Forest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards to Blame, in Part For Looming Con EdisonRecord Rate Hike

During Project Approval State Said Atlantic Yards Would Not Significantly Impact Electrical Infrastructure

NEW YORK, NY— When your Con Edison electric bill goes up 17% to 36% you can thank Bruce Ratner and his Atlantic Yards project.

According to a NY1 news report about yesterday’s State Assembly hearing over a proposed Con Edison rate hike, it would be the largest rate hike Con Ed has ever proposed. And according to Con Ed officials the Atlantic Yards mega-project, is partly to blame. From NY1’s report:

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...Con Ed came before a State Assembly committee to explain the rate hike. Officials argued Wednesday the system is strapped and that massive projects like the Atlantic Yards in Brooklynwill burden the system even more...

“New Yorkers can thank Bruce Ratner and his ‘Atlantic Yards’ project, in part, for what appears to be a looming record Con Ed rate hike,” said Develop Don’t Destroy spokesman Daniel Goldstein. “While New York taxpayers are forced to subsidize Forest City Ratner’s project so the developer can make enormous profits, the taxpayers are forced to pay again with a huge electric bill increase. You can be sure that nobody will subsidize those new bills.”

“When the State studied this very issue last year, when it came to Atlantic Yards and the electrical grid, they said, basically, ‘Don’t worry. No problem.’ Clearly they were wrong and misleading the public” Goldstein said.

While the rate hike made news today, the states’ Atlantic Yards Environmental Impact Statement (which is currently under litigation) approved last year by the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC), determined that there would be no significant impact from the project on electricity infrastructure. The “Infrastructure” chapter of the State’s environmental review concluded that:

The proposed project would increase demands on electricity and gas. However, relative to the capacity of these systems and the current levels of service within New York City, these increases in demand would be insignificant. Improvements are also proposed by Consolidated Edison and Keyspan with respect to the local electric and gas distribution grids that would improve service to the project site. In addition, new electrical and gas lines are proposed within the beds of streets that would be reconstructed as part of the proposed project. It is therefore concluded that the demands of the proposed project would not result in a significant impact on the supplies of electricity and gas in the region or the City as a whole, and with the proposed improvement to the distribution network, no impact would occur locally with respect to electrical or gas utilities. For these reasons, the proposed project is not expected to significantly adversely impact energy systems.

Comments

Why not blame "Lesnick the Lion-hearted" for this too. You blame him for everything else. The rate increase is clearly as a result of his plan to raise the Con ed transmission lines to bring his road from the Sprain the Ridge hill for his canoe dream.

Con Ed can ask for a huge increase. But that doesn't mean the s.o.b.'s are gonna get it. Con Ed is terrible. They are like the YPS. They want more and more money for doing the same bad job.

Chuckles Lesnick, the Green Man and chief checker of light bulbs and wastebaskets in City Hall (not kidding), will be proved partially responsible for any Con Ed rate hike---as well as for polluting Sprain Lake. Snooze 12 is right now preparing an exclusive report.

But they are first working on their McDow "Drive-By" special. It will feature Janine Rose "Live from a dark and dumpy alley in Yonkers."

Now here's a really Yonkers story.

The Administration is MOANING about ALBANY and its lack of funds for Yonkers on one side of the page and on its website and on the other side we are letting RATner have a lease worth about $500 million dollars for $26 million. This is being facilitated by the Mayor who sits as the head of the IDA Board. So if the RHDC is allowed to sell the lease for $26 million we will get nothing next year and it will be back to the old Marx Brothers routine. Funny, because it is the Mayor who complains that we don't get enough from Albany, but he himself is giving away millions in future payments to plug his budget hole.

So he wants it both ways.
Why does he not have a petition up on the City website to stop this madness, because it is he who is doing it.

Who in the Comptrollers Office or the Ag's Office will stop this madness and save the taxpayers of Yonkers from this madness?

HOLIDAY NEWS ITEMS

1. About 25 new Yonkers cops graduate Academy yesterday. Congrats to all.

2. Peter Kelly's new X20 restaurant on the Pier has "unofficial opening" party tomorrow. Invitation only. Official opening, June 12. Tomorrow's valet parking will be handled by Council member Pat McDow and an unnamed assistant.

3. In what BOE brass claim is a deliberate acknowledgement of a prominent part of Yonkers' history, YPS scores continue to drop like an Otis elevator.

4. Pat McDow was not caught in an alley last night.

5. Republican city chairman Zehy Jereis was not indicted yesterday. Neither were Sandy Annabi or John Spencer. To celebrate, all three are allegedly plotting to steal hubcaps from X20's parking area during tomorrow's party.

