Same as the Jersey component of congestion pricing. This is in fact the definition of stagnation, not equality, but people with existing privilege seem to buy into it heart and soul.

Neither has a car. Both take transit. Both live at a distance which would allow them to ride a bicycle to work. Would the DOE even allow them to take their bikes into the classroom, and provide something to lock it to, if that’s what they wanted? They accomodate the car, don’t they?

Well, that sounds like a collective bargaining issue. But providing the free metrocard and bike lockup wouldn’t benefit those driving in from Long Island, and wouldn’t enhance the pension. Therefore it would be “unfair” to use whatever resources the city has available for that purpose, because the suburban drivers would then get a lower share of the benefit.

That’s the mentality. Those who already have more get an even greater advantage in good years (because it doesn’t cost younger people anything — it’s free) and deserve equality based on EQUAL CHANGE regardless of where you started otherwise.

The majority of teachers care about their jobs, and like being teachers.

And a large share of the teachers do not drive to work, and would probably love a Metrocard as part of their compensation.

And a siginficant share of those who do drive would probably love to see the city develop a dynamic carpool system that would either allow them to earn money taking other people to work, or give up a car (having none for a single or just one for a family) by having someone else drive them from home to work for the equivalent of a transit fare.

But who matters in the United Federation of Teachers?

Those who are retired, are about to retire, like to pretend they are already retired, and commute from the suburbs by car. And the distribution of compensation AMONG teachers reflects that.

Lots of teachers in my ‘hood. Some drive, but most do not. What do they get?

On the contrary, placards are not a “cheap perk”. The parking space represented by the placards is actually extremely valuable, as demonstrated by the importance placed on them by unions. If parking spaces were not occupied by placard-holders, they could be sold at a handsome price indeed. In addition, teachers’ driving has plenty of negative externalities, including noise, pollution, and congestion. To call all of this “cheap” is just wrong; just because the cost is not carried on the city’s books does not mean that it’s not very real and paid by every citizen of the city.

As far as the idea that teachers don’t abuse their placards; it’s just not true. See e.g. here

And no, there isn’t the subway and train capacity if everyone stopped driving into the city

Yes, there is. Please stop spreading disinformation. Besides, most of the schools are outside the central business district, where there is significant excess transit capacity.

The city struggles to keep the teachers they have particularly in the poorer parts of the city . The placards are one of the few really good cheap perks the city has for the teachers. They could pay the teachers more, but that would raise my taxes. I’m happy to see them with free parking. Unlike the cops they don’t seem to abuse them- probably because they are only good at times while they are working. The city should make an effort to promote car pooling to the schools. A good way to promote car pooling would be to toll all the bridges but provide a big discount for car poolers. The higher price of gas is going to provide a good incentive to car pool. (And no, there isn’t the subway and train capacity if everyone stopped driving into the city).

If their free parking is not eliminated, it should be taxed. If teachers don’t have to pay for parking like any other commuter, that freebie should be considered income. IRS??

The result is that the kids are disembarking away from the curb, which is dangerous, and there’s tons of double parking, which causes great congestion.

As for the teachers, I have to say that I rarely see thess used anywhere other than in the school parking zone during school hours.

But these should not be free perks – I would love if they made employees pay for the placards and use the money raised for giving the other folks free unlimited Metrocards.

For a lot of suburban (and some city-dwelling) teachers, driving is a way of life. For others, it’s either quicker or cheaper than a commuter train and then a subway.

The good news: teachers who work out on the Island can bike to work, since by state law NYC government jobs (or most of them) are available to those living in the suburbs, but the suburbs can limit such jobs in their communities to those living locally.

Having people live so far away hurts in a number of ways. They have more difficulty getting to work in inclement weather. They are less likely to give that extra effort after school if they have a long ride home.

And, after being lousy teachers for the first couple of years before climbing the learning curve, they are more likely to leave — to reduce their commute — leaving the city’s kids to absorb another green teacher. I’ve heard differential pay as a reason NYC public employees leave for suburban jobs. But none of the teachers or other public employees who live in my neighborhood have done so. None.

I pass nothing but teacher’s cars on the street in front of a school as I walk to the subway every morning.