First pledge signed today by Niagara District Councilmember David Rivera! This afternoon Father Jose Claudio, Lourdes Claudio, and Jose Rodriguez of el Nuevo Camino UCC along with Rev. Bruce McKay of Pilgrim St. Lukes UCC were able to meet with him and secure his New Years Resolution to support a Community Benefits Agreement. They had a great conversation with Mr. Rivera, who has been a supporter of a CBA since the beginning, and it is great to know that he pledged to continue that support in 2011.
The group were also able to meet with South District's Mickey Kearns and Lovejoy's Rich Fontana, who, although supportive, remained reluctant to sign a pledge of support. While Fontana said that living wages and low-income housing were issues that caused friction, Bruce McKay and others were able to remind him that the CBA is really about quality jobs and mixed income housing. Quality jobs have several components, and due to the large tax-payer stake in the project and the incentives that are created by public investment, the public has a right to put conditions on that investment to ensure benefit for all.
Before their visit, Reverend Merle Showers from Niagara Frontier City Ministries had also been to City Hall. He was able to meet with Councilmember Darius Pridgen of the Ellicott District. While Pridgen was aware of issues surrounding the fight for a Community Benefits Agreement, and generally supportive, he was unwilling to sign a pledge. He maintained that community leaders would need to stay strong to make the case for why the Council should not compromise on a CBA. Rev. Showers described the huge sums of money that tax payers had provided to benefit anyone who set up a business there, as well as advantages of the location as reasons why they would owe us a great deal. Rev. Merle Showers also spoke of the importance of a Living Wage, to which Councilmember Pridgen responded with strong support.
The group were also able to meet with South District's Mickey Kearns and Lovejoy's Rich Fontana, who, although supportive, remained reluctant to sign a pledge of support. While Fontana said that living wages and low-income housing were issues that caused friction, Bruce McKay and others were able to remind him that the CBA is really about quality jobs and mixed income housing. Quality jobs have several components, and due to the large tax-payer stake in the project and the incentives that are created by public investment, the public has a right to put conditions on that investment to ensure benefit for all.
Before their visit, Reverend Merle Showers from Niagara Frontier City Ministries had also been to City Hall. He was able to meet with Councilmember Darius Pridgen of the Ellicott District. While Pridgen was aware of issues surrounding the fight for a Community Benefits Agreement, and generally supportive, he was unwilling to sign a pledge. He maintained that community leaders would need to stay strong to make the case for why the Council should not compromise on a CBA. Rev. Showers described the huge sums of money that tax payers had provided to benefit anyone who set up a business there, as well as advantages of the location as reasons why they would owe us a great deal. Rev. Merle Showers also spoke of the importance of a Living Wage, to which Councilmember Pridgen responded with strong support.
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