City to Strip City Employees of City-Owned Cars

The NY Times reports that Mayor Bloomberg sent a memo to city agencies asking them to "must relinquish at least 10 percent, or about 685, of their 6,800 nonemergency vehicles by the end of March," not to mention "cut their overall vehicle expenses by roughly another 5 percent, either by relinquishing more cars or cutting down on fuel or maintenance costs." The move is prompted by budget issues, not to mention Bloomberg's desire to reduce the city's carbon footprint. The Independent Budget Office says that the estimated $20 million in savings is good, "When you are facing a big budget gap, every bit counts." The Times adds that the city thinks the cars—Toyota Priuses, Ford Escapes—can fetch $2,000 each and the employees who don't have company cars anymore will be expected to take mass transit; in the future, the city's cars would be consolidated.

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By Jen Chung in News on January 2, 2009 11:15 AM

Comments [rss]

Jimbo853okg

$2,000 for a well-maintained Prius? They could easily get 4 times that! This is a good idea but as a taxpayer, I'm mortified.

snoopydog

If mayor Mike can use the subway to get to work so can the others.

Does mayor Mike get his Metrocards for free or does he pay for them?

JenChungsBaby

People who need their city cars to do their jobs can keep them. But I know for a fact that there are plenty of people who have city cars for no reason other than to run to one or two meetings per month, and the rest of the car's usage is just for the employee's commute. You could probably replace thousands of city cars with just 100 pool cars and not lose any productivity.

r1b2

It should be greater than just 10%. How much pork is there in this budget? Why would so many city staffers need cars, when the MTA is so dependable?

When can we expect to see NYPD start getting parking tickets when they use their dashboard ID to park anywhere they choose when on personal business? I support this decision to reduce the number of city-owned cars, and I'd like to see even more restriction of pork.

r1b2

It should be greater than just 10%. How much pork is there in this budget? Why would so many city staffers need cars, when the MTA is so dependable?

When can wee expect to see NYPD start getting parking tickets when they use their dashboard ID to park anywhere they choose when on personal business? I support this decision to reduce the number of city-owned cars, and I'd like to see even more restriction of pork.

snoopydog

Keep it up mayor Mike. Nickel wise, dollar foolish. How about going back to an all volunteer fire department, with hand pulled equipment? That would save a lot of money.

Lautaro

Yes! Some of those guys drive around like they're Admirals.

drewo

Only a 10% cut?

In keeping with that spirit of *ahem* sacrifice, the MTA fare hike should be no more than 10% then.

thefacts

How much longer must we New Yorkers wait for the the Department of Transportation Commissioner, Sadik-Khan, to get rid of her chauffeured limousine, no longer get pulled over for speeding on the NYS Thruway and ride the subways, like she is hypocritically telling the rest of us commoners to do?

ides_of_march

Good idea.

It's kind of hard for the city to push for congestion pricing when the city is providing so many vehicles to its own bureaucrats.