Soho, the neighborhood that has been forced by city policy to host more movie and TV location shootings than any other neighborhood in New York City with NO COMPENSATION and ONLY AGGRAVATION is now the target of a protest by the Stagehands Union because one owner of one building on Mercer Street between Broome and Spring allows non-union workers to work on commercials that are shot in his building. The stagehand union, where workers average salary is $290,000 a year for moving stuff around, have had 3 guys out there everyday for the last two weeks from 7am to 10 pm blowing whistles and sounding ear shattering sirens with giant blow-up rats on the street and police allowing it as their first amendment right to freedom of speech. It's absurd. It is making our lives unbearable. WE ARE THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEY USE AND ABUSE. Which brings me to the point of this petition. The community of Soho, and any other community in NYC that has their neighborhood used for movie or tv shoots must be compensated financially. As the city gets huge revenues for permits allowing this, the neighborhood that is victimized gets nothing but scorn, inconvenience and loss of business. This is a petition to the mayor demanding he share the revenues he collects from this activity with the community that is forced by the city to host these obnoxious events. And they are obnoxious. Trailers take up all the parking, PA's rudely prevent people from walking down their own block to go home, huge stage lights shine in your window at 4am, engines running all day and night in front of your house spewing carcinogenic exhausts, constant noise and no access for any taxis, cars or even crossing the street. Not to mention the stores who can't receive deliveries and lose business due to access issues. As residents we pay huge Real Estate taxes. Our building is paying over $90,000 a year. We made this neighborhood the tourist attraction and desired film location that it is and now the city reaps all the rewards while we suffer in silence. Noise please. Mr. Mayor - We demand the city share the revenues it collects for film and tv shootings with the neighborhood that is used. This can be achieved by issuing a tax credit or direct money paid to each building that is impacted by the given shoot. We demand this to be enacted or we'll be blowing whistles and sirens outside of your home in protest and keeping with our first amendment right.

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