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COURIER L 12 IFE, APRIL 5–11, 2019 B
CONGESTION
fares and which, if any, drivers would
be exempt from paying them.
“Congestion pricing, as a means to
fund critical infrastructure improvement,
is a start, but the devil is in the
details,” Gounardes told this newspaper.
“Southern Brooklyn elected me
to fi ght for desperately needed transit
upgrades and protect their bottom
line, not the MTA’s.”
Other cities that already use the
tolling scheme — including London
and Stockholm — have seen environmentally
benefi cial results, according
to pro-congestion pricing campaign
Fix Our Transit. In London, the measure
has reduced traffi c by 15 percent
and reduced greenhouse gas emissions
by 20 percent, and in Stockholm,
congestion pricing has cut in half the
number of children who sought treatment
for asthma at local hospitals, according
to Fix Our Transit . A rep for
the national Environmental Defense
Fund advocacy organization said the
Big Apple’s new tolling plan will set
a precedent for other cities across
the nation by improving air quality
and encouraging alternative forms of
transportation.
“As the fi rst place in the United
States to implement congestion pricing,
New York will help lead the way
for other cities and states that are serious
about tackling pollution from
transportation,” said New York regional
director Andy Darrell. “New
Yorkers everywhere can fi nally celebrate
this win, with fewer cars on the
road and cleaner air for all.”
Continued from page 2
PROTEST
worldwide, but including in Brooklyn,
New York,” said Rabbi Dovid Feldman.
“We have so many people here in Borough
Park who are so terribly upset
by this bigotry which is being pushed
on the account and in the name of our
community.”
Other protesters, who slammed the
bigoted comments, called for Yeger’s
resignation.
“He should resign. He should apologize
for what he said. He should explain
why he said that. Bigotry is not acceptable
in our city,” said Ahmed Jaber,
founder of the Arab American Association
of New York.
Yeger’s detractors, however, were
met with fi erce opposition from his supporters
in the community, who significantly
outnumbered the protestors.
Rabbi Feldman attributed the disparity
to coercion from pro-Yeger backers,
who waved Israli fl ags and “Make
America Great Again” paraphernalia.
“Well if we would have the ability
to have local people come out here and
not be intimidated, we might even outnumber
them. And if we wouldn’t, we
would at least have a nice minority,”
he said. “But unfortunately people are
intimidated.”
Feldman specifi cally called out
Dov Hikind, the former assemblyman,
for what Feldman believes are radical
Zionist views and rhetoric.
“I got several phone calls in the last
hour and a half from people that encouraged
us to come out because these
local people are afraid, and they are
intimidated by Dov Hikind, who is an
outspoken radical extremist. He openly
supports the settlement movement,
which is the far extreme element of the
state of Israel,” he said.
Hikind joined the counter protest,
railing against calls to reprimand
Yeger. When asked whether the councilman
should resign or be removed
from the immigration committee, Hikind
chalked the controversy up to a
mere difference of opinion.
“Absolutely not. What happened to
people having a different point of view?
It’s become that ‘it’s my point of view,
or no point of view,’ ” he said. “Everyone
is so worried about every word that
comes out of their mouths, it’s become
ridiculous.”
The protests began shortly before 6
p.m., lasting several hours as community
members spilled off the sidewalk
outside of a building near 16th Avenue
and 45th Street. Feldman called the
demonstration a success for the attention
it drew throughout the community,
but balked at the prospect of changing
Yeger’s attitude.
“I’m not sure whether he heard us or
not,” he said. “But he defi nitely doesn’t
care.”
Continued from cover
COMMITTEE
removed from the Immigration Committee.”
Yeger received widespread political
condemnation from fellow pols for
the tweet he published in response to
Bklyner.com journalist Zainab Iqbal,
telling her that Palestine didn’t exist
and labeling U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan
Omar as an anti-Semite on March
27.
“I respect the Speaker’s right to
run the Council as he sees fi t. It’s unfortunate
that political correctness
takes precedence over objective fact,”
Yeger tweeted, while linking to a
Daily News editorial that denounced
the Council’s decision.
The councilman also hedged his
controversial tweet by saying that
while there was no Palestinian state,
the Palestinian people do exist.
“Of course, there are Palestinians.
However, the fact remains there is no
Palestinian state,” Yeger said.
The pol has been one of a handful
of dissenting voices on the mostly
progressive committee, voting no in a
2018 resolution by then Flatbush Councilman
Jumaane Williams to halt
the deportation of Brooklynite Ravi
Ragbir by Immigration and Customs
Enforcement.
Continued from cover
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