See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.
By Will Bredderman
Brooklyn Daily
Councilman Steve Levin says there is one roadblock keeping speed cameras from New York City intersections — and that obstacle is state Sen. Marty Golden.
Levin (D–Greenpoint) told a Community Board Two meeting on March 13 that Golden (R–Bay Ridge) is single-handedly holding up a bill that would place up to 40 of the devices — which photograph the license plates of speeders and automatically send them tickets — in select school zones around the city.
“The one who’s really against them is Senator Marty Golden, so you can call him up and talk to him about that,” said Levin.
Levin famously battled Atlantic Avenue speed demons last year, posing for the Brooklyn Paper while holding a radar gun. The pol was also one of five council members to join car-critic groups Transportation Alternatives and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign on March 12 in calling for the passage of the camera pilot program bill, which is currently up for debate in the state legislature, arguing that the law would mean safer streets for pedestrians.
But Golden spokesman John Quaglione denied that the southern Brooklyn Senator was the sole cause of the political traffic jam, and claimed that increasing the number of cops on the streets would be a more effective way of putting the brakes on lead-footed motorists — combined with legislation Golden proposed to increase penalties for hit-and-run drivers, which Quaglione accused Democrats in the state Assembly of slowing down.
“Mr. Levin should be looking at the issue as a whole and talking to members of his own party,” Quaglione shot back, adding that Golden was still in negotiations over the speed camera bill.
Reach reporter Will Bredderman at wbredderman@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4507. Follow him at twitter.com/WillBredderman.