A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in the tri-state region and beyond.
WINNERS
Anker West, Ada Caro, Nell Painter and other Ironbound residents – A group of neighborhood activists of the Ironbound district of Newark, New Jersey are fighting the unchecked approval of unnecessary parking lots in their neighborhood, saying that even though the town’s master plan promotes a walkable city, Newark’s Zoning Board of Adjustment is all too eager to approve the development of “dead space.”
AAA – The organization has endorsed a 12-cent hike in the federal gas tax following its release of a poll that found that 67 percent of Americans support a gas tax increase to fund federal infrastructure projects.
New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer – Comptroller Stringer laid out a five-point sustainable business plan for the Citi Bike program. Though it fails to address the program’s need for a sustainable funding plan, he calls for the adoption of Senator Schumer’s commuter tax benefit legislation to help New Yorkers subsidize their memberships and for integrating the bike-share program into the DOT and MTA’s capital planning processes.
LOSERS
New Haven Line Commuters – For the second time in eight days, the 118 year-old Norwalk River Railroad Bridge failed to close properly after opening to allow a boat to pass, leaving thousands of commuters stranded yet again.
Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe – Despite widespread criticism of the proposed scheme to rescue the Highway Trust Fund from bankruptcy, the Postmaster General has given it his blessing, offering up the United States Postal Service’s Saturday delivery as a sacrifice to House Republicans.
New York City Councilmembers Jumaane Williams, Vincent Ignizio, Eric Ulrich and Steven Matteo – At this afternoon’s City Council meeting, the four councilmembers voted against the home rule message for a 25 mph default speed limit for New York City. Across the four districts that they represent, 25 pedestrians were killed by motorists between 2010 and 2012.
I suggest it might be smarter to get the states to raise their gas taxes and minimize the number of projects with federal funds. The savings in bureaucracy and other issues will mean that residents of the northeast would benefit more from this approach than would raising the federal gas tax which would net transfer funds out of the region.
Please make that thousands of New Have Line *riders*. The bridge’s problematic nature affects more than just “those people.” DJB
I for one don’t find Saturday mail delivery all that important in this day and age.