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Council speaker outlines plans for city

BY KARLA SCHUSTER | karla.schuster@newsday.com

1:55 PM EST, February 12, 2008

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City Council Speaker Christine Quinn Tuesday afternoon called for a sales-tax-free week to coincide with upcoming federal tax rebates, city subsidized commuter ferries in every borough and bonuses for teachers who agree to work in the most troubled middle schools.

Quinn, in her third annual state-of-the-city address, unveiled an agenda for the city that mixed ambitious ideas - such as the ferry service and creating a citywide blueprint for affordable housing - with more nuts-and-bolts proposals, such as using existing computer databases to identify city Medicaid recipients who also are eligible for food stamps.

Like Mayor Michael Bloomberg did a few weeks ago in his state-of-the-city speech, Quinn warned of tough economic times ahead, but said "getting leaner doesn't have to mean getting meaner."

Among the boldest of Quinn's proposal is the idea of building a network of year-round commuter