Mike Bloomberg - Greater Greater Washington

Ban big sodas in DC?

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 08:45:00 EDT

At an at-large debate, Michael Brown, Vincent Orange, and David Grosso all expressed support for a ban on large sodas like the one NYC Mayor Bloomberg has been pushing. The issue arose at an at-large debate. (Post)

Comment

Soda tax would boost public health (May 18, 2010)
New Council structure announced; Wells joins key committee (Dec 24, 2008)
Crowded at-large Council race could help Orange win (Jan 4, 2012)
For District of Columbia Council (Aug 31, 2010)
Most sitting councilmembers absent on campaign finance (Mar 7, 2012)

Fewer, smaller gulps?

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 15:42:00 EDT

by Thaddeus Bell

To reduce high levels of obesity and its associated costs, New York mayor Bloomberg wants to ban the sale of most sugary drinks above 16 ounces. The soda industry is already moving to counter the proposal. (NYT)

Comment

Soda tax would boost public health (May 18, 2010)
Can NYC build me a personal garage too? (Jan 2, 2008)
New York's DC USA, but with a ferry instead of Metro (Aug 14, 2008)
Obama supports congestion pricing (Mar 28, 2008)
Good ideas almost everyone wants (Mar 27, 2006)

And...

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:05:00 EDT

by Eric Fidler

Construction of NYC's 2nd Ave subway has advanced 29 blocks in 16 months. (WSJ) ... New York has more economic, diplomatic, political, and cultural clout than a lot of sovereign countries. (Atlantic Cities) ... Take free walking tours and biking tours this weekend and next weekend all throughout DC.

Comment

WalkingTown DC schedule (Apr 11, 2008)
Past and future chances to walk and bike (Sep 21, 2010)
Fall WalkingTown DC visual schedule (Sep 5, 2008)
What to do for Car-Free Day? (May 28, 2008)
WalkingTown tomorrow (Sep 19, 2008)

Two mayors on parking

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:09:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Mayor Bloomberg proposed better multispace meters that offer pay-by-phone, as well as an amnesty program to collect some of the $700 million in outstanding tickets. On the other coast, Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco opposes extending meter hours past the existing early end time of 6 pm. (Daily News, Streetsblog SF, Michael P)

Comment

(Some) DC teachers want to vote; (some) NY teachers want to park

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:26:00 EDT

by David Alpert

Teachers displeased with their union's decision not to even hold a vote on Michelle Rhee's proposed two-track contract have launched a petition. It criticizes the WTU's decision as driven by the loudest voices in the room, and calls for a secret ballot vote. Via DC Teacher Chic.

Illegal teacher parking on NYC's Upper West Side. Photo from UncivilSevants.org.

It's the season for undemocratic behavior, as Mayor Bloomberg's plan to extend his own term limits (and the City Council's) without a referendum gains a key political supporter; the Examiner's education columnist lambastes Rhee's sudden firing of a principal, Bloomberg's decision on term limits, and New York teachers union president Randi Weingarten's endorsement of Bloomberg's action.

Term limits aren't the only hot topic in New York education; things are also heating up over the Mayor's decision to drastically cut free parking permits given out to, and frequently misused by, public employees. A teacher ', '1315')" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/traffic/2008/10/09/2008-10-09_traffic_forecast_for_thursday_oct_9.html
">wrote to NYC's Gridlock Sam, dismayed that his or her school's permits were dropping from 120 to 52. Sam replied:

Frankly, I don't know why the mayor allows any parking permits for teachers. We have a great transit system, and, somehow, private-sector workers, including local merchants, get to work in even the remotest locations without permits.

(Some) teachers bombarded Sam with angry emails, like this one ', '1315')" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/traffic/2008/10/13/2008-10-13_traffic_forecast_for_oct_13_2008.html
">he published this morning:

I teach in a school with 100 staff members near the George Washington Bridge. About a third of our staff commutes from New Jersey and 10% commute from Connecticut, Westchester, or Long Island. We went from 50 to just 13 permits. Using public transit is extremely difficult for those having to travel long distances at a very early hour. The reduced number of permits has created a real problem.

Sam responded:

Boy, did I anger a lot of teachers with my lack of sympathy for their parking permit reduction. My answer to you, Jeff, is the same I'd give to any teacher. I don't see any compelling reason to give a teacher a permit when bodega employees and office workers somehow manage to get to work all over the city with no permits. Many use transit. And in your case, several Metropolitan Transportation Authority and NJTransit buses and the A train serve the area, along with multiple opportunities for connections from other parts of the city.

If only Sam were so staunchly pro-transit when it comes to Chevy Chase, Maryland.

