Staten Island Leader’s Subtle Payback; New Mexico Governor’s Apology
Staten Island, New York City, New York Oscity / Shutterstock.com
Also: Virginia goes solar and Nevada backs an electric car underdog.
Here’s some of what we’ve been reading today ...
STATEN ISLAND, New York: Borough presidents in New York City don’t have all that much power, in part thanks to a 1989 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that forced the city’s Board of Estimate to dissolve. But that doesn’t mean they’re powerless with some of the ceremonial duties they still have. As the New York Post reports, Staten Island Borough President James Oddo used his powers to name streets to dish out some payback to developers he was angry with for developing the 15 acres of the former Mount Menresa Jesuit retreat into new housing. Oddo’s revenge? He named the new community’s streets Avidita Place, Cupidity Drive and Fourberie Lane—each of which are judgmental Italian, Latin and French words, respectively, for the “inordinate desire for wealth,” “greed,” and “deceit.”
[Gotham Gazette; New York Post]
SANTA FE, New Mexico: Gov. Susana Martinez found herself at the center of a controversy involving a loud pizza party in a Santa Fe hotel room that attracted the attention of the front desk, which in turn contacted local law enforcement. In a recording, the governor is heard saying: “Hi, this is Gov. Susana Martinez … There’s no necessary — no necessity for your officers to be here. Thank you. You can call them off. Goodbye.” That, not unexpectedly, brought up concerns of an abuse of power by Martinez, who later apologized. In an interview with KOB-TV: "I apologize to the people of New Mexico for having done that," she told KOB. "I should have never talked to central dispatch the way I did. Um, and I own it. It's my responsibility and I apologize to the people of New Mexico for the way I handled it." [KOB-TV]
RICHMOND, Virginia: Gov. Terry McAuliffe has set a new goal for energy usage by the state government: In the next three years, the commonwealth will aim to use solar power for 8 percent of the electricity at state-owned property, The Virginian Pilot reports. The state government will work with Dominion Virginia Power and solar companies. [The Virginian-Pilot]
CARSON CITY, Nevada: Gov. Brian Sandoval has signed legislation for a $335 million incentives package for upstart electric car manufacturer Faraday Future to build a billion-dollar factory in struggling North Las Vegas. As The Associated Press reports, the Faraday plan would generate 4,500 jobs in Nevada. Lawmakers in the Silver State have previously approved a $1.3 billion incentives plan for electric car maker Tesla in the Reno area. [The Associated Press via RGJ.com]
Michael Grass is Executive Editor of Government Executive’s Route Fifty.
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