Pots And Kettles Show Up For NYC Controller Debate

To David Yassky, John Liu, Melinda Katz and David Weprin's credit, at least they showed up to debate each other. Yet since all of them have a chance at winning, it is simply politics 101 that a candidate attend events that gives free public exposure. Yet when as the Daily News points out that all four Controller hopefuls have similar viewpoints, these debates can get ugly, as they did last night.

This exchange about what races they've run for was quite amusing:

"I emphatically see the controller job, not as a steppingstone but an unbelievable opportunity to change city policy," said City Councilman David Yassky (D-Brooklyn).

Councilman John Liu (D-Queens) scoffed that Yassky recently ran for Congress and Brooklyn district attorney.

"Dave, you've got to admit that this is like the fifth office you've run for in a number of years," Liu said.

But Liu was himself a late entry to the controller race after campaigning much of last year for public advocate.

He infuriated fellow Queens Dem David Weprin when he changed races, and Weprin wasn't about to let that slide.

"I just wanted to point out, since Councilman Liu brought it up about Councilman Yassky, that Councilman Liu was actively running for public advocate for a long period of time prior to announcing, only after Mark Green entered the race, that he was now running for controller," Weprin said.

Weprin agreed with Liu that Yassky had run for too many offices.

When Yassky insisted he had never run for district attorney, and had merely considered a run, Weprin said he attended a DA fund-raiser for Yassky.

"I was supporting you!" he said.

The comedy writes itself, but really, it is sad when four elected officials resort to calling each other out on being stereotypical politicians. Most voters are aware they are this way and for the most part, have accepted it. What they should be talking about is how they'll be effective controllers who will stand up to the overpowering office of the mayor. Though according to the Daily Gotham, you can at the very least cross Katz and Yassky off that list. At least Weprin and Liu have some relevant experience. Perhaps they can talk more about it and over the petty accusations of who has the most slime on their record.

On NYC's Subways, You Can See Something, But Who Can You Say Something To?

Our subway system is one of the most extensive in the world and definitely in the United States. Millions of passengers travel every day on local and the world's only express tracks. And on a sunny day that doesn't include the weekends, they tend to work rather well. Its only when we get some rain, like Wednesday that there can be total shutdowns and a non-existent communication system gets brutally exposed.

Being in Chicago last week, it was great to be able to use my cellphone on the L, and locals that have U.S. Cellular can use their phones anywhere. That means the Chicago Transit Authority can tell commuters if there are problems on the lines and what you can do about it so one isn't stranded in hot and humid stations (like I was last Wednesday waiting for a C train that never came at Penn Station). Local politicians are speaking out for cell service, so that we can hear updated information and even report on things that are suspect, like all those ads and loudspeakers keep saying on the trains.

From AM New York:

Straphangers were left with white dry-erase boards and bullhorns to tell them about subway service during the floods last week.

With spotty platform pay phone service, the MTA could have used wireless service to get the word out about outages, in text messages or emails to devices like BlackBerries, the officials said.

The MTA doesn't have a text or email alert system for New York City Transit outages, except for a weekly weekend service advisory e-mail, but could consider such a program with cell phone access, said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn/Queens).

"There's a mantra they repeat over at the MTA: If you see something, say something," Weiner said. "The problem is that without cell phone service, there's really no way to tell anyone."

Weiner said a cell phone service surcharge is already in place that could fund underground service. The MTA is considering subway cell phone access and companies bid for the work in January 2006, but none has been chosen.

Thats the MTA for you, slow in doing....anything really. Meanwhile customers suffer and despite a billion dollar surplus, their concern is to raise fares and drop untold gobs of cash into a Second Avenue subway line that was started nearly eighty years ago. They could have left the old elevated line in place until an underground tunnel was completed...but that might be considered common sense, and why would we want something like that to be a trait of the MTA?

Cabbies Cry Over New Taxi Technology

A few of the 13,000 NYC taxicabs have already installed the new touch screen monitors for passengers to check weather, news and sports, along with seeing the cab on a GPS map and being able to pay by credit card among other things. It is a step forward for bringing those lunging yellow beasts into the 21st century. Cabbies don't see it that way however.

From New York Business:

....But some drivers do not like the idea. They have raised concerns about the costs of the hardware, credit-card fees and potential working time lost if the systems need repair. Some worry that the global-positioning system will be used to track drivers' movements, although the taxi commission says it will record only the pickup and drop-off points and fare, which drivers already are required to log.

Drivers' concerns about the taxi technology have caught the ears of some City Council members, including Transportation Committee Chairman John Liu. He convened a committee hearing on the issue in January and said he has asked the taxi commission to address such questions as what drivers will pay for credit-card processing, a topic up for discussion Thursday.

''We would like to see these additions in New York cabs, but the benefit to the riding public has to be clear, and the concerns of the drivers have to be mitigated,'' Mr. Liu said in an interview.

The problems Councilman Liu addressed should be fixed if they are there. Otherwise, drivers need to put a sock in it. The technology is a huge benefit for everyone involved. Paying by credit card in emergency situations (or not) is a terrific thing, whether it is for drunks who spent all their cash at the bars or absent-minded sober people who forgot to go to the bank beforehand. It is especially good for tourists who do not know the city as well and can avoid being taken advantage of by a cab. And of course, if you are stuck in traffic, make sure to catch up on all the news out there.