Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Lhota calls on City Council to support Staten Island ferry service increase


  This came in from the Joe Lhota for mayor campaign. 
You may ask why am I putting up an item on Staten Island from Republican Mayoral candidate Joe Lhota in the Bronx. The answer is that in today's Daily News there is an article that Joe Lhota has been to Staten Island 7 times since the primary, while Bill deBlasio has only been there once. Obviously Bill deBlasio knows where to spend his time, and that is not in Republican rich Staten Island where he will receive the lowest number of votes. I have been told that deBlasio will soon be visiting the Bronx several times, and I will soon be getting that schedule. As for Joe Lhota visiting the Bronx, with less than 4,000 total Bronx Republican votes cast on primary day Thursday's headline of my column in the Bronx News and Parkchester News is titled "Will Joe Lhota come to the Bronx"?
Also - Note the date of the vote listed as September 9.

  Mayoral candidate Joe Lhota today called on the City Council to vote in favor of expanding Staten Island ferry service to half hour increments during nights and weekends.  The vote will take place today, Wednesday, September 9.  
The Staten Island Ferry remains one of the only means of public transportation to and from Staten Island.  Current law forces residents who take the ferry during off-hours to wait an hour after 1 or 2 a.m. during the week and after 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
“It’s unfair, outrageous and wrong that Staten Island residents are forced to wait an hour in between ferry rides during the off hours, especially when residents in other boroughs have access for more frequent subway service,” said Mr. Lhota, who implemented free Staten Island Ferry service as the City’s budget director.  “I call on the City Council to end this borough inequity by voting to increase the frequency of Staten Island ferry service.”
Mr. Lhota has been a vocal advocate of increasing ferry service for Staten Islanders. In June, Mr. Lhota submitted testimony to the City Council urging half-hour service on nights and weekends.
"This legislation is about more than an extra boat an hour," Councilman James Oddo said. "This is about telling Staten Island residents and commuters that help is on the way and it should be a clear signal to those looking to invest in the revitalization of the North Shore that Staten Island is open  for business."
 

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