Pedicabs

NEW YORK: Thurs March 15:

MAYOR MIKE: PLEASE VETO THE BILL!

In an amazing and unanticipated move, at yesterday's fairly routine
appointment New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg had at City Hall to
sign several bills recently passed by the City Council, at the prompting of
several pedicab industry members as well as weeks of lobbying, he paused and
reflected upon this bill -- Intro 331A or 331B (however you're counting) and
decided not to sign it. Among measures to improve nightclub safety and a
discussion of metal vs. wood bats in high school baseball games, the pedicab
regulatory bill caught the mayor's attention. 4 bills were signed, but the
signature line on Intro 331 remained empty at the end of the event.

[IMAGE: see NY Times Metro Section page 2: NYCPOA board member and Green
Transporters co-founder Doug Korman explains why this bill hurts the
industry]
See:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/15/nyregion/15council.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

see:
http://www.amny.com/news/local/am-pedicab0315,0,6183285.story?coll=am-tophea
dlines

[IMAGE: See METRO NY full page ad NYCPOA took out 02/21/07 asking for Mayor
to reconsider and not put a cap on the industry in our links section]
see: http://www.nycpoa.org/info/index.htm

According to the Mayor's spokesperson, Stu Loeser, as recorded by the New
York Times, "The Mayor listened, and in light of the concerns he heard, he
decided that since he has more time to act, he'll take advantage of that."
Mr. Loeser added that the Mayor has until March 30 to act. If the Mayor
vetoes the bill, the Council can still go ahead and override the veto, OR,
the bill must be amended and put forth to a vote again. See: Metro Section,
page 2.

The Daily News (see page 12) reported the Mayor's exact words were: "I want
to think about it." The Daily News further reported that this is the FIRST
TIME EVER in his administration's history that a bill presented to him at a
signing ceremony was instead not signed at the last minute.


AM New York's coverage included a full front page image with the caption:
"SPARED: In Surprise, Mayor Stops Short of Approving Pedicab Restrictions"

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