I wasn't old enough to vote against mayor Mike Bloomberg in '00 or '04, but after reading today's Times, I can say that I would happily support him in '08 if he could run again. The guy has always seemed competent, only about an eighth as obnoxious as Giuliani, and generally interested in doing well for the city. My three major complaints have been that he 1) has deeply flawed views on education, 2) wasn't willing to stick his neck out and turn NYC into a truly green city and 3) is a Republican.
Well, I still don't buy into the small school education philosophy, though that's a post for another day. But he has fought as hard as anyone to get the city our fair share of education funds, and for that I applaud him.
Today we learn that he's pushing for a massive environmental/developmental package that could reshape the city. NYC could and should be the most environmentally friendly city on the planet, and a model for living in the post-fossil fuel world. This (especially the congestion pricing!) is a great first step, and it will be illuminating to see who lines up in support. Were I registered to vote in NY, the position of the candidates for mayor and for local office on this issue in would probably determine my vote more than anything else.
On the other hand, he's still a Republican. I feel dirty complimenting him, so I'll have to go shower now.
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3 comments:
He has an overly strong tendency towards privatization, and I think the place where he's applied it the most is the city school system. This environmental plan looks pretty good, though, assuming we can get the major portions of it enacted.
Best,
JBL
I guess one other thing: it would be nice if some of this were accompanied by a progressivization of the tax code, e.g. if the congestion pricing was tied with a shift in the city income tax. (That might help defuse some of the complaints, for example from Carrion, about congestion pricing's effect on the poor.)
Yeah. I've read lots of complaints about the regressiveness of the tax. I don't really know. For one thing, NYC has an awfully good transportation system, and I think someone, even from a part of the Bronx without mass transit, could drive closer and then take the train in. Additionally, if the tax is going to fund other mass transit, it's going to disproportionately benefit the poor as well.
That being said I'd favor both a more progressive tax code and an eventual total ban on cars in Manhattan.
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