New york, NY – Mayor Bloomberg You Want a Sloution To Traffic, Remove Free Parking And Official Placards.

New York, NY – As Mayor Michael Bloomberg prepares to do battle with the City Council and Albany to rid midtown of excessive car traffic, environmental advocates say the mayor can start by cleaning his own house.

Twenty-seven percent of New Yorkers who work in the public sector drive into the city, totaling more than 47,000 cars, according to a recent study. By contrast, only 14% of private sector workers commute by car.

And many of those government workers have an extra incentive — free parking thanks to placards they receive from the city, state and federal governments that allow them to park in designated areas.

About 150,000 public sector workers have such placards, according to Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group. [amny]
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