Subject: Re: [lpny_manhattan] Cabaret laws and the DCA
Date: Wed, 25 Jun 2003 22:23:30 -0400
To:        <lpny_manhattan@yahoogroups.com>
From:     Bob Armstrong <bob@cosy.com>
 
 I got to the hearing after Thomas had left but about the time
 public comments began . I was speaker 48 of 61 .

 This had to have been the most entertaining part of the hearings=
 .
 The women tended to be the most theatric - a scene only=
 possible
 in NYC . The speakers ( and singers and poets ) were=
 unanimously
 and at time boisterously for simply killing this indefensible
 law . No one defended it .

 Scott Jeffery spoke , relating the 'youth empowerment' platform=
 ,
 totally libertarian in content , that he had run for governor=
 on
 for an unnamed party .

 I chatted with Scott some , commenting on that fact , and that=
 I
 was sorry he had split with the party , but , of course , I'm a
 pretty accepting fellow , fairly tolerant of slow learners .

 I also chatted with Jason of Black Cat and commiserated about=
 what
 horrid weekend weather we've had .

 When I spoke , after saying hi to Commissioner Gretchen Dykstra
 who I last saw in Introductory Anthropology at Miami of Ohio an
 amazing number of years ago , I said , that tho this topic was
 actually outside my portfolio as drug affairs director , it was
 another victimless crime , and therefore related .  I said I=
 was
 in essence standing in for Jak Karako , who's really into tango=
 ,
 and who had come to NYC from Turkey expecting Liberty . What he
 found instead caused him to be central in reactivating the
 Manhattan Libertarian Party . Then I got too theoretic , and=
 ran
 out of time just managing to close with the observation that
 laws like this which are not based on harm by one citizen of
 another are only good for generating corruption .
 
 Gretchen is still the best looking thing in the room . 

 There was one other speaker who used the term "libertarian" in
 his rant .


 I also chatted with Alan Gerson before he left , thanking him=
 in
 particular for his battle , and it is a battle , to start
 breaking down the horrendous fortress the police department has
 created around itself down here . Members of the city council
 themselves are finding the department answerable to no one and
 arrogantly unconcerned about the traffic jams their closure of
 Park Row and other important streets cause , and the insane and
 demeaning martial law the south west corner of Chinatown 
 continues to live under .

 After the hearings , I chatted quite extensively with Alan's
 Chief of Staff on the way back toward City Hall where he caught
 the subway . He commented on the rising visiblity of the
 Libertarians , and suggested that the LP look to cross=
 endorsing
 as a means to greater influence citing how effective the=
 Working
 Family Party has been with that tactic . 


 There are appearing some cracks in the march of the nanny
 police . Many of the speakers , with an international
 perspective , gave the city real reason to worry about any=
 claim
 to being a world center of culture and creativity .

--
On Thu, 26 Jun 2003 00:15:26 -0000, trukslp wrote:
>=A0My thanks to Bob for the note on the DCA hearings.
>=A0I dropped by only briefly to check on the commentary.
>
>=A0Legalize Dancing was present, along with Norman Siegal, various=
 club
>=A0owners, and interested parties.
>
>=A0Councilman Alan Gerson arrived from other business and though
>=A0speaking out of both sides of the mouth made sure on one side=
 to
>=A0praise nightlife and the need to recognize the lawfulness of=
 dancing.
>=A0(I note on the agenda that Community Board members including=
 Anthony
>=A0Borreli were listed.)
>
>=A0The hearing was fairly civilized.
>
>=A0Written comments may be sent to
>=A0Commissioner Gretchen Dykstra
>=A0The NYC Department of Consumer Affairs
>=A0Cabaret Team
>=A042 Broadway, 8th Floor
>=A0NY, NY 10004
>
>=A0Cabarets@dca.nyc.gov
>
>=A0Small reports in the paper explained that many comments=
 addressed the
>=A0side topic of the harm the smoking bans have had on business.
>
>=A0I saw at the hearing there were copies of simple arguments for=
 the
>=A0repeal of the cabaret law by NY Nightlife Association, Robert
>=A0Bookman, Counsel.
>=A0The DCA seems to want to expand licensing and regulation by=
 revising
>=A0the laws to address health, safety, and quality of life=
 issues.
>=A0Mr. Bookman notes that even after a repeal of the cabaret laws,=
 there
>=A0would still be abundant regulation in the form of Zoning laws,
>=A0Building and Fire codes, liquor licensing, health codes, and=
 laws
>=A0against noise...
>
>=A0Repealing the cabaret laws would be a first step for a more=
 friendly
>=A0nightlife business environment.

--=A0
=A0Bob Armstrong -- http://CoSy.com -- 212-285-1864
Newsletter : http://cosy.com/K/CoSy/NL200305.htm
Ultimate Computing Environment : =A0http://cosy.com/K/CoSy.htm=A0
A WTC vision : http://cosy.com/CoSy/ConicAllConnect/
=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A02003/06/25 8:24:26 PM