SIBRO Civic (Staten Island and Brooklyn Civic) and South Beach Civic are sponsoring an Anti-Bloomberg Congestion Pricing Plan Forum, Sunday, April 6th at 7 PM in Xaverian High School, 7100 Shore Road,Brooklyn, NY 11209.

Speakers include Democratic Congressional Candidate Steve Harrison (NY13th CD, Staten Island/Southwest Brooklyn) and Queens City Councilman Tony Avella. One very prominent elected official is also trying to make it, but doesn't want his name released in case he can't it.

Councilman Bill de Blasio and Vinnie Gentile will send representatives.

There may also be speakers on behalf of the People with Disabilities community, who would suffer under the proposed congestion pricing.

Steve Harrison opposes Bloomberg's Congestion Plan, but not congestion pricing in theory.

For more information on Steve views on congestion pricing visit steveharrisonforcongress.com

Say what you want about our mayor and his modus operandi but he has gotten a few things right over his tenure. I am not a big fan of his but I don’t dislike him either. He was absolutely correct with his ban on cigarettes in certain public establishments; taking the flack in order to get that policy into law. He was correct in putting public education on the front burner; even though I feel that his successes in this area were somewhat exaggerated: but you can’t deny that he has genuinely tried to deal with the issue. I think that in principle he was correct to suggest some type of congestion pricing formula for Manhattan’s traffic congestion problem; hopefully the details would be worked out before pigs grow wings. His positions on the issues surrounding illegal firearms (guns, gun shows, gun sales, etc.) are sensible and timely; and there are other things I could commend him on. Of course there are also many others that I could critique him on, but that’s not the issue here. You can always view my column in the archives (where I called him a leprechaun), to get a better sense of how I felt about him just a year ago.

Lately, the issues surrounding “term limits” have reared their ugly heads again. And maybe some intrepid reporters like Azi Payabarah, Ben Smith and/or Helen Klein, could one day dig deep enough, to find out whether or nor Speaker Christine Quinn did promise to overturn term limits (legislatively), when trying to secure supportive votes during her speakership bid. You see, if she did make some open (or “wink-wink”) promises, then she has reneged on her colleagues. Yesterday, Christine Quinn came out fully against overturning term limits. Did someone say: mayoral bid coming? In recent past Christine had been quite vocal in her opposition to term limits. Did the Angel Gabriel suddenly appear out of her mayoral dreams, with a convincing argument? Or was it intense polling on the issue?

Mayor Michael Bloomberg used his first public appearance since announcing switching from the Republican Party to being an independent, a press conference celebrating the alleged success of his 311 program, to showcase his policy creativity to the media.

Bloomberg’s aware that his leaving the Republican Party would confirm to the media, his current constituents and potential presidential voters, that he’s pursuing an independent Presidential candidacy, despite saying wink, wink, I’m not running, and knew the world be watching his first appearance after making public his official political independence. This is why Bloomberg is using a press conference honoring 311, a program that he is particularly but unjustifiably proud of, as the location of his personal Presidential Debutante Ball.

Bloomberg hoped touting 311 success would perpetuate the myth that he’s a non-partisan problem solver. But the emperor has no clothes. 311 is useless.

Today, Michael Bloomberg joins a long line of smart people who are abandoning the Republican Party. Pete McClosky has been among the most articulate of those who has abandoned the rotting elephant corpse.

Problem with Bloomberg is he has spent too much time kissing ass with some of the absolute worst Republicans out there.

When Bush came to town, most of NYC was repulsed. HUGE protest swept the city for the entire time the Republican Convention was in NYC. The delegates couldn't go anywhere without being hounded by New Yorkers scolding them for using our tragedy for their political gain and for being barking crazy right wingers. Bloomberg did NOT side with New Yorkers. He initiated a vengeful campaign against protesters that broke the law, violated our civil liberties (THANKS TO NORMAN SIEGEL FOR DEFENDING US!), and helped NOBODY except Bush and his extremist wing of the Republican Party. Bloomberg went so far as to call us protesters terrorists...that included my then-8-month's pregnant wife. I am not sure I can ever forgive him calling us terrorists for standing up to Bush.