Elevate the Heights!!
In a longer than expected hiatus, Elevate the Heights is back. First of all thanks to all of the folks who involved themselves in trying to stop the MTA. The fight put Washington Heights on the map as a community that will not take things lying down. We were committed and willing to fight one of the biggest giants in this city and in the process built a large coalition representing much of our neighborhood.
Indeed we lost the battle to stop the MTA from cutting the 22 elevator operators but now is the time to put the MTA's "feet to the fire." Now is the time for the hard work. We need to keep our eyes on the elevators and report all of the problems to the MTA that they said would not happen and that Washington Heights was only overreacting. We are beginning to see signs that they have lied to us...again. Although we were told that the cuts would not go into effect until January 18, they went into effect even before the vote of December 18. Elevate the Heights have been getting reports of problems...people getting stuck in elevators, increased graffiti,
more people just hanging around near the elevators and more.
The Washington Heights community and Elevate the Heights need to respond to this situation. We need to set up a way for people to voice the problems they are experiencing, documenting these incidents and reporting them to the media, the MTA, our community
board and the "electeds" and any one who can influence and reverse this cut in service. It may be helpful to our cause that State Comptroller Hevesi is looking into the abuses of the MTA (and other
authorities).
Immediately what we need is:
People to be contacting Elevate the Heights about
problems they and their neighbors are having related to the elevators (on the elevators, waiting for them, in the area around the elevators).
Setting up a list of numbers for people to call to
make complaints to about the elevators, followed with a means of distributing this information.
Increase the number of people involved in this
coalition.
Setting up a coordinating group to work on these
issues and expanding the ideas of what can to be done.
Work on the web page to make it a functioning tool
for organizing.

There are NYCT and MTA meetings in the next few weeks and there are plans for some of us to go to that meeting to let the MTA know what is going on in Washington Heights and for us to express our concerns, annoyance, anger, etc. about what is going on. We look forward to hearing from you and you plans for being
involved further in this coalition. We want to know what is going on
with your elevator experiences and how you want to help in this
continued struggle against the elevator cuts. You can reach us at
riseup@elevatetheheights.org or 212-942-6910. Thank you.
Debra Klaber, Elevate the Heights