Save Our History : Preservation

     Here's a quote I got from the Astoria Historical Society in New York City who wanted to save the famous Steinway Mansion: "The office of the Queens Borough President listened to our suggestions and agreed they had great merit before stating that no money was available. Currently, the house is up for sale."  
     It reminded me of the lack of interest in saving the few remaining early-Victorian homes in Astoria, circa 1870s.  Compare the pictures below of the same historic house, which is due for demolition (to make way for another low-rise apartment building in an overcrowding area).

     And yet, when Goldman Sachs and the Wall St. banks failed, they received bailout money--taken from the taxpayers--instantaneously!  Also consider a 2009 NY Times article, stating, "A hot dog vendor was kicked from the curb outside NYC's Metropolitan Museum of Art last week for failure to pay his monthly rent of $53,558.  Pasang Sherpa was under contract to pay the Parks Department $362,201 a year for a stand on the south side of the Met's entrance and $280,500 for another on the north side. The pretzel and cupcake carts pay the city about $100,000 each to operate there." Seems like plenty of money coming in...
     Couple that with 2010 NY Times article quoting, "In an era of generous municipal salaries and union-friendly overtime rules, it may not come as a complete shock that there are thousands of MTA employees—8,074, to be precise—who made $100,000 or more last year.  One of those workers, a LIRR conductor who retired in April, made $239,148, about $4,000 more than the authority’s chief financial officer, according to payroll data." 

     The money in the city's coffers should be re-appropriated via public outcry.

     I'm reminded of a movie quote, "When I hear the "privileged" talking, I hear words oozing from a moth-eaten sofa.  They're back in 1746.  They believe that the 40 million people in the country exist to make them comfortable.  They grumble about inconveniences like being deprived of imported bath salts.  They fear "the people" because those "common folk"--who do all the work--may suddenly wonder why they're wasting their lives and risking their futures to keep the "privileged" afloat."