By Colin Campbell 2/20 11:32am

Meteorology

(Photo: Twitter/@JoeLhota4Mayor)

Joe Lhota Says Snowstorms and Storm Surges Won’t Be a Problem for Him

Joe Lhota isn’t worried about the weather.

In fact, the Republican mayoral contender said his experience in the Giuliani administration would help him better manage some of the worst natural disasters that have hit New York City in recent years, citing post-blizzard plowing needs and Hurricane Sandy’s crippling floodwaters in particular.

“Look, as Deputy Mayor for Operations, I had numerous assignments,” Mr. Lhota said in a WNYC interview this morning, touting his “priority number one” work to close the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island. Read More

By Azi Paybarah 7/28/11 4:54pm

NY-9

Turner Hedges on Tax Pledge He Signed in 2010

Republican congressional candidate Bob Turner signaled a shift on his economic policies, moving away from a pledge he made last year to avoid raising taxes.

On the Brian Lehrer Show this morning, around the 16:30 mark, the WNYC host asked “So, you won’t sign the Grover Norquist ‘no new taxes under any circumstances’ pledge?”

Turner, who signed it in 2010, said: “Um, I would hate to part with Grover’s money, but it’s probably, I’m pretty close to that. Read More

By David Freedlander 7/28/11 12:10pm

NY-9

Photo from Brian Lehrer Twitter feed

Bob Turner Has Been Reading Hayek, Not Briefing Books

G.O.P. Congressional candidate told WNYCs’ Brian Lehrer this morning that he is currently reading F.A. Hayek’s The Road to Serfdom, a dense philosophical treatise on libertarianism that has become a favorite of Glenn Beck and the Tea Party.

Asked by Lehrer what is the best book he has read over the past year, Turner said he wasn’t sure, but that he was currently reading Hayek.

“I am struggling through it,” he said. “I am not going to say it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.”

Perhaps wrestling with Hayek has been keeping him from briefing books. Turner demurred on a number of policy questions that came up during the show. Read More