BATTERY PARK CITY — Elected officials are taking the growing fight for more local representation in the Battery Park City Authority — the state agency that oversees Battery Park City — to the New York State Legislature.
State Sen. Daniel Squadron and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick have introduced a bill that would require a majority of BPCA members to live in the area, the legislators announced Tuesday.
The announcement comes as controversy has increasingly swirled around some of the agency's actions, including cutting Park Enforcement Patrol Officers in favor of private security without any community input and ousting a beloved operator of the North Cove Marina, along with the longtime executive director of the Battery Park City Conservancy.
The BPCA, a seven-member board, now has only one member who lives in Battery Park City. The governor is responsible for nominating board members, and the New York State Senate gives final approval.
Squadron and other local officials, as well as community leaders have long called for better representation of local needs from the authority.
This year, six of the seven board seats are up for reappointment.
"Battery Park City has changed; the Battery Park City Authority should change with it," said Squadron in a statement. "It’s a fundamental value that communities should have a say in the decisions affecting them. Lower Manhattan residents should have that opportunity in Battery Park City."
Community Board 1 also lent its support to the new legislation, passing a resolution at its full board meeting Tuesday evening that called on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to choose a majority of BPCA members who live in Battery Park City, and who represent a cross section of social and economic levels.
Some residents have also started an online petition asking the governor to support local representation.
In a statement to DNAinfo, the BPCA said: "We are fortunate to have a Board of devoted and well accomplished individuals with diverse professional backgrounds who have consistently served the Authority well. The choice of candidates for the Board is entirely within the purview of the Governor with a confirmation process in the Senate. We have complete confidence that Governor Cuomo will continue to select members of the highest caliber."
Cuomo's office said it will review the bill.