6. Dennis Robertson readies "contracts and consulting" defense in preparing for mayoral campaign. Robertson anticipates being on the defensive for months. Robertson explains, "I must work on my defense. But I have no trouble being offensive. Being offensive is natural for me. And for Liam too."

7. Mayor Phil Amicone reports his first campaign contribution from an unspecified donor was a set of Lincoln Logs -- not a Lincoln Continental, which was alleged by Spencer, Vincenza Restiano and Liam McLaughlin.

8. Vincenza Restiano says she is glad "The Sopranos" will end soon. Sources quote Restiano as stating: "I had to speak up because Gregory didn't like it. He doesn't like those Mafia shows. And what Gregory wants, Gregory gets."

9. Chuckles Lesnick sends get-well card to fellow camera hog Chuck Schumer, who developed Lyme Disease after being bitten by a tick, appropriately during a "woodsy" press conference. While Schumer will recover, the unfortunate tick remains in critical condition.

Lesnick reportedly wrote Schumer that he himself fears being bitten---by Sprain Lake jellyfish attached to the bottom of his canoe. Undeterred, and hoping to take advantage of tomorrow's news coverage, Lesnick plans to paddle past X20 followed by seven Sarah Lawrernce students in their own canoes.

From his perch on the river, and while wearing a Ringo Starr wig, Lesnick will perform an original composition called "Drums Along the Hudson."

10. An unabashed fan of Lesnick, notorious Greenburgh Dominatrix Gina Pane, says she is not surprised by Lesnick's canoe adventures. Pane reports that -- "It's fitting, because Chuck always liked paddles."

[BAldy]

Yes, here is the issue that we should talk about.

Our Mayor, because this is an election year and he wants to avoid budget questions, sold us out again.

We were supposed to get $5 million per year for 70 years from the deal that was supposedly made for the RHDC lease. Now, we'll get money this year to let the Mayor avoid any discussion about the budget.

Another great "business" decision by Amicone and the geniuses around him.

$500 million for $26 if the above poster is right.

And where are our council people? Why aren't they screaming? Do they even look at what this guy is doing?

Hey Dennis, want an issue? This one is sitting there right in front of you!

BAldy

BAldy is like a busted clock.
By accident, he is right twice a day.

But this isn't one of those times.

BAldy is now buying Liam McLaughlin's
line of bull. Which is the same
as Spencer and Robertson's.
Doesn't BAldy have better taste?

BAldy is like a busted clock.
By accident, he is right twice a day.

But this isn't one of those times.

[BAldy]

So what is the truth about the Ridge hill deal?

BAldy

Why rock the boat? Lesnick and McDow are more fun on a long weekend.

If you read today's paper, you will see McLaughlin is unhappy that virtually no one has been attending the open budget hearings. Which means residents are satisfied with this year's budget. That doesn't make Liam happy.

McLaughlin, Spencer and Robertson (who are one and the same) want to create an issue. So they try to fan the flames, but no one cares what they say. No one, except maybe BAldy, is falling for their transparent and misguided ploy.

[BAldy]

Why should we rock the boat? You're right. Everything is going along swimmingly for the Mayor and his merry group.

$500 million = $28 million.

That's OK. It's only our money.

At that rate the $3.1 billion downtown renovation will be worth about $180 million.

But that's OK because the Mayor will be re-elected. And that's what it's all about.

BAldy

Whatever Baldy says must be true.

He was so right about Doran being THE candidate to support, wasn't he? So now Baldy can join Spencer's campaign. Or Robertson's, or Liam's. Or Restiano's. They are all the same.

[BAldy]

Why don't you guys EVER answer a question?

I know, I know.

Because you don't have to.

BAldy

Don't worry folks I'm doing everything I can to stop this Ridge Hill Developement Corporation deal.

In Amicon math the poster is right $28 million = %500 million and Amicon say's he's an engineer and not a politician. Hem! wonder where he learned Math and where he went to college.

Hairy in Yonkers

The "Sunday comics" Mc Laugh-In, Annabi and Robertson are desperate.

They are trying to create a budget issue where none exists. It is gutter politics at its worst, and their motivation is obvious. Mc Laugh-In and Robertson both do Spencer's bidding. Robertson also dreams that he can be mayor, and Annabi is Annabi. Just an empty hair-do who also is under Federal investigation.

Their tactics really ARE comical.

With McLaughlin, Robertson and Annabi playing games it looks like this years budget will be voted by the four responcible Council members, Barbato and Murtaugh and the two who Hezi loves to ridicule, Lesnick and McDow.

[BAldy]

More "shots" at people asking questions.

No "answers" from the Administration.

We taxpayers really do deserve answers.

BAldy

BAldy, Here is a novel idea for your consideration. Why don't you acquaint yourself with the facts and issues by reading about them and by following Council meetings and mayoral statements?

