Meme Roundup of New York Politics
Kamala is brat. Ladies like cats. Eric Adams hates rats.
Hi All,
We’re in a boomtime for memes. The Olympics gave us Australian breakdancing, pommel horse Clark Kent, and pole vaulting wardrobe malfunctions. The presidential race has gone from coconut to couch to coach.
As attention spans wither in late-summer heat, below is a meme-style round-up of the latest news from New York City’s streets.
Come share your favorite city politics memes at our August Happy Hour this Thursday in Brooklyn!
Ryder
The End of Outdoor Dining as We Know It
City restaurants were required this month to submit applications for sidewalk and roadbed dining under the city’s new post-pandemic rules. The number of restaurants offering outdoor dining is set to decline by 80%—returning about ten thousand of the city’s 3 million free parking spaces to car storage.
Why? Roadbed structures can now only be up from April to November; building, dismantling, and storing them is cost-prohibitive. We knew seasonality was a poison pill when the council passed the rules. Until we persuade them to fix the program, we’ll lose out on the small business, quality of life, and sustainability benefits that outdoor dining provided.
Indeed, beloved city restaurants are already facing closure due to the lost lifeline—while NIMBY politicians who fought to end outdoor dining altogether now lament the outcome they caused.
Piled Trash Bags, Trashed
Mayor Adams announced a trash revolution in previewing the required containerization of small residential buildings’ garbage starting in November—finally bringing New York into the twentieth century of putting trash bags inside bins.
Advocates warned last week that the program will work best if the containers are in the roadbed rather than on the sidewalk. Why should space that would benefit all the residents of a building be reserved for just one car? Thankfully, the containers to be installed for 31+–unit buildings (next May, just in Harlem), will be in the roadbed.
Congestion Pricing, Still Stalled
Litigation to force the start of congestion pricing is getting underway; in the meantime, Governor Hochul is still flailing in trying to justify her pause or offer a replacement solution that would raise funds for the MTA and reduce traffic and emissions. The latest rationale for stopping congestion pricing? Negative impact on pizza delivery.
It’s a pity, because people-first streets really are a boon to urban life—they’re safer, more vibrant, and more sustainable. (Congestion pricing isn’t the only sustainability policy Hochul is undermining: she’s apparently considering trying to roll back the landmark Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which requires 70% of state electricity come from renewable sources by 2030.)
These various items are actually all of a piece: the question isn’t just about dining sheds or trash containers or central business district tolling. It’s about what kind of New York we want to live in—today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.
