The Village is a fascinating neighborhood. It is certainly the center of efforts to preserve some of the lifestyle which made NYC such a vibrant place to live for centuries. I know that while architectural preservation and efforts to stop increases in density are important driving forces in your neighborhood and your community. You have been and continue to be torn apart by the loss of your neighborhood hospital, St.Vincents, by the lack of adequate public educational resources, and by the decay and need for funds in Hudson River Park.
At the heart of each of these problems lies the Governor. St. Vincent’s closed as part of Governor Cuomo’s effort to promote closure of hospital beds, and the consolidation of small hospitals into mega conglomerates. St. Vincent’s could have been saved if the Governor had told the Health Commissioner to make a takeover palatable to Mt. Sinai by increasing the Medicaid reimbursement to the level enjoyed by St. Vincent’s. That same lack of a thought-out health policy, with the needs of the community at its center, is why hospitals here and at Long Island College Hospital continue to falter. Studies have shown that the closure of hospitals and the decrease in the number of beds causes prices to increase.
Our governor has failed school children as well. The budgets he has pushed through don’t even provide what the Courts and the State Constitution call an “adequate education.” He has favored charter schools, even though less than 5% of school children go to charter schools, and even though many have wealthy corporate sponsors.
Finally, he just doesn’t care about our great park system. Parks aren’t meant to be self-sustaining, whether they be Adirondack Park or Hudson River Park. When Pier 40 began to fall apart, a governor who cared would be the first to announce emergency aid to keep this amazing structure functioning.
I am running for Governor because the people of this state need someone in leadership who cares, someone who lets fundamental and practical economic principles dictate her choices
I look forward to being interviewed by WestView next month.
Zephyr Teachout is a Democratic candidate for Governor. She teaches at Fordham Law School. Her website is http://www.zephyrforny.com .