Instead, you go on the Trib site and constantly ask people to respond to you and you alone, even though both the issues and the answers to your questions are already widely known by anyone who is as interested in them as you claim to be. Which makes your questions suspect to begin with.

But if you really do want special treatment and/or education, why don't you hire someone to do analyses for you?

Maybe your fallen idol, the ex-Judge Doran, is available.

The Amicone defenders are clearly out in force covering their leader's a** this weekend. Mighty big job for a holiday weekend!
The Ridge Hill deal is worse than "Dollar Phil's" original proposal to sell Chicken Island & environs for $1.00.
The JN article today only had it partly right, as usual. Where did the $6.5 million a year recurring revenue that Phil & Co. (including Dennis, Liam & McDow) touted as a reason to support Ridge Hill disappear to? (of course it was more like a couple of million after the Ridge Hill private boy's club took its cut, but no matter). Was it down the N-Valley hole, or maybe at the botton of Sprain Lake?
And why aren't Murtagh & Barbato, the original Ridge Hill critics, "making waves" about it????

Robertson, the original, "Lad o'the Lake," said today he might introduce a resolution to rescind the Ridge Hill vote!
Go for it Dennis, you have nothing to lose.
Will John & Dee support such a resolution? How about Chuckles? And let's not forget the former "anti-Ridge Hill" crowd.
Now that's a litmus test for you!
Only in Yonkers, folks, only in Yonkers.

[BAldy]

I guess I have a few other people asking the same questions today.

You know, if you had half a brain, you'd actually try to answer them. These answers aren't for me. I know the answers.

Here's this one:
Amicone made another bad decision.

$500 million gone. Money that was supposed to be coming into the City over the next 70 years, gone for political expediency.

That's the answer.

As for Doran, he's gone too. I'm sorry that he is because I had hope for him.

At one point in the past, I had hope for Amicone. I think that is why I'm so disappointed in him.

But, I'll live with it...as I live with you.

Neither of you tries to give explanations. You don't have to. You're in office.

BAldy

Baldy, you are on the right tractk that is why posters consistently try to deflect attention from your questions.
Apparently the Controller's office has serious concerns about the Ridge Hill deal. Maybe all is not "lost" in Yonkers...

Another story you won't see on Snooze 12 or the Journal Snooze:
How much taxpayer money is going into Peter Kelly's new restaurant? You can bet there will be plenty of glowing PR about the grand opening,
Rumor has it Kelly put in only $350k of private money, the rest of the bill is being footed by the taxpayers.
And what was Phil's response when asked by the Real Estate Committee to provide information about the financing?
Ask a consultant, Dan Marsh. Apparently he's the only one who knows where all that money is coming from.
He's the same development guru that brought us the Riverfront Library deal that plugged last year's budget hole, with Mr. Ed's help, of course.
Considering the Pier Development Corp is headquartered in City Hall, with Mrijaj, LaPerche & Tutoni as the only board members, that's a pretty shaky story, don't ya think? Shaky as the ole' Pier itself, which needs shoring up to stay afloat, according to Pinto at the budget hearings.

At least the anti-Baldy, Hairy, posted somewhere above. Eveyone wanted the Ridge HIll Development Corp. to fold. This was such a BIG issue. But now they sing a different tune, off-key.

The budget is balanced, but Liam and the other two stooges want to dismantle it and stir up much ado about nothing.

Re: Baldy, whose hero Doran had feet of clay. Baldy is, as expected, exposed as a phony. He now admits he asks questions he already knows the answers to, but then wails when he doesn't get those "questions" answered.

Join a local amateur theater group, Baldy. One which accepts neophytes.

Did Robertson complete high school, or does he have a GED? That may explain some of his dumbness. He is just the guy to be threatening now to flip-flop on Ridge Hill, which as everyone knows he and Liam both supported all the way.

They will posture and think they are fooling the residents, but their sour reputations precede them, and are well-known. Their current machinations are transparent, stupid and self-destructive.

These two and their boss Spencer are birds of a feather---Dodo birds.

Sandy Wannabee should be worried about Michael Garcia. You know, the US Attorney. He is after both her and Jereis, among a few others.

There is a story going around that Jeanine Pirro may be indicted soon. If so, how far down into the Spano organization will the chain of evidence flow?

Yes, everyone wants the RIDGE HILL DEV CORP to fold, that doesn't mean RIDGE HILL aka RATner couldn't continue to pay that $6.5 million, OR MORE, directly to the City of Yonkers every year. Indeed the lease is worth even more NOW THAT RATNER OWNS THE LAND OUTRIGHT.
But you know that already.
Keep spewing out your half-baked excuses on the taxpayer's dime (guess you're earning overtime this weekend?) NO ONE IS BUYING