Political Arena

Klein targets Monte’s plans in state budget

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State Sen. Co-Majority Leader Jeff Klein inserted a measure aimed at fighting Montefiore Medical Center’s controversial plans for a large south Riverdale facility in the Senate budget resolution passed on March 13.

The language reads as follows:

“The Senate maintains that in cities with a population of one million or more, the appropriateness of locating a health facility in a geographic area must be taken into consideration in the process of project planning, including projects undertaken within the last State fiscal year.”

Spokespersons from Mr. Klein’s office said the provision could be retroactively applied to let a city or state agency such as the Department of Health determine whether to let Montefiore build the proposed 11-story facility that has outraged community members since it was proposed last fall.

“I’m fighting to change the law, create a new review process for projects like Montefiore’s and stop this development in its tracks,” Mr. Klein said in a statement. “I am pleased that I could bring these concerns to Albany and make real progress on a process that could prevent unwanted projects like this one — and others — from being foisted upon Riverdale ever again.”

The DOH has not issued any statements on the matter since Mr. Klein and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz asked Health Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah to require Montefiore to apply for a Certificate of Need showing the new center would serve a need within the community.

Budget wars heat up

Overall, the state Senate budget turned out to be a bombshell, with an array of mainstream Democrats lambasting the perceived absence of several progressive priorities and the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC) that brought forth the budget in partnership with Republicans touting it as a victory on issues including universal preschool, after-school programs and rent freezes for seniors.

Jeff Klein, Montefiore, Dream Act, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Gustavo Rivera, Adriano Espaillat, Eliot Engel,
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