Bloomy Gets Lift To Subway, Wants Hand With Planting/Paying For Trees
It looks like Mayor Bloomberg has been stretching the truth just a smidgeor at least leaving out a few important details about his life and policy plans.
You know how he has always made a big deal about how he takes the subway to work, standing on the platform and standing clear of the closing doors just like everybody else? While thats all well and good, it turns out that Bloomy is usually [driven to the subway, via chauffeured SUV], from his Upper East Side home. And even though the local 6 is just a 5-minute walk from his front door, The New York Times reveals that Bloomberg is typically taken to an express stop at 59th Street and Lexington Avenue, 22 blocks away, so that he doesnt have to bother with the local like the rest of us commoners. The Times got [the scoop](http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/01/nyregion/01bloomberg.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin) by following the Subway Mayor for five weeks, and reports that Bloomberg also only rode the subway, on average, about two days a week. We guess we cant blame the mayor for choosing a Suburban over the 6; still, it seems just a tad disingenuous.
And its not only his morning commute thats raising eyebrows. Are you in the gardening mood? Because you may have to get your hands dirty in order to accomplish Bloombergs goal of planting 1 million new trees throughout the five boroughs by 2030. Officials announced yesterday that in order to increase the number of trees in NYC by 20 percent, the city will need [residents to do about half the work] and foot a chunk of the billgiving new meaning to community garden. Residents and homeowners will be asked to buy and plant a combined 500,000 saplings, which could cost upwards of $1,000 apiece. The city is currently in the midst of putting together a coalition of nonprofit organizations to help raise funds and public support. Which he'll did: If the mayor cant even deal with the hassle of taking the local train to work, does he really think that residents are going to be all gung-ho about pulling out their shovels and hoes to help his efforts?