Governor Cuomo Urged to Restore Democracy to Roosevelt Island

 

City Council Candidate Ben Kallos Advocates Resident-Elected Appointment by Governor to

Vacant Seat on Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC)

New York, NY –Governor Cuomo is being urged to be a hero for democracy by appointing a resident-elected board member to a vacancy on the Roosevelt Island Operating Committee (RIOC) board.  Unlike the rest of New York City, many of Roosevelt Island’s services, including tram and bus transportation, are managed by RIOC.  While democracy had been brought to Roosevelt Island when Governors Eliot Spitzer and David Paterson agreed to appoint whoever was elected to the RIOC Board, Governor Andrew Cuomo inadvertently took democracy a step backwards by appointing an unelected non-resident, Sal Ferrara, in June, 2011, who has since resigned.

“Roosevelt Island deserves the freedoms and rights appreciated by all other residents of New York City,” said Kallos. “Since Roosevelt Island is governed by the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, we ask Governor Andrew Cuomo to be a force for freedom by granting residents the right to elect their own board members.”

Residents selected local leaders Larry Parnes and Lydia Tang in elections held in November in parallel with the general election for the President of the United States of America.

The letter calls on Governor Cuomo to:

                 (a)   appoint a resident-elected candidate to fill the current vacancy on RIOC Board;

                 (b)  propose “Democracy for Roosevelt Island” as a program bill; and

                 (c)   pledge to fill all upcoming vacancies with residents elected in the most recent elections in order of those with the most votes.

“Please be the hero we know you to be by restoring democracy to Roosevelt Island,” concludes Kallos in the letter to Governor Cuomo.Kallos has a history of activism on Roosevelt Island, working alongside local leaders to improve representation, services and transportation on the island.