Comments on: Today’s Headlines

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:26:56 +0000

So… without the editorial commentary, you’re saying there will be no referendums on the ballot when I go vote next week?

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:14:04 +0000

“Are there any transit-related ballot referendums here in NYC?”

There is no initiative and referendum at the state level. The only successful initiative and referendum at the city level since its creation as part of the 1989 charter is term limits.

I predict the City Council will eliminate initiative and referendum soon after its re-election next November, to ensure term limits do not come back.

Then it will eliminate term limits, or at least extend them to eight terms.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:13:18 +0000

Are there any transit-related ballot referendums here in NYC?

By: Paco

Paco — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:00:02 +0000

Mark… How about i more bike racks were on every corner, as common as lampposts and meters. maybe that would help serve as barriers too. I don’t want rogue cars destroying bikes… but i’d much rather see a locked up bike destroyed than a sidewalk pedestrian rundown.

By: Mark Walker

Mark Walker — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:55:04 +0000

The story about the car crashing into the restaurant on the Upper West Side made my blood run cold. First of all, I’ve eaten in that restaurant. And in that neighborhood, lots of restaurants move tables and chairs onto the sidewalk in warmer weather. Under those circumstances, a rogue SUV could easily kill or injure a dozen people. All of our sidewalks need bollards and other forms of physical protection with real stopping power. If a car hits a metal bollard set into the pavement, he has an airbag to cushion the blow. All peds and diners have are our soft, squishy, vulnerable bodies.

By: brent

brent — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:49:24 +0000

More on Friday’s Deadly Traffic Violence
3 incidents of manslaughter. 0 arrests= backwards society.

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:34:42 +0000

Forget the millionaire’s tax. The proposed 1.75% tax increase, supposedly on millionaires only, is going to be in place from the bottom of the income distribution to the top. New York City income tax increases will be on top of that Property taxes are going up. Sales taxes are going up. Federal income taxes are going up.

Pay and benefits for new public employees are going to be cut. (That’s why the unions are so glad the state legislature passed a measure making the forced collection of dues from younger employees permanent for all time). The unions will encourage them to do a worse job to make up for it, where that is possible. And public services are going to collapse.

All to pay for the “very good deal” prior generations have arranged for themselves.

By: the transport politic

the transport politic — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:27:22 +0000

Also in the news: a number of referendums about transit being put in front of voters on November 4th. Take a look at them at the transport politic.