State Senator Adams: We need more traffic!

No, this is not a joke: our very own state senator has come up with a "plan" for soaring gas prices:

[S]uspend tolls on bridges and tunnels in the New York City area on major holidays and... give drivers a gas tax rebate of up to $200.

Nevermind that 65% of Eric Adams' district (which includes Park Slope and Windsor Terrace) doesn't own a car. If Adams cared at all, he'd look outside his office window on Flatbush and notice all of his carless constituents dangerously crammed into the B41 bus at rush hour. The line is so over-capacity that it takes illegal dollar vans—many of which are recklessly driven and improperly insured—to fill in the gap.

How about proposing a subway fare holiday? Or expanding bus service? Nope, we need more cars on the road. The buses aren't going slow enough!

Adams, you may recall, also opposed congestion pricing, despite the fact that less than 5% of his district commutes into Manhattan's central business district by car.

Feel free to tell him what you think:

Eric Adams
572 Flatbush Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11225
Phone: (718) 284-4700
Fax: (718) 282-3585

(via Streetsblog)

 

Comments

[Laurel]

No surprise Adams is involved in the plan. However, I am surprised at all the press/air time the proposal has been getting.

I wrote to Adams last year via e-mail to ask about his position on congestion pricing. No one in his office bothered to respond to me directly. Ultimately he (or someone in his office) e-mailed a prepared document to someone else who passed it along to me. This position statement remains posted on the Lefferts Yahoo Group under "files."

Yes, I was a little insulted I did not get a direct response or that he did not join/post to the Lefferts Group in the manner that Major Owens / Chris Owens did. One would think, as Owens did, the Lefferts group might be perceived as a valuable means of communicating with some of his constituency.

I wonder if the proposed rebate will include all the cars and dollar vans illegally registered/insured in PA.

[carrie]

Actually, the one positive thing I can say about Adams is that he's responded to my letters. After I wrote him about congestion pricing, he even came by our house and dropped a (stock) letter off personally.

More importantly, he has responded to criticism on Streetsblog by offering to meet with anyone concerned about this issue at his office on Saturday, June 7, at 10 am. 572 Flatbush Avenue (at Midwood) - (718) 284-4700.

[Phil]

You tree huggers kill me. If you want to live in a horse and carriage town then head back west. I am supportive of both easing congestion and decreasing traffic but in my professional capacity I use my vehicle as my rolling office. THIS IS NEW YORK CITY, not Iowa. I believe that we should explore alternative fuels, purchase hybrids and restructure the transportation system to improve travel in the city however, these things require planning and time. Don't attempt to push your radical eco-conservatism on those of us who would be financially crippled by restrictions on car travel. I believe in transportation alternatives but some of you are extreme and unreasonable with your demands. I also do not believe for a second that a majority of people supported the Congestion Pricing Tax as many of you are spinning. those polls are just as wharped as your understanding of the realities of City living in 2008. I called Sen. Adams and asked that he not support Congestion Pricing and to my surprise, he got on the phone and indicated his opposition to it. I also called his office about a housing issue and once again he personally called me and my neighbors to offer his assistance. His intervention immediately solved a major issue that had gone on for 2 years. I don't know who you guys are calling but I never got that response from a politician before. I don't care who the politician is, I will oppose any plan in 2008 that tries to turn the streets into a pedestrian or bike thruway.

[Charles Star]

I am always amazed at people who respond "go back to ____" whenever confronted with opposition to their cars. You are right - this is New York City - a city with an intricate and fairly comprehensive public transportation system and over 7 million PEOPLE in it, a vast majority of whom don't have cars - and those that do own cars aren't the downtrodden, they are generally more affluent than the straphangers.

Sure, the businesses in the city really need cars - and if you need a car for your business to work, fine - but (a) walkers shouldn't be subsidizing drivers and (b) the city should be designed around the majority of the population, not the entitled minority.

[phil]

Because you don't own a car doesn't make you downtrodden. And you are not subsidizing me or any other regular car commuters. Nice try. If you want to put your cogs on and walk for environmental or health reasons, i say beautiful...go to it. Just don't attempt to villify those of us who continue to struggle and need our cars. I agree, it was wrong to say Go back to ... so instead I say stay here just don't attempt to force feed your transportation philosophy down our throat. Lets start to plan on becoming more eco-friendly and conservation minded. I just don't appreciate the people who talk as if driving a car is a sin and focus on eliminating cars in this city. That is absurd and ridiculous.

[Charles Star]

There is a difference between wanting cars eliminated and wanting cars contextualized. I'm for the latter - and that means designing the streets to accommodate bikes and pedestrians and stop giving financial bonuses to car owners. Every time a car owner is given a break - a gas/toll holiday, a tax rebate, etc. - it is a subsidy from the people who don't own cars and can't benefit from the break.

[dporpentine]

"[D]on't attempt to force feed your transportation philosophy down our throat."

I love the idea that maintaining the status quo isn't forcing a transportation philosophy down "our [bizarrely singular] throat"--especially when it's a status quo that provides all kinds of subsidies for cars, a massive source of air pollution, something that does, in fact, go down "our [bizarrely singular] throat."

