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Update — April 2009
Public Conference Call on the Economic StimulusThanks to everyone who joined our first public conference call on March 20th to discuss the economic stimulus and how it would affect New York State and New York City. Leading the discussion were:
They outlined opportunities available in the stimulus for clean energy and green collar job growth, and the need for proper oversight and accountability. We were extremely encouraged by the response to our call. In a few weeks, Urban Agenda plans to host a series of follow up calls to go into more depth on local stimulus funding, update progress on ensuring transparency and accountability, and to take more questions. You can also continue to email questions about the stimulus or suggestions for action to stimuluscall@urbanagenda.org. Information on the call, as well as all our other stimulus resources, can be found here. Quick Links:
Urban Agenda's Visionary Awards 2009Please join us on May 13th as we honor Michael P. Fishman, President of 32BJ Service Employees International Union, David Jones, President and CEO of Community Service Society of New York, and Richard Ravitch, Principal, Ravitch Rice & Co. as our 2009 Visionaries.. Venue: SEIU 32BJ, 101 Avenue of the Americas, New York City 10013 Time: 6.00-9.00 pm Sponsorship and ticket information: www.urbanagenda.org/events.htm FEATURED PARTNERThe Sallan FoundationThe Sallan Foundation envisions a new norm where high performance, energy efficient buildings in New York City are the expectation not the exception. Founded in 2005, the Sallan Foundation applies its knowledge of new urban sustainability ideas and practices to its advocacy for a greener city. Information on its efforts can be found on its website and in its Torchlight commentaries (www.sallan.org).
Nancy was one of a group of activists who brought together unions, business, and environmental justice organizations to form the New York City Apollo Alliance. She has served on its Steering Committee since 2005. SPOTLIGHTNYC Stimulus Tracker LaunchesOver the next year and a half, New York City is expected to receive almost $5 billion dollars as part of the Federal stimulus, the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). While the bulk of these funds will go towards funding crucial existing commitments, like Medicaid, $500 million dollars will go towards infrastructure improvements. From projects that improve the energy efficiency of the building stock, to crucial upgrades to our existing transit infrastructure, stimulus spending has the potential to create good, family-supporting jobs and begin to put New York City's economy back on track. Earlier this month, the New York City Mayor's Office of Operations launched the NYCStat Stimulus Tracker website to publicly account for stimulus spending and quantify the benefits of stimulus-funded projects - including the number of jobs created. As it becomes fully operational, the site will also help clarify the different funding streams that will become available to New York City projects in the coming months, from formula-based allocations, to discretionary grants and competitive awards. The stimulus tracker site reflects the unprecedented degree of transparency and accountability written into the Recovery Act. However, whenever so much money is disbursed, citizens can play an important role in monitoring the reporting process and ensuring that funds are spent in a manner that effectively benefits all New Yorkers. Keep an eye on the stimulus tracker as more project details are released and check out the NYS Stimulus Oversight Working Group's Common Principles for Transparency and Accountability. For more background information on the Federal Stimulus and New York City, visit our Federal Economic Stimulus Page. |
Nancy Anderson, Sallan's Executive Director since its inception, brings diverse skills to her work. A former sociology professor, she has 20 years of experience in New York City government, working on community environmental benefits programs, and serving as environmental advisor to several City Comptrollers. Based on her grassroots experience, Nancy realizes the essential role of communities in creating a sustainable urban environment.