Mayor de Blasio shook up his senior communications staff on Monday (Politico, NYDN, NY Post), which is what you do when you're running for president — which the Post editorial board thinks is the most laughable thing it has ever heard.
The internet, of course, long ago started acting like de Blasio isn't even mayor anymore. There is, of course, ample evidence that Hizzoner has checked out: his lack of commitment on even signature programs such as the Queens Boulevard redesign, his disregard for placard corruption and reckless police driving, his begrudging, once-a-week press avails, his lack of leadership on congestion pricing, his handing off the $4-billion reconstruction of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to a blue ribbon panel...the list goes on and on. So, yes, he's probably running (he'd better be, or he has some esplainin' to do...)
Meanwhile, here's the news of the day:
- Wow, Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch threw a stinkbomb in the garden party with a Daily News op-ed demanding congestion pricing carveouts for cops. But in a rare editorial, Streetsblog told him what we think of his idea. And our news pages also covered the fallout. Gridlock Sam Schwartz reminded everyone that cops don't get an exemption on other New York area tolls, so they shouldn't get one here (Gothamist).
- Now that New York has approved a London-style congestion pricing plan, the London media is trolling us to do more! (ARTNews)
- Ever wonder what Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez is doing when he's not doing his job and busting drivers for leaving the scene of crashes? Now we know. (NY Post)
- A woman was run over by a bus — a bus! — on a poorly designed roadway in Battery Park City last week. And yet the Tribeca Trib somehow found a way to blame Citi Bike.
- We really wish Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would stop giving so much ammunition to her detractors. Her comments on the merits of the D.C. subway system over New York's earned the wrath they received. (NYDN)
- Here's a fun read about early subway graffiti. (amNY)
- And finally, we are begging you to watch this Reddit video of a cop thinking he knows how to ride a dirt bike when he obviously does not. Come for the laughs, stay for the larger point about police hubris and lack of connection to the community supposedly being served. Gothamist and the Post had it, too.
