By Alexander Dworkowitz
Downtown Flushing property owners against the proposed Business Improvement District have one last chance to stop the plan, Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing) said last week.
If the majority of the 300 or so men and women who own property in the area of the BID write to the city and express their opposition to the proposal, Liu said he will withdraw his support.
“We want to do what the majority wants,” Liu told a Friday news conference at the headquarters of the Flushing Chinese Business Association. “If for some reason the majority of property owners do not want the BID, I will advocate for its defeat in the City Council.”
Liu's offer was an attempt to prove once and for all that the controversial BID proposal has plenty of support.
For nearly a year, Liu and other community leaders have pushed a BID for downtown Flushing.
Under a BID, landlords pay an annual assessment in exchange for additional services in the business district.
In the case of the Flushing BID, the services would focus on extra trash pickups, although the proposed $380,000 budget also calls for money to be spent on holiday decorations.
The area of the BID would include Main Street from Northern Boulevard to Sanford Avenue, Roosevelt Avenue from Prince Street to Union Street, 39th Avenue from College Point Boulevard to 138th Street and Kissena Boulevard from 41st Avenue to Sanford Avenue.
Earlier this year, Liu's office conducted a survey of the area's property owners. About 75 percent of the landlords indicated they supported the BID, the councilman said.
Despite Liu's claim, a group of property owners formed the Flushing Landlords Federation Against BID, contesting the councilman's survey.
The BID became a political issue with the founder of the landlord organization, Jay Liu, challenging John Liu for his city council seat. Jay Liu, who is not related to the councilman, was knocked off the ballot by the city Board of Elections in late July.
At the press conference, John Liu said 47 people had filed valid objections to the Flushing BID with the city clerk.
While the deadline for filing any more objections has passed, the councilman said the city would still accept them through Aug. 14.
The City Council is scheduled to vote on the BID on Aug. 19.
With both the City Planning Commission and Community Board 7 unanimously approving the BID, the proposal is expected to easily pass the City Council's vote.
“I am very optimistic, very confident, that this plan will be approved by the City Council on that day,” John Liu said.
At the news conference, John Liu was joined by other members of the Flushing BID Steering Committee.
State Assemblyman Barry Grodenchik (D-Flushing) said the BID would prove worthwhile.
“As soon as this BID is up and running and the merchants who are not included see the difference… they are going to be petitioning to join this plan,” he said.
The councilman's offer, however, did not sit well with Jay Liu.
In a phone interview, Jay Liu said he did not have enough time to organize the landlords to file their complaints. But he said if given more time, he could find more than 150 objectors.
“I don't see why it's our responsibility to prove we don't want it, when it's clear there is not enough support,” he said.
Reach reporter Alexander Dworkowitz by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300 Ext. 141.
