ODDO/LANZA LETTER
City Council Minority Leader James S. Oddo (R- Staten
Island/Brooklyn) and Council Member Andrew J. Lanza (R- Staten Island)
sent the following letter dated May 8, 2006, directly to the
International Speedway Corporation (ISC) Board of Directors (Board
Members):
In the letter to Board Members, Oddo and Lanza wrote:
We are writing to you personally because we feel compelled to ensure
that you receive this message directly, clearly and free from spin or
obfuscation from any International Speedway Corporation (ISC) office
holder or their cadre of hired lobbyists
We want you to know that we are adamantly, wholeheartedly and
unequivocally opposed to this proposal and we will use all of our powers
and abilities as members of the City Council to fight this proposal and
prevent it from becoming an ugly reality in our community." (Emphasis
added).
The City Planning Scoping Public Hearing that took place on April 27,
2006 was truly disgraceful. All of us who were in attendance and all
Staten Islanders should be ashamed and embarrassed by it. It was a sad
day for this borough. It was also the death knell for this project. We
will not rehash our view of the specifics of what transpired that night,
but please let us assure you that it served as the culmination of a
series of missteps and miscues undertaken by ISC and its lobbyists since
day one. From the first presentation to this borough's elected
officials, to the hearing on April 27th, ISC has consistently stubbed
its toe. Forgive the pun, but this proposal was on fumes going into the
scoping meeting. On that night, however, it not only ran out of gas, it
crashed horribly.
On November 30, 2004, during its initial presentation to the elected
officials of this county, the ISC mouthpiece, fully supported by bright
and colorful slides that served to reiterate his mantra, reminded us
again and again "The Choice is Yours." He affirmed time and again that
we had to decide between a shiny, new stadium or diesel fuel gulping,
exhaust belching trailers that would clog our roads. In essence, the
presentation came across as 'If you don't allow us this, we will give
you that.
To a person, the elected officials saw this as a veiled threat of
sorts. Immediately, we informed ISC and its 'Dream Team' of consultants
that traffic was the most critical issue for Staten Islanders and that
its traffic proposal was woefully inadequate. For more than a year, ISC
officials made us wait for a "new traffic plan,"only to have the old one
regurgitated accompanied by some irrational thought process that it
somehow would now be acceptable.
In the interim, ISC alluded to the use of the Staten Island Ferry as
part of its traffic plan without consulting the Staten Island Council
Delegation. Prior to the unveiling of the "new" traffic plan, a story
broke about the construction of a Helipad. While clearly contained in
some documents this issue caught some of us by surprise. Perhaps, the
one specific mistake that best captures ISC's ability to step on its own
toe was the proposed bus egress route featured in its "new" plan, which
called for 330 buses to pass through Fahy Avenue and Lamberts Lane, a
longstanding and well known traffic trouble spot for the residents of
Bulls Head. With all the so-called Staten Island experts on board this
project, it still baffles us to this day how anyone would believe that
this route would be acceptable." (Emphasis added).
From the beginning of this process, we have demonstrated a great deal
of patience. We have been exceedingly accessible to ISC and its hired
guns. They called; we answered. They wanted a meeting; it was scheduled.
In fact, friendships were exploited, and in retrospect, our respect and
deference, were too generous. That time is over. (Emphasis added).
A few weeks ago, in an editorial intended with a clear purpose and
intent, the Staten Island Advance, an entity with a clear stake in the
outcome of this saga, derisively and disgustingly asserted that
Councilman Oddo goes into "Jihad mode" from time to time. We will not
apologize for the passion and conviction we will bring to this battle
for the future of Staten Island. Please know that we will do everything
humanly possible to oppose this project -- one that will cause
irreversible damage to his community. (Emphasis added).
We believe it is your fiduciary responsibility to know and understand
that we will not waver from our efforts to stop this project, because we
truly believe it would be disastrous for Staten Island. We will do all
we can, use everything at our disposal, to see that it is defeated. We
have already begun to lobby our colleagues, should ISC attempt to bring
this matter to a vote before the City Council. No threats, including the
misguided and pitiful effort by one of your lobbyists to inject local
politics and elections into this mix, and no promises will alter us from
what we see as a challenge and obligation of enormous proportions.
We think you have a fine company, run by a classy family. It is a
shame you have associated yourself with some folks not worthy of that
same appellation. We wish you success in another venue.
The letter was sent to the following Board Members: Mr. William
C.France, Mr. James C. France, Mr. Larry Aiello, Jr., Mr. J. Hyatt
Brown, Mr. John R.Cooper, Mr. Brian Z. France, Mr. William P. Graves,
Mr. Christy F.Harris, Esq., Mr. Raymond K. Mason, Jr., Mr. Gregory W.
Penske, Mr.Edward H. Rensi,Mr. Lloyd E. Reuss, and Mr. Thomas W. Staed.
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