BTM and Local Business

The Daily News story on today's press conference on the BTM development addresses the economic impacts of the project. In particular, how the consultants for the developer have argued, as we have discussed elsewhere, that a box store selling $1.4 million worth of food every week would not impact any supermarket in the Bronx or Northern Manhattan.

In response, the Related flack said that this conclusion was drawn from the fact that "Bronx residents make about half of their retail purchases each year outside the borough". This is complete nonsense, particularly for this community where only 24% of the residents own cars (The lowest rate in the city). It is, however, indicative of the meretricious nature of the liars for hire who are supposed to analyze these impacts.