Originally published in Brooklyn Daily Eagle
In the aftermath of the recent Democratic mayoral
primary, some (although not a lot) of attention was paid to the concession
speech of former Brooklyn-Queens Congressman Anthony Weiner. He maintained that
he had the most innovative ideas of the campaign, but that he was an “imperfect
messenger.” Perhaps to prove this point, he was photographed “giving the
finger” to a reporter.
The strange thing is that Weiner may have been right
about his election platform. A look at his usually-ignored “Keys to the City”
reveals some strikingly innovative, far-reaching ideas. Here are some of them:
·
A single-payer health plan for the
uninsured in New York City. Consider this—several states, such as Vermont and
Massachusetts, have their own health care plans. New York City has more people
than the entire state of Vermont.
·
Push mold elimination requests to the
front of maintenance requests for housing projects. Mold is as toxic today as
lead paint was yesterday.
·
Conduct an air rights audit for New York
City properties, such as schools and police stations. Taking advantage of
unused air rights could add millions to the city treasury.
·
Create a new Mitchell-Lama-type program
to build housing for the middle class similar to the well-known program of the
1960s. Since Mayor Bloomberg took office, it seems that residential
construction is done either for the well-to-do or for low-income people (the
latter often proving a bonanza for politically connected non-profits).
·
Encourage the Housing Authority to buy
energy-efficient lights, boilers and windows that will pay for themselves in
energy costs and save untold amounts in repairs and day-to-day maintenance.
·
End arrests for small amounts of marijuana
that take officers’ attention away from fighting serious crime. The main reason
these laws are on the books is so that officers can show their superiors how
many “collars” they made.
·
Give incentives for experienced teachers
who choose to teach in low-income schools. Nowadays, most teachers who work in these
schools are beginners who are waiting to get tenure so they can transfer out.
·
Eliminate city income taxes for New
Yorkers who make $40,000 or less. This, Weiner said, will cost the city only
“one half of one percent of the total budget, while generating hundreds of
dollars in savings for middle-class and struggling New Yorkers.”
·
Put cab stands for yellow cabs in every
borough. This would make it easier for yellow cabs to find fares in the outer
boroughs and would attract more of them to Brooklyn, the Bronx, etc.
·
Institute “lead time” for pedestrians at
traffic lights, giving them a few seconds of walking time before cars start to
move. This would be a godsend to seniors who can’t walk fast.
·
Give incentives to cab fleet owners who
choose hybrid or other energy-efficient cabs, rather than insisting that all
cabbies drive the same vehicle (the “Taxi of Tomorrow”).
·
Give a bonus to families on food stamps
who buy fresh fruits and vegetables, rather than penalizing those who buy
unhealthy foods.
While
some of these ideas may already be in Mr. de Blasio’s, Mr. Thompson’s or Mr.
Lhota’s playbook, others are probably unique to Mr. Weiner. Just because Weiner’s
personal behavior is suspect doesn’t mean his ideas aren’t worthwhile. If some
of them are put into action, they, rather than the “Carlos Danger” scandal,
could become Anthony Weiner’s most lasting legacy.
