Please make checks payable to:
Campaign to Stop REBNY Bullies
PO Box 1002
Cooper Station
New York, NY 10276-1002
718-852-2808
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Dear Social & Economic Justice Seekers:
This letter is about eleven very rich white men and one black man, the dirty dozen, who are doing great harm to New Yorkers and particularly those living in New York City. All these men and their companies are big players in the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY).
If we don't aggressively fight REBNY to counter their greed and diminish REBNY's political dominance over New York politics, the future is gloomy for labor unions, rent stabilization, real affordable housing, small businesses, progressive legislation, expanding social services and any semblance of well being for the 99%.
Photo by Nancy Siesel
The dirty dozen are:
(1, 2) Tax cheat Stephen Ross (net worth $7.6 billion) and Bruce Beal of Related Companies
(3) President Trump's close friend and leading rent stabilization opponent Richard LeFrak (net worth $6.3 billion) of LeFrak Organization
(4, 5) Thieves Jerry and Rob Speyer (net worth $3.6 billion) of Tishman Speyer
(6, 7) Thieves David and Jed Walentas (net worth $2.1 billion) of Two Trees Management
(8) Gary Barnett, who wanted "poor door entrances" for lower income tenants in luxury buildings, of Extell Development Company
(9) Slumlord Daniel Brodsky of The Brodsky Organization
(10) Slumlord and White House employee Jared Kushner of Kushner Companies who is President Trump's son-in-law married to Ivanka Trump. (Trump International Realty of New York, headed by daughter Ivanka and son Eric, and its employees are also members of REBNY)
(11) REBNY Chairman Bill Rudin of Rudin Management Co. turned St. Vincent's Hospital into a billion dollar condo complex
(12) REBNY President John Banks, spokesman for the super wealthy bullies and racketeers running REBNY
These men are turning New York into REBNYville, a place known for: slumlords, homelessness, mass evictions and displacement, empty storefronts, dilapidated public housing, warehoused buildings, bulldozed neighborhoods, super-tall skyscrapers, lack of affordable housing, union-busting, corporate criminality, construction worker fatalities, massive corporate welfare and political corruption.
REBNY's rezoning policies are killing NYC and lead to manufactured gentrification; lack of affordable housing; massive displacement; bulldozed neighborhoods, community gardens, and historic buildings.
REBNY is the main bankroller of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) which allows Republicans to control the NYS Senate and prevent or hinder the progress of legislation that benefits women, workers, tenants, civil rights and the overall health and well-being of the 99%.
REBNY's billionaire bullies rake in unneeded billions of dollars in tax abatements and subsidies deemed corporate welfare, supports privatization of public services and undermines public education, public housing, rent stabilization, stability of small businesses and healthcare for all.
REBNY's policies and practices promote 100% open shop on construction jobs and a union-free environment. Members of REBNY's Board of Governors like Stephen Ross (net worth $7.6 billion), Richard LeFrak (net worth $6.3 billion), Jerry and Rob Speyer (net worth $3.9 billion), and David and Jed Walentas (net worth $2.1 billion) think union construction workers are pampered and grossly overpaid!
Photo by Nancy Siesel
Peter Moskowitz, author of "How To Kill A City: Gentrification, Inequality, and The Fight for The Neighborhood" asks these questions: Why does New York's tax code tax a $100 million apartment in one of these new super-tall glass buildings as if it were worth $3 million or $4 million? Why was a good vegetarian Chinese restaurant allowed to be forced out of business when its rent was raised from $5000 to $25,000 a month? Why was St. Vincent's Hospital closed down to make room for a condo development that now takes up the entire block and where apartments go for $20 million?
Let's put REBNY as we know it today out of business so we can put justice in business for all New Yorkers!
Please contribute to the Campaign to Stop REBNY Bullies:
You can make contributions by credit card through PayPal by visiting
www.stoprebnybullies.org
or
Make checks payable to:
Campaign to Stop REBNY Bullies
PO Box 1002 Cooper Station
New York, NY 10276-1002
Let's Confront Power with Power,
Ray Rogers
Director
Campaign to Stop REBNY Bullies
www.stopREBNYbullies.org
Corporate Campaign
www.corporatecampaign.org