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( f o M M U N I T Y pMyerson Goes To Bat For The City%u2019s Artists Who Live In LoftsBess Myerson, NYC Commissioner of Cultural Affairs testifed publicly Nov. 12 before the New York City Loft Board and George Dole, chairman of the body, noted that Myerson was the first commissioner to appear before the bbard to express the concerns of her constituency and the people of New York City. Following are her remarks:I want to thank Chairman George Dole for the opportunity to appear before you today and to share with you some concerns that I have, as Commissioner of Cultural Affairs and as someone deeply committed to the continued pre-eminence of New York City as the cultural center of our country.This special position has come to New York largely through the unequalled numbers of artists who have chosen to live and work here. They constitute one of our most precious natural resources, a resource as important as our green spaces and our clean drinking water. And like most other resources, our artists are in danger. Except for a very few fortunate individuals, artists live financially precarious lives. They do not receive tremendous monetary rewards for their work, living modestly but fiercely dedicated to their work.Perhaps chief among artist concerns in our crowded and expensive city has long been the need for places to live and work. The 1964 preamble to Article 7-B of the multiple dwelling code recognizes not only the importance of artists to our city but also the critical need for joint living-working spaces for artists. At the time, there was feared an exodus of creative artists out of New York. Twenty-two years later, we are confronting the real and present danger of yet another exodus. We must not let this happen. We must retain our artist population and continue to attract newartists to our city. Central to this effort is the preservation of joint live-work lofts for artists.Artists%u2019 living and working needs and patterns are sufficiently different from other loft dwellers. Artists do not live in lofts in order to have spacious and luxurious living places or to have now-fashionable addresses. Artists live in lofts because they require an appropriate working environment %u2014 large open space, tall ceilings, freight elevators, the freedom to work whenever the creative urge demands.Artists are creative workers, the manufacturing division of an industry that produces close to six billion dollars for the area%u2019s economy. Moreover, a joint live-work space is more than an economic necessity or a logistical convenience for creative artists. Studies by the National Endowment for the Arts have clearly documented that artists with joint live-work spaces produce more and are more successful professionally than artists with separate living and working spaces.Artists have a profoundly important and profoundly simple job to perform for society: They should oe producing art. They should not be forced to dedicate inordinant amounts of time to appearing before the loft board or in court. Landlord harrassment, legal fees, time encroachments threaten to drive artists from the city depleting our cultural resources and diminishing our pre-eminence.I would like to address two specific issues that are of great concern to me and to the artist community of New York:The first is harassment. We strongly urge the loft board to retain the penalty for harassment delineated in Article 7-C of the multiple dwelling law. The redraft currently being considered by the loft board, which would allow an owner to apply for termination of aBess Myerson, appearing before theLoft Board.This space is a preciousnonrenewable commodity.Live-work spaces must beprotected, as must the rightsand security of artists occupying these spaces.harassment finding one year after the ruling, would clearly be detrimental to the interests of artist-tenants.The language of 7-C is clear: %u201cThe opportunity for decontrol or market rentals shall not be available to an owner found guilty by the loft board of harassment of tenants.%u201d The loss of the opportunity to profit by decontrol is one of the strongest anti-harassment incentives available. The amended rule would correspondingly be almost an encouragement to harassment, because the likely financial benefit to the owner would so far outweigh any punishment.The second issue of concern is registration by landlords for interim multiple dwellings. We ask that artists who were in place and in compliance with the date for registration for Article 7-C but have not been grandfathered be allowed to remain in their lofts and be given the full protection of Article 7-C. Owners who failed to register their buildings where tenants are now seeking 7-C coverage should be held accountable. Owners who did not register should be given an other opportunity to do so.As Article 7-C, which became effective in June of 1982, stresses there is a %u201cserious public emergency%u201d to be found in the wholescale conversion of loft buildings to residential use. For the artist-manufacturer occupying a joint live-work loft, this space is a precious nonrenewable commodity. Livework spaces must be protected, as must the rights and security of artists occupying such spaces.I urge the loft board to continue to adhere to the protective and supportive spirit of article 7-C. We must not remove the %u201cArtists Welcome%u201d sign for which our city is famous and which has contributed so importantly to its greatness.The NYC Loft Board was legislated into existence in 1982 with the passing of article 7-C which brought about rent stabilization for loft residents. Prior to New York State legislation in 1964 (Article-7B) legalized conversion, utilization, and regulation of loft space in manufacturing districts for residency in cities with populations of over two million.Talk On Central AmericaAlexander Cockbum, a columnist at The Nation, and the Rev. Phil Wheaton, of the Ecumenical Program for Inter-American Communication and Action, will speak in Park Slope Dec. 5 on U.S. media coverage of Central America.The program is being sponsored jointly by the Park Slope Forum and the Brooklyn Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador. The meeting will be held at the Community Center, 415 7th St. and begins at 7:30pm. A $3 donation is requested. Call 768-0953 for more details.Tally Says M ontalto LosesThe final count in the Slope/Bay Ridge State Senate race between incumbent GOP candidate, Chris Mega, and the Democratic insurgent, Joe Montalto, is in and, according to the Brooklyn Board of Elections, Mega won with 1,663 votes.Despite Montalto%u2019s impoundment of the results, Mega tallied 26,734 votes and Montalto came in with 25,071. Two years ago, Montalto, who was then the incumbent, lost by 4,828 votes.Marietta Lagoury, of the Brooklyn Board of Elections, says that the board is now waiting to certify the results. Before that can occur, however, a State Supreme Court judge has to see the candidates. %u201cOnce that happens, it will all be over,%u201d says Lagoury.Corruption Forum PlannedThe Brooklyn chapter of Common Cause will be holding a meeting Nov. 30 to discuss whether corruption in New York City%u2019s government can be prevented. Guest speakers at the meeting will include City Councilmembers Susan Alter from Flatbush, Steve DiBrienza from Park Slope/South Brooklyn and Abe Gerges from Downtown Brooklyn.The meeting will be held in the communityroom at 75 Henry St. in Brooklyn Heights and is scheduled to begin at 3pm.Owens Wants InvestigationCentral Brooklyn Congressmember Major Owens has called on Governor Cuomo to initiate an investigation of the Patrolmen%u2019s Benevolent Association (PBA) following what Owens calls %u201cterrorism by neglect%u201d when the police force implemented its slowdown in reaction to Commissioner Benjamin Ward%u2019s anti-corruption rotation plan.%u201cCommissioner Ben Ward%u2019s rotation plan is a widely used, practical, and common sense approach to the problem of corruption,%u201d says Owens. %u201cTTiis negative campaign of terror by neglect is designed to intimidate and blackmail the elected officials who are ultimately responsible for the safety of the citizens of New York City.%u201dOwens, whose 12th Congressional District is the site of the 77th Precinct, which is the present target of a corruption investigation,says the police behavior was an %u201cextremist response%u201d that indicates the New York City Police Force is out of control and therefore requires %u201cimmediate State Government intervention.%u201dNew Bosses For LiberalsThe Kings County Liberal Party elected Harris Spinardi and Kenneth Boss as cochairmen Nov. 17 during the party%u2019s monthly meeting.Spinardi is an active union leader, affiliated with District Council 37, and is employed by the City of New York. Boss is an attorney and former real estate broker. He is also the Secretary of the Norman Thomas Branch of the Socialist Party of the United States of America.The county committee meets once a month at its temporary headquarters at 10 Sidney Place. Call 875-8744 for more information.Miller Looks Like The Solid Choice For Speaker InBY ROB TAYLORPark Slope/Flatbush Assemblymember Mel Miller%u2019s bid for Assembly Speaker has %u201csolidified%u201d now that Queens Assemblymember Alan Hevesi has dropped from the race, and Miller aides say he should have the 48 required votes this week.With Miller rapidly gaining the lead in the race, Hevesi%u2019s decision to drop out in favor of Nassau Assemblymember Arthur Kremer is being interpreted as a %u201cstop Miller effort,%u201d says Joni Yoswein, District Leader from Miller%u2019s 44th A.D. %u201cThey obviously did it out of desperation,%u201d she adds.Miller is now looking at the support from 18 of the 19 Assemblymembers from Brooklyn; Bedford-Stuyvesant Assemblymember A1 Vann was supporting Alan Hevesi trom Qut :ns. Miller%u2019s election to the post would mark theA n n n A A i i f i t r A f l r v %u00bb n 4 K a T A n m A ochosen a Brooklyn member to lead the Assembly since Stanley Stemgut was first chosen in 1935.Since Stanley Fink, the current Speaker, announced his resignation earlier this year, Miller has been busy lining up support for hissuccession bid as a %u201cmajor mover%u201d on the Democratic State Assembly campaign committee, according to Slope/Windsor Terrace Assemblymember Jim Brennan. %u201cMy understanding is that Mel has been taking nothing for granted,%u201d he adds, %u201cand he doesn%u2019t have the 48 votes yet to make it so he%u2019s out trying to pull in his support.%u201dWith 94 Democrats in the Assembly, Miller needs a simple majority to gain the post. For the moment, his main operatives, Norman Adler, political director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and Anthony Genovesi, Fink%u2019s former political aide who was recently elected to Fink%u2019s Canarsie seat, claim Miller has about 45 votes. Last week. Miller picked up 11 of Manhattan%u2019s 12 Democratic Assemblymembers and, according to/ C %u00ab ..* U D M %u00ab 1 r1 ..n / D %u00ab . . D i / l ^ AIMI / UVUdtl (->1 WtUJf (JV4 kAV * VU%u00bb AW M V V* J VUU> 1KUIQ |%u00abv>son and Walsh is well qualified,%u201d says Brennan. %u201cBut, Mel is well respected professionally and is also a dose, personal associate of Stanley Fink.%u201dNovember 27,1986, THE PHOENIX, Page 35