Local Elected Officials’ Statement on LICH

We’ve received this statement about the SUNY deal with Fortis concerning Long Island College Hospital from the office of State Senator Daniel Squadron (photo). It is also signed by Assemblywoman Joan Millman, and Councilmembers Brad Lander, Steve Levin, and Carlos Menchaca:

We are distressed that SUNY has yet again ignored the needs of the community. At every step we have called for the best possible healthcare services at the LICH site, and at every step SUNY has refused to heed our calls, costing the state tens of millions and denying Brooklyn the vital healthcare it needs. While this agreement includes some healthcare services, it falls far short of a full-service hospital. And it does not resume immediate ambulance service, nor require an independent community needs assessment. We will continue to stand with the community, and urge SUNY and all parties to work collaboratively to meet the needs of the neighborhood and all of Brooklyn.

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  • Roberto

    Here’s the game plan for Governor Cuomo, SUNY and his comrades in the developer sector: replace a million square feet of a medical care facility with 90,000 square feet. Do the math.

    Thousands and thousands of new residents in Brooklyn and, presto chango, the guardians of luxury condo interests remove a critical, full-service hospital without blinking.
    Too bad that we will see people die because of this hole in the social fabric.

  • Andrew Porter

    Didn’t we all know that we were going to be screwed by SUNY on this? No surprise.

  • LICH watcher

    SUNY – deceitful and incompetent- is not the whole problem. They have marching orders from the Governor who has NEVER had the courage or leadership to talk to his constituents. Either he knows deep down that closing LICH is a bad public health policy or he would rather be in the good graces of the development sector – or a certain entity within. Worse yet perhaps he just doesn’t think the citizens of western Brooklyn are worthy of his time and energy. Whatever Cuomo’s motives are in the LICH situation – having an 18 month debacle play out under his watch – is not a positive chapter in Cuomo’s resume.

  • e

    Would be nice if our local elected officials could actually affect outcomes in matters important to the community, instead of just putting out statements about them . . . . This goes for many issues (LICH, condo overdevelopment in Brooklyn Bridge Park, endless helicopter traffic, etc.).

  • Maik Obermuller

    Agreed! These politicians are bums that get into to office for one reason and one reason only, get paid. They use their office for their own interests. They use their office to put out statements that the people want to hear but have no effect on the problem they refer to.

    Politics is a game and the citizens are the losers.