Letter to Sheldon Silver, Speaker of the New York State Assembly, and Dean Skelos, Majority Leader of the State Senate - Continue Allocations for Brooklyn
Letter
Dear Speaker Silver,
I write to you as the representative in Congress of more than a quarter-million people who currently lack a representative in the New York State Assembly.
The election in 2013 of State Assemblyman Alan Maisel of the 59th District (who represented Gerritsen Beach, Marine Park, Mill Basin, Georgetown, Canarsie, and Bergen Beach) and the recent conviction of Assemblyman William Boyland, Jr., of the 55th District (who represented Brownsville and Ocean Hill) have resulted in vacancies. Without special elections, these vacancies will continue until January 3, 2015. There are another seven seats in the State Assembly (two in Brooklyn, the 54th District and the 60th District) and two seats in the State Senate that are currently vacant.
I ask that in developing the budget for 2015 you continue the allocation of resources to the residents to Brooklyn who lack a representative in either the State Assembly or the State Senate. Members of the state legislature have the ability to develop the cultural institutions and the social service organizations that are important to their constituents. The representatives of State Assembly District 55 and State Assembly District 59 have provided support to such organizations as: the Central Brooklyn Housing Council, the Brooklyn Arts Council, the Marine Park Community Association, the West Indian American Day Carnival Association, the Amity Little League, Wayside Outreach Development, Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Eagle Academy for Young Men, and Brownsville Community Outreach Services.
People in Brooklyn know the value of these institutions, which create opportunities for recreation, for education, and for entertainment, and allow people to obtain critical services, such as assistance in finding a job, apply for benefits, keeping an apartment, and preventing mortgage foreclosure. I ask that you allow my constituent to continue their access to these resources.
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