Marty Markowitz's Three Drivers Are Totally "Necessary"

People tend to take a lot of liberties when describing things they deem "necessary," so here's a little primer. Food is necessary, demanding filet mignon for dinner every night is not. Shelter is necessary, $7 million dollars just to feel rich is not. The ability to get to where you want to go is necessary, but having three professional chauffeurs on rotating 16-hour shifts is definitely not.

Marty Markowitz's three drivers are paid a total of $177,372 a year, not including overtime, and apparently it's all legal. One of Markowitz's aides says it's necessary because Markowitz is "on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The drivers are with the borough president or working at Borough Hall until the borough president's day is over—often after 10 p.m., then they are required to be on call until their shift is over." However, Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro is a veritable man of the people—he doesn't even have a driver. And has Marty even used that nice bike he got for Christmas?

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By Jaya Saxena in News on March 27, 2011 4:20 PM

Comments [rss]

RobNYC

The city should cut his transportation budget and he can use a car services like everyone else who needs to get somewhere fast does.

randomtransplant

Marty Fatass needs to walk to Boro Hall. Its like 20 minutes from his house.

When was the last time he was being driven on official business during the graveyard shift?

Benjamin Schak

Can we please finally get rid of the Borough Presidents? Public Advocate too.

bittinho

How is it acceptable for any public servant, other than the mayor, to have a car and driver? I always thought public servants were supposed to have less perks than the average civilian.

bittinho

How is it acceptable for any public servant, other than the mayor, to have a car and driver? I always thought public servants were supposed to have less perks than the average civilian.

FallOut

Where's the beef?
DOT commissioner Sadik-Khan has her own tax-payer provided chauffeurs and limo.
Sadik-Khan: the one who expects the masses to ride bikes or take the subway.

At least Marty is not an effing hypocrite like her, or his fellow-BP, Scott Stringer, who wants us to ride bikes, yet has his own his limo and chauffeur that we plebes pay for.

cmdrogogov

citation needed.

randomtransplant

Have you noticed how people become less and less likely to respond to this crap over time yet?

FallOut

My reason for commenting is not to seek responses from newbie shits like you.

randomtransplant

I've been commenting here for the better part of a year.

I don't think its a good thing that you see me as 'newbie'. Get outside more.

FallOut

Better part of a year? Really?

Listen, when I was a senior in hight school, I never picked on the frosh. So, let's leave it like that.

randomtransplant

Alot of comments you make would have gotten you beaten up in the parking lot and expelled from my high-school. You gotta stop clinging to the past, man!

Just figured you'd appreciate some troll food to go with the broken record.

Peter Rosa

Isn't borough president basically just a ceremonial job?

Inkognita

Yes. But for some unfathomable reason Borough Presidents are still paid more ($160,000/yr in 2009) than City Council members ($112,500/yr in 2009).

And Markowitz is especially notorious for financially milking the system even more in order to stage his insipid "dog and pony shows."

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news...

johnnieutah

I don't mind paying for Marty's rides, but why the heck can't he call a car service like the rest of us? An account with a Brooklyn service would cost less than half this price.