Crains New York - February 18, 2013 - (Page 13)

What race? Voters haven’t tuned in yet T hose who care a lot about politics and government—people like me and many Crain’s readers— often lose sight of how most people think about politics. In doing so, we lose sight of how—and when—elections are won and lost. I was reminded of that last month when I started teaching my class on the New York City economy at Baruch College.The 25 students are mostly in their 30s, working on their master’s degrees in public affairs, and many have jobs that involve interacting with city government. I began the class with a quiz, asking them to name the mayoral candidates. Fifteen could not name a single one. My favorite first-year law student at Fordham didn’t do any better. When I asked her how many candidates she could name, she said, “That woman on the cover of New York magazine and that MTA guy.” She couldn’t actually come up with the names. The lessons of these anecdotes are pretty obvious. Polls mean nothing at this stage. The latest Quinnipiac poll shows that City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (the woman on the cover of New York magazine) leads the other Democratic contenders by at least GREG DAVID 25 percentage points. That MTA guy, Joe Lhota, has a similarly commanding lead over his four Republican rivals, although he would lose decisively in the November election against any of the Democrats. Really? If no knows anything about the ROLAND LEWIS Ferries are NY’s forgotten transit link I f New Yorkers ever needed a reminder that we are island people, Superstorm Sandy gave us an impossible-toignore wake-up call. And what did we wake up to, soon after the storm? Ferries crisscrossing our waterways on their usual routes but jammed with commuters. With roads congested and tunnels flooded, our resilient ferry system gave us the ability to get around, just as it has in other emergencies. Remember ferries relieving the paralysis of the 2005 transit strike? The grateful riders in the 2003 blackout? The tens of thousands at the shores of lower Manhattan on 9/11? It is undeniable: We need frequent, safe, affordable ferries. But on the East River, the affordable piece of the equation might be in jeopardy. Just a year and a half after the East River Ferry’s maiden voyage, the popular route’s operating contract is up for renewal, and the annual $3.1 million city subsidy that has kept the fare at $4 is on the chopping block. The mayor last week pledged to make the service permanent and has issued a request for proposals to ferry operators for a long-term extension beginning in June 2014. It’s an exciting opportunity, but not without a guaranteed subsidy. All around New York and New Jersey, people rely on ferries. The East River Ferry has doubled ridership projections, carrying 1.7 million passengers to date. An integral component of the city’s transit network, ferries—like all modes of public transit—require sustained subsidies to keep fares affordable. Ferry service is a true New York bargain. The government pours billions of dollars into subway tunnels, roads and bridges, while our underutilized waterways, which offer abundant potential for relieving clogged roads, require virtually no capital investment. Moreover, the public funding required to maintain reasonable fares candidates, how can they know how they will vote? The idea that Ms. Quinn is the frontrunner is a media fallacy. So much me- dia coverage of politics today is about the horse race, and to create tension there needs to be a favorite and underdogs. If she is the front-runner, she is leading because a few more people know who she is than know the eight other candidates. (Yes, there are nine at least remotely credible ones. Can you name them?) In many ways, 2013 is a repeat of the 2001 election, when it was presumed that a Democrat would win easily. The New York Times waited until November 2000 to mention that Michael Bloomberg would be a candidate, even though he had made his interest known three years earlier. His candidacy was completely dismissed, although focus groups conducted by his campaign a month after the Times story showed that he was almost as well known as the Democrats. I bet focus groups would show something similar today. The conventional wisdom is that Mr. Bloomberg won only because of the turmoil of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. That may be true, but it is also true that he would have been a competitive candidate even without that disaster. The voters will pay attention starting in late August—a couple of weeks before the scheduled September primary—and then again sometime in October. That’s why this election’s result is not preordained. on the East River Ferry is relatively low. Express buses require more than twice the subsidy per rider. Need more convincing? The service has proved to be an engine of economic development, with new businesses opening near increasingly busy ferry terminals. The decision to renew the East River Ferry has come at a propitious time. With the city reeling from Sandy, it quickly became clear that ferries are the most resilient form of transit. Subways, roads and commuter rails needed weeks or months to restore normal service.Ferries not only came back quickly, but new lines were also established to reconnect lower Manhattan and midtown to the hard-hit neighborhoods of southern Staten Island and the Rockaways. Superstorm Sandy reminded us that New York is a coastal city and needs a more resilient waterfront. As Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged, we are not retreating from the water, but we must rebuild smarter. An affordable ferry system is a vital component. We need ferries: for commuting, for job creation, for emergencies. It’s time to subsidize and expand the ferry system so that all New Yorkers may use this essential service. Roland Lewis is president and CEO of the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance, a coalition of more than 700 businesses and civic organizations dedicated to a vibrant, accessible and resilient harbor. February 18, 2013 | Crain’s New York Business | 13 http://www.crainsnewyork.com/events http://www.crainsnewyork.com/pulse

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York - February 18, 2013

DIGITAL NY
IN THE BOROUGHS
IN THE MARKETS
the insider
BUSINESS PEOPLE
OPINION
GREG DAVID
SMALL BUSINESS
REPORT: REAL ESTATE
THE LIST
CLASSIFIEDS
FOR THE RECORD
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
SOURCE SNACK
OUT AND ABOUT
SNAPS

Crains New York - February 18, 2013