The following is a Daily News article:
An angryly divided community board has voted to support a controversial tax break for a Midwood supermarket.
Supporters and opponents of the $2 million tax break for Moisha’s Discount Supermarket clashed at a raucous Community Board 12 meeting Tuesday night over the plan – and allegations district manager Wolf Sender lied to city officials when he said the board supported the subsidy, even though members had never considered it.
“Stop trying to knock people that are trying to bring costs down,” said Zvi Gluck, 30. “They’re pillars of the community….People cannot afford to go to the high-end supermarkets.”
City officials say the market qualifies for breaks targeted at neighborhoods desperate for fresh food, even though there are 10 other supermarkets in the area.
[NOTE FROM MOISHA’S: The 10 markets around the store are not large supermarkets and do not carry kosher dairy, meat and fresh fish products. While our neighborhood is multi-ethnic it is predominately Jewish orthodox. Moisha’s Supermarkets serves their needs for all fresh kosher products. The Fresh IDA Program is not ONLY for fruits and vegetables.]
The vote to support Moisha’s – which passed with 29 yes votes and six opponents abstaining in protest – came after a tumultuous meeting interrupted by screaming matches between board members and residents.
Sender was a no-show at the meeting, prompting chants of “Where is Wolf?” from some in the audience. CB12’s chairman read an apology on his behalf.
“He is employed by our city and he lied,” said neighbor Natalie Denicola. “He should be held accountable and be stripped of [his position].”
Board member Jacob Haas countered with a theatrical speech hailing the district manager as “our great hero,” adding, “how could people in good conscience go and tread on as pure a soul as Wolf Sender?”
Store owner Moisha Binik said the city would benefit in the long run because his expansion would generate sales tax revenues.
“We found on the Internet that they were offering the credit,” he said. “We didn’t have any political people work for us.”
(Source: NY Daily News)
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One Response
This meeting served no purpose since the Community Board has no role in either the granting of the tax incentive or in the approval of the stores expansion which is as of right. Moishas does not need a variance to build.
If there was an issue to be deceided the Board members should vote based on the merits of the case, not the merits of the man behind the issue.
I shop at the store and support the expansion, but that meeting was a complete fiasco.