...calling for DOB Commissioner Patricia Lancaster's resignation after the horrific Midtown crane accident over the weekend.
The New York Sun reported a similar cry from Queens City Council member Tony Avella:
"This is just the latest incident," Mr. Avella, who called for Ms. Lancaster's resignation previously after a fatal accident at the Trump SoHo construction site, said yesterday. "How many people have to die before the mayor realizes that the Department of Building, which is ultimately responsible for construction in this city, is in total chaos?"
The City response? Typical:
A spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg, Stu Loeser, said Mr. Avella's resignation call was off base. "Such comments indicate a total lack of understanding of the situation, and we're not going to dignify such foolishness with a response," Mr. Loeser said.
It's as if Lancaster has become the Bloomberg administration's Rumsfeld. No matter how badly she screws up, Mayor Mike will defend her and say she's doing a great job.
By the way, I completely concur with this analysis of the DOB's problems and how to fix them on Gowanus Lounge.
Me, too:
ReplyDelete"Presiding over this building boom, the destruction, the injuries, the deaths, has been Patricia Lancaster, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Buildings. Her lack of accountability to date is a citywide running joke (local blog Gowanus Lounge has named an award after her in recognition of construction sites that show callous disregard for the rules); her coziness with high-powered developers is well documented. . . . In an accountability-based society, Lancaster would resign. If there is to be any message of accountability sent, Patricia Lancaster should be fired—and fired posthaste."