MTR 293, ...While Enviros Pass on NY Transpo Bond

Issue 293

November 6, 2000

...While Enviros Pass on NY Transpo Bond

In contrast, environmental groups in New York have generally stayed away from NY's Ballot Question #1, the transportation bond act. That's because NY State DOT's highway program is not bound by any legislative guidelines that would restrain sprawl- and traffic-causing highway expansion. Thus, the bond act sets a trap for green groups - they can back needed city transit funding along with increased funding for potentially harmful highway projects, or they can reject bad elements in the DOT program at the expense of mass transit. Public interest groups whose focus is confined to New York City and mass transit are backing the bond, along with major newspapers, most city elected officials and suburban and upstate business and road industry groups favoring more highway development. Opponents generally point to the state's heavy debt burden or the absence of clear transit benefits for their local area.

The final sides on NY State Transportation Bond Act (Proposal #1 on the ballot) were chosen last week. The NY Times and Daily News wrote on the issue this week, urging a yes vote. A pro-bond press conference by State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assembly colleagues was bumped off of most news pages late in the week by Mayor Giuliani's comments that essentially withdrew his endorsement of the act.

See the box to the right for a summary of the $3.8 billion bond act backers and detractors who we've heard from or seen mentioned in the press:

For

Brooklyn BP, Howard Golden

Committee for Safe Roads and Better Transportation (representing transportation industry companies).

Daily News

Manhattan BP, C. Virginia Fields

Long Island Association

General Contractors Ass.

NYC Public Advocate Mark Green

NYS Comptroller Carl McCall

Newsday

New York Times

Governor George Pataki

Regional Plan Association

Straphangers Campaign

Transportation Alternatives

Against Assembly Member Michael Bragman

Citizens Budget Commission

NY City Council Member Ken Fisher

NY Motorists Association

S.I. Borough President Guy Molinari

Crain's New York Business

Journal-News

New York Conservative Party

New York Post