it would cost to make CUNY free.* END the neoliberalization of CUNY!
PROVIDE INVESTMENT DIRECTLY TO CUNY. NOT TO A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY.
"AMAZON WILL BRING NEW JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THE CITY." MAKING CUNY FREE AGAIN WILL BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY!
*JOIN "NO TO AMAZON IN NYC" ON FB TO GET INVOLVED!* @cunystruggle @cunyslam #FreeCUNY #7KorSTRIKE
The city of New York constantly boasts about it's amazingly diverse public university: CUNY. What the city won't share with you is how severely underfunded CUNY is. The infrastructure of CUNY's campuses are falling apart. Ceiling tiles fall, bathrooms are out of order, asbestos is in the air, our water runs brown. CUNY adjuncts are severely underpaid. At around $3,300 per course, some adjuncts are nearing homelessness. The CUNY system exploits it's graduate students for their labor and pays them poverty wages.* CUNY food staff workers are hired through third party food service corporations. They are constantly unsure about the state of their contracts. Nearly 50% of CUNY food staff workers are living in poverty. How could CUNY execs support bringing Amazon to NYC? Tax-payers will subsidize much of Amazon's costs. That money should be going to CUNY, because CUNY is meant to serve the People, not to serve as a breeding ground for greedy CEOs. If they have $1.5 billion to give away, they have the $800 million it would cost to make CUNY free.* END the neoliberalization of CUNY!
PROVIDE INVESTMENT DIRECTLY TO CUNY. NOT TO A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY.
front cover courtesy of colleen tighe colleentigheart.com
