On Demand
Public Advocate's Advocate
Friday, July 10, 2009
New York City Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum talks about the city's decision to cut that office's budget by 40 percent.
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Advocate Gotbaum is absolutely spot on in everything she is saying. I fully support her in this endeavor. The current administration has politicized everything and has acted in a despotic way in many policies especially with the elimination of term limits as voted in twice by the electorate.
Maybe the office of the Borough President should be eliminated and Public Advocate provided more funding. Possibly more outreach (i.e. Public service commercials or advertisements in Public Transit) to the public by the Office of Public Advocate would inform residents of what the Office provides in terms of services.
2002. My car had been stolen in Nov 2001, found (supposedly stripped and without plates) by Sanitation Dept., and under state law, junked. Same state law says City must give owner the proceeds of that disposal within one year. I asked for the proceeds, or at least an accounting. City says, no I had make that request within 90 days of the theft! Advocate's office was very helpful in helping me request the money anyway, but the request was unsuccessful. Ultimately I sued City in small claims. The city even sent their lawyer to argue that the claim and case had not been made in time. Ultimately, the Advocate's office was helpless. Instead of weakening it, the Advocate should be able to coordinate with other city departments. Instead, a lawyer on the City payrol got paid to stiff me.
I've been disappointed by the PA's office in the one instance I brought an issue to its attention -- case # 141813 -- regarding the flagrant violation of noise pollution laws by the Transit Authority. The Authority has admitted the problem but argued that it's not subject to city law. I emailed the PA office in April and Dolores Eaton responded with a letter to Senior Vice President Smith of the NYC Transit on May 4. The letter has never been answered and my follow-up letter to Ms. Eaton has also not been answered.
Betsy and Mike -- wish there were more NYorkers like you both.
Keep it up & thank you
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