Assemblymember Vivian Cook under fire for plot of land purchased by her nonprofit

Assemblymember Vivian Cook is reportedly under fire for dubious spending, according to the New York Post.

The nonprofit group she headed, the Rockaway Boulevard Local Development Corp., allegedly spent over $500,000 in 2006 to buy a plot of land in Jamaica to build a business resource center.

However, the area on Rockaway Boulevard still remains vacant.

The Post reported that the Port Authority funded the purchase, and agreed to pay the nonprofit $8 million. By 2010, it had paid $2.5 million, but cut off funding after the Post revealed irresponsible spending. After an investigation on the matter, the group shut down.

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Cook did not return calls for comment. Despite the nonprofit being shut down, they have not yet petitioned the state to dissolve, according to the Post, and therefore owe the city over $12,000 in property taxes for the land.

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