Fighting for Staten Island commuters

Dear Neighbor,

After months of hard work, an agreement has been reached with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to make needed improvements to the South Ferry subway station in Lower Manhattan. I strongly urge the Senate to come back to Albany and pass critical legislation freeing up a small amount of parkland around the station to allow for its reconstruction. Each day of inaction means another day Staten Island commuters must live with the station’s hazardous conditions (A.11662).

To further improve Staten Islanders’ commutes, I’m fighting to extend the express bus service to Manhattan currently provided by the MTA. I recently introduced legislation that would ensure the continued life of existing routes upon the September expiration of the current agreement.

From reconstructing the South Ferry subway stop to ensuring our continued bus service to Manhattan, I’ll continue fighting to help you safely to your destination, and work to maintain your quality of life.

• Requiring applicants seeking building permits and zoning variances to first certify that they have complied with all necessary state permits and licensing procedures (A.7075)
• Restoring the checks and balances of community input and review for construction of government buildings and facilities — an opportunity that’s unavailable under current law (A.4515)
• Instituting a one-year moratorium on issuance of permits for regulated activities in certain areas designated as wetlands in Richmond County (Ch. 84 of 2003) — and extending the moratorium until December 31, 2004 (Ch. 64 of 2004)
• Removing the unused eastbound tollbooths at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to help improve air quality by reducing the pollution caused when traffic slows down to pass through them (A.9737)