STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ
RE: Paris Elections & Bronx Stereotypes
“The
tired, ancient stereotypes about the Bronx continue to unfairly cloud
the minds of people as far away as Paris, France. We in the Bronx have
had enough.
“Crime
has steadily dropped in the Bronx. Last year, the Bronx had the lowest
rate of crime it has seen since the early 1960’s, and this year our
borough is on pace to be even safer.
“And
we’re not just leading the way in crime reduction. Tens of thousands of
new housing units have been constructed here, new businesses are coming
to our borough and the existing businesses are growing. We are leading
the way in ‘green’ construction, with projects like Via Verde. We have
major new projects such as the PGA caliber golf course at Ferry Point
Park and the Kingsbridge National Ice Center, which will add to the list
of reasons, like the new Yankee Stadium, and the New York Botanical
Garden, as to why the Bronx remains an international destination.
“Yet
here we are, once again, forced to defend our hometown from the
slanders and libels of politicians thousands of miles away, in Paris no
less, who are using the Bronx to score cheap political points. Enough
already. While we may not be home to the Eiffel Tower, we are the home
to 1.4 million hardworking people who are proud of their hometown and
how far the Bronx has come.
“The
elected officials of Paris would do well to remember that and focus on
the issues Paris faces today, rather than the issues the Bronx faced
decades ago,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
