Councilmembers-To-Be Call For Special Sandy Recovery Committee In City Council

The following is a press released from representatives of Councilmen-elect Mark Treyger (Coney Island, Gravesend) and Carlos Menchaca (Sunset Park, Red Hook, Borough Park).

Amid concerns over the slow pace of Superstorm Sandy recover efforts, and waste, fraud and abuse in the billions of dollars of recovery spending, Councilmen-elect Mark Treyger and Carlos Menchaca have called for the creation of a City Council committee dedicated to oversight of Superstorm Sandy Recovery efforts. The two incoming members represent Brooklyn districts that suffered tremendously in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.

“It has been over a year since Superstorm Sandy devastated Coney Island, Sea Gate, Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Bath Beach and costal communities throughout New York City. I have students in my classes who were displaced for over half the year by Sandy,” said Treyger, who teaches Civics at New Utrecht High School in Bensonhurst. “Our families deserve transparency and accountability. Creating a City Council committee dedicated to Sandy recovery will increase oversight of money coming in, make sure those dollars are helping our communities rebuild, create good paying jobs, improve local infrastructure and prepare our costal communities for future storms. This committee, along with Councilman Richards’ bill that creates a mechanism for tracking recovery spending, will go a long way towards ensuring our communities recover as quickly as possible and have a voice in the process. I am proud to partner with Councilmember-elect Carlos Menchaca – who has been a visible, vocal advocate for Sandy impacted families in Red Hook and throughout New York City – in calling for the creation of this incredibly important committee.”

“We must increase the level of organized attention to each of the communities impacted across the City. Small businesses, public housing residents, home owners and apartment renters continue to feel the impacts of Superstorm Sandy today more than a year later. A City Council committee will provide the necessary oversight over our city agencies and ensure federal aid reach the hands of our impacted residents who deserve a just, equitable and sustainable recovery.  Councilmember-elect Treyger and myself are committed to ensure that our districts and other areas affected by Sandy receive the aid and oversight they require,” said Councilmember-elect Carlos Menchaca.