Kallos Proposes New Regulation to Deal with Negligent Drivers
City Councilman Ben Kallos (D-Yorkville, Lenox Hill) has introduced new legislation that would make it easier to prosecute drivers who don’t follow safety regulations.
The proposal comes on the heels of reports of two Brooklyn drivers who were caught on camera steering onto the sidewalk to bypass school traffic, almost hitting several children in the process. It would equip school buses with “stop-arm cameras” that record drivers as they pass by, and the recordings would be promptly transferred to authorities.
“I would love to see New York City and New York State catch up to other jurisdictions to keep children and parents safe, but I would also like us to become a leader,” said Kallos.
Johnson Releases Statement on Cuomo and de Blasio’s Congestion Pricing Announcement
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen) released a statement yesterday sharing his thoughts on Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo’s joint announcement regarding congestion pricing.
De Blasio and Cuomo announced a ten-point proposal for overhauling the MTA, which included the implementation of congestion pricing – making it the first time that de Blasio has endorsed the idea. Johnson, however, was unimpressed, claiming that it “falls short” of what the City needs to improve its transit system.
“Today’s announcement, much of which is not new, falls far short of the bold vision we need to address our City’s mass transit crisis,” said Johnson. “While I am glad to see the Mayor finally taking an interest in congestion pricing and the Governor being open to MTA reform, I strongly disagree with the idea that giving the State more control of City generated revenue and our transit infrastructure is going to magically solve our problems this time around. I am not convinced and I will have more to say on this soon – stay tuned.”
Chin, Levine Support Pied-á-Terre Tax
City Council Members Margaret Chin (D-Battery Park, Chinatown) and Mark Levine (D-Manhattanville, Manhattan Valley) announced earlier this week that they would be introducing a resolution that imposes a pied-á-terre tax on the City.
The tax would impose an annual surcharge on temporary homes worth $5 million or more. The proposal comes on the heels of the news of Ken Griffin purchasing a penthouse near Central Park for a record-breaking $239 million.
“There are owners and part-time residents who are benefiting from a whole list of services, like police and fire, but they are not contributing a penny of income tax to our services,” said Levine.