[Ron]

Seemed to me that congestion pricing was about relieving congestion in mid and lower Manhattan and to hell with the rest of the city. The happiest people in the world, under congestion pricing, would have been those who could pay the $8 without a thought, have the road to themselves and no riff-raff hogging up scant parking spaces.

As for Sen. Adams, seems to me his strong suit has been his understanding of the police department and how it impacts the lives of those who used to be called the other New York, i.e., the ones who get profiled and frisked, i.e., like many in his east-of-the-park part of the district.

BrooklynRon

[carrie]

Ron wrote: The happiest people in the world, under congestion pricing, would have been those who could pay the $8 without a thought

The Manhattanites who don't drive daily to work (ie, the vast majority) have also gotta love the additional funding for public transit, cleaner air, and less congested streets (a boon not just for commuters but cyclists, bus riders, cab users, local residents and businesses).

[Matt]

This guy Adams is a complete hack and I am making sure I tell everyone of his ridiculous ideas on transportation for this city. He is up for reelection this year and I will make a special effort to vote him out personally. I hope everyone else does the same.

I emailed his office during the congestion pricing debacle and gave him a lengthy piece of my mind because of his lack of support for the plan. We had some heated back and forth. I also called his office when I heard about this new thing he is trying to do along with the Park Slope issue. I essentially told him that I will do everything in my power to make sure he is not reelected. Obviously he never let me know of the meeting that he planned even though I was heated in my opposition.

I am going to call again today to give him another piece of my mind. I hope others do as well. Lets make this his own personal "Friday the 13th".

All the best,

Matt

[carrie]

I don't know how comprehensive it is, but Gotham Gazette's database of candidates for NY elected offices doesn't show anyone else currently running for state senate district 21.
http://www.gothamgazette.com/city/campaigns/

*Sigh*

[Senator Eric Adams]

Dear Matt;

Your rendition of our email exchange is strongly different from mine. I will never engage in "heated" communications with any one in my senatorial district. I simply explained my positions and listened to you articulate yours.

In regard to the meeting that was held last Saturday, I posted the meeting on "Streetblog" and sent out an e-blast to over 3,000 email addresses. The meeting was open to all.

I want you and the entire community to know that you do not have to wait for a meeting to see me face to face. You can stop by my office or I will come by your home. My life is public and an open book. I don't live on the pages of blogs.
.
Matt, I left my personal cell phone on your answering service. Please feel free to contact me and share your concerns. I am not afraid of human engagement.

Anyone can remain hidden behind a blog name or phone number. If you truly have strong concerns and ideas that you will like to share, I will be in my office tomorrow Saturday, at 11:30 AM. Please stop by and have a face to face discussion. We can also arrange to meet on Sunday before I go back to Albany in the evening.

I spent 21 years of my life as a police officer communicating with all residents of New York. I am extremely comfortable in conveying the things I know, and learning the things I don't know.

If your goal is to improve transportation in this city, then stop giving us "a piece of your mind" and start giving us some of your ideas and time. I have come to learn that children rant and adults communicate.


Best

Eric
NYS Senator

[David Cohen]

Just as I stated on Streetblog, I am so glad that Senator Adams responded to Matt. I am sure Matt will not take the Senator up on his offer, because some people don't really want to move from a place of disagreement.

Matt you may not know it, but Senator Adams is an ex-cop. As a cop, not only did he fight bad guys but he also fought for fairness in the NYPD. If he was not afraid to go up against his bosses, then I am sure he is not afraid of you "giving him a piece of your mind." In fact the thought seems laughable.

You almost come across as a spoil wining brat throwing a temper tantrum.

"Lets make this his own personal Friday the 13th". Wow this statement seems a little over the top.

Have you ever reached out to meet with Senator Adams, or you just send emails. Did the Senator refuse to meet with you? From what I read in his reply, he is willing to come to your home.

Your tone appears to be like you are scolding the Senator. Senator Adams is a grown man with an impressive career. Just maybe you can get more done if you stop yelling and start talking. I think we all can learn from what he has stated.

Those of us in the alternate transportation movement need to educate and create partnerships with progressive elected officials. I truly believe this is one area that we have fallen short. It is one thing to throw tomatoes at them and yell, but what do we do when they state "I hear you."

Senator Adams stated it best, if an elected official is not where we want them to be then we should educate them. Like it our not Matt, WE NEED ALLIES THAT ARE LEGISLATORS."

Good environmentalists are not born they are made. You can't make any elected official a good environmentalist merely by giving them a "PIECE OF YOUR MIND." We also will not agree on everything. Heck, I don't agree with myself all the time, so why should I believe that I am going to agree with a politician all of the time.

I said it before and I will continue to say I really like this Senator.

I don't see any other elected official out there that is as active as this Senator. Remember he is a freshman Senator. Will he make mistakes? You darn right he will. That is what freshman do. There isn't any one of us that has started a job and did not stumble at some point in the beginning.

And for the record Matt, while you are out doing all that you can to prevent him from being re-elected, I am going to do all that I can (and more) to make sure he is my Senator. I will meet you on the campaign trail.

David