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Jesse Coburn

Jesse Coburn is Streetsblog’s investigative reporter. He won the George Polk Award in 2024 for his investigative series on the black market for temporary license plates. Previously he was a reporter at Newsday and an editor at ARCH+. He has also written for the New York Times, the Baltimore Sun, Harper’s, Cabinet, Motherboard and other publications.

Legislation Introduced in Georgia to Fight Temporary License Plate Fraud

The bill is the most significant effort yet to stop the flow of fraudulent paper tags from Georgia car dealerships to New York City streets.

February 23, 2024

No License Plates? No Problem! Scofflaw Drivers Remove Tags Yet Rarely Get Caught

Cars without license plates are everywhere in New York City, but the Adams administration is failing to crack down on them, allowing tens of thousands of drivers to dodge accountability in the city each year.

January 16, 2024

New Jersey Lawmakers Pass Major Reforms to Combat Temporary License Plate Fraud

The vote follows a Streetsblog investigation that uncovered widespread misuse of the state's temporary license plates, with car dealers selling the tags illegally to drivers using them to avoid accountability on the road.

January 8, 2024

Dozens of Car Dealers Shut Down for Temporary License Plate Fraud Following Streetsblog Investigation

And seven dealerships identified by Streetsblog as possible temp tag sellers are now under criminal investigation, officials said.

January 8, 2024

Top NJ Lawmaker Proposes Major Reforms to Fight Temporary License Plate Fraud

The new legislation follows a seven-month Streetsblog investigation that found widespread fraud involving temp tags, with car dealers abusing weak state regulations and selling paper plates illegally to drivers using them to evade accountability on the road.

November 28, 2023

City Hall Functionary is Quietly Interfering with Critical Street Safety Initiatives: Sources

"He only was going to raise the concerns that you’re going to hear from car drivers," one official said. "He’s never been on the pro-pedestrianization, pro-bike-lane side.”

November 10, 2023

Adams Dismisses Bus, Bike Lane Mile Requirements At DOT Meeting

The Adams Doctrine on safe streets has become clear. And, yes, it involves a metaphor of drowning rats.

November 1, 2023

Three NYC Asphalt Trucks Exploded Last Spring, Raising Safety, Environmental Concerns: Records

The explosions raise questions about the city's decision to use a paving material that other cities have phased out because of safety and environmental risks, an official said.

October 24, 2023

Dump Truck Driver Kills School Crossing Guard in Queens

A right-turning dump truck driver struck and killed a school crossing guard at the corner of two of the city's deadliest roads on Friday morning, police said.

October 20, 2023

‘Betrayal’: Adams Caves to Opposition, Abandons Bus Improvement Plan on Fordham Road

The capitulation on Fordham Road is the latest episode in which the mayor has delayed or watered down a transportation project in deference to powerful interests.

September 22, 2023