Comments on: How long until the next fare hike? http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/04/10/how-long-until-the-next-fare-hike/ A New York City Subway Blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:09:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Drose http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/04/10/how-long-until-the-next-fare-hike/#comment-32985 Drose Fri, 11 Apr 2008 12:38:02 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=786#comment-32985 The most angered of all New Yorkers by the failure of congestion pricing should be Shelly Silver's constituents. They will be further condemned to having multitudes of toll-avoiding commuters driving each day over the free East River bridges, and clogging up the streets in his district. He had a chance to rectify that situation, and he failed. Of course, he also was able to dole out $7.5mm in goodies to his district, more than all of the Assembly Republicans had to give. So while he preserves his lifetime appointment as Speaker, the day-to-day residents of his district will suffer. Great way to serve your constituents. The most angered of all New Yorkers by the failure of congestion pricing should be Shelly Silver’s constituents. They will be further condemned to having multitudes of toll-avoiding commuters driving each day over the free East River bridges, and clogging up the streets in his district. He had a chance to rectify that situation, and he failed. Of course, he also was able to dole out $7.5mm in goodies to his district, more than all of the Assembly Republicans had to give. So while he preserves his lifetime appointment as Speaker, the day-to-day residents of his district will suffer. Great way to serve your constituents.

]]> By: Marc Shepherd http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/04/10/how-long-until-the-next-fare-hike/#comment-32903 Marc Shepherd Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:34:14 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=786#comment-32903 Yeah, but when the Speaker <em>really</em> wants something, there are ways he can twist arms. It just didn't look like Silver truly cared whether or not this passed. He claimed he supported it, but it was "support" of the most lukewarm kind imaginable. Yeah, but when the Speaker really wants something, there are ways he can twist arms. It just didn’t look like Silver truly cared whether or not this passed. He claimed he supported it, but it was “support” of the most lukewarm kind imaginable.

]]> By: Kid Twist http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/04/10/how-long-until-the-next-fare-hike/#comment-32902 Kid Twist Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:20:55 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=786#comment-32902 Ben, I just don't see this as a personal battle between Silver and the mayor. A major part of Shelly Silver's job as a leader is to represent the Assembly Democrats and to manage the agenda to protect their interests. If there had been widespread public support for congestion pricing, Silver would no doubt have let it come up for a vote. The support was just not there. Outside of a few liberal districts in Manhattan and northern Brooklyn, most people were skeptical about the benefits of the plan and wary of its costs. Their representatives in the legislature knew this and decided that they did not want the plan to go forward. Silver simply covered these legistors' behinds by keeping them from having to go on the record with an up or down vote. Ben, I just don’t see this as a personal battle between Silver and the mayor. A major part of Shelly Silver’s job as a leader is to represent the Assembly Democrats and to manage the agenda to protect their interests. If there had been widespread public support for congestion pricing, Silver would no doubt have let it come up for a vote.

The support was just not there. Outside of a few liberal districts in Manhattan and northern Brooklyn, most people were skeptical about the benefits of the plan and wary of its costs. Their representatives in the legislature knew this and decided that they did not want the plan to go forward. Silver simply covered these legistors’ behinds by keeping them from having to go on the record with an up or down vote.

]]> By: Benjamin Kabak http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/04/10/how-long-until-the-next-fare-hike/#comment-32890 Benjamin Kabak Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:31:42 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=786#comment-32890 I think he just hates Mayor Bloomberg and doesn't feel that Bloomberg played the politics game too well with the congestion pricing proposal. It's a really a shame that New York State politics has been reduced to Shelly Silver's every whim, but that's reality until his constituents vote him out. I think he just hates Mayor Bloomberg and doesn’t feel that Bloomberg played the politics game too well with the congestion pricing proposal. It’s a really a shame that New York State politics has been reduced to Shelly Silver’s every whim, but that’s reality until his constituents vote him out.

]]> By: Marc Shepherd http://secondavenuesagas.com/2008/04/10/how-long-until-the-next-fare-hike/#comment-32889 Marc Shepherd Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:27:47 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=786#comment-32889 Shelly Silver's response is hard to understand. His district is not only in Manhattan, but much of it is along the route the Second Avenue Subway would cover. Why wouldn't he be fighting for a proposal that generates capital dollars to fund, <em>inter alia</em>, the Second Avenue Subway? Shelly Silver’s response is hard to understand. His district is not only in Manhattan, but much of it is along the route the Second Avenue Subway would cover. Why wouldn’t he be fighting for a proposal that generates capital dollars to fund, inter alia, the Second Avenue Subway?

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