11 comments

Teachers' union playing NIMBY role (Aug 19, 2008)
UFT disappoints on parking (Jan 8, 2008)
Can NYC build me a personal garage too? (Jan 2, 2008)
New York's DC USA, but with a ferry instead of Metro (Aug 14, 2008)
Can Mt. Pleasant parking be pleasant but fair? (Sep 18, 2009)

Breakfast links: streets for people edition

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:42:47 EDT

by David Alpert

Bogotá's Ciclovía. Photo by themikebot
on Flickr.

Outdoor seating causes rapes? Cleveland Park ANC Commissioner Frank Winstead was in top form Monday night to oppose late-night outdoor seating at Comet Ping Pong, arguing that it would "turn [the neigborhood] into Adams Morgan, with the murders [and] the rapes." From Marc Fisher's summary, it sounds like Winstead's crusade and the resulting publicity may have actually helped Comet by building sympathy.

This is what visionary transportation leadership looks like: NYC DOT's Jeannette Sadik-Khan has convinced Mayor Bloomberg to try a car-free boulevard on three Saturdays in August, modeled on Bogotá's extremely successful Ciclovía. Streetsblog has video of the announcement. Too bad our Mayor still wants more street space for cars and DDOT lacks coherent policy leadership. Could DC do something on Car-Free Day?

Fairfax subsidizes employees living far from Fairfax: Some Fairfax police officers get county cars to drive home, even when they live far outside the county, reports the Post. This forces the county to spend huge sums on gas, tolls and maintenance. And the cars mostly go to detectives and commanders, not patrol officers. "Once members of the department are given a take-home car, they then move far away from the county," said one officer. Democratic candidate Gerry Connolly is quoted opposing the wasteful practice.

Obama hasn't stopped talking about rail or bikes: On Monday, the candidate said, "We can invest in rail, so that cities like Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis are connected by high-speed trains, and folks have alternatives to air travel." Via Matthew Yglesias. He also told bicycle advocates he would support bicycle and pedestrian funding, reports Streetsblog.

Comment

The war on pedestrians continues (May 29, 2008)
Is Chevy Chase's anti-pedestrianism DDOT's fault? (May 30, 2008)
No Mo'neme (Jul 23, 2008)
DDOT may restore two-way traffic on 15th Street (Jan 10, 2008)
Morning update: ANCs and transit ballot propositions (Nov 5, 2008)

NYC will crack down on placard abuse

Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:15:40 EDT

by David Alpert

A year-long campaign by TA and other livable streets activists has paid off in a very short time: the Bloomberg Administration (which, lately, has been very good on transportation issues not involving the Yankees), is Yankees), is restricting the number of parking placards and stepping up enforcement.

Comment

Can NYC build me a personal garage too? (Jan 2, 2008)
DC versus New York (Mar 6, 2008)
New York's DC USA, but with a ferry instead of Metro (Aug 14, 2008)
Obama supports congestion pricing (Mar 28, 2008)
UFT disappoints on parking (Jan 8, 2008)

Can NYC build me a personal garage too?

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:42:00 EDT

by David Alpert

As even more lurid details emerge of New York's $340 million giveaway for Yankees parking—that's right, entirely for parking—we learn that 70 million will go entirely to build a free garage reserved for Yankees and their guests, with no revenue ever being collected to pay back the city; that the total amount the team is paying the city for rent will decrease; and the company building the garages has defaulted on other municipally granted bonds in the past.

Next week: responding to news reports that George Steinbrenner sneezed while looking generally in the direction of New Jersey, Mayor Bloomberg announces that New York will be shutting down the #4 train, which will henceforth only run on-demand private service between Yankee Stadium and anywhere that the Yankees want to go. To offset the loss of this subway line, the city will put pictures of trains on the tops of the new garages.

Comment

DC versus New York (Mar 6, 2008)
More than a thousand words (Mar 27, 2006)
DC USA garage still mostly empty (May 19, 2008)
Weekend reading: "Taking my talents to South Beach" (Jul 18, 2010)
"There is not going to be a Quaker Oats Metro station" (Feb 29, 2008)

Good ideas almost everyone wants

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 01:22:52 EDT

by David Alpert

The New York Times came out in favor of congestion pricing. Local business leaders want it, activist groups want it... but Bloomberg still doesn't.

Closing the Central Park loop drive to traffic: another great idea. Area residents want it, local politicians want it... but DOT commissioner Iris Weinshall insists it's impractical.

These are two good ideas whose times have come. Too bad neither one involves building a new sports stadium.

Comment

Bravo Gale (Apr 15, 2006)
Closing the bowtie (Oct 12, 2006)
A backbone for people and bicycles (Nov 22, 2005)
Congestion pricing: an idea whose time is coming (Nov 11, 2005)
They're smart up in Boston (May 20, 2005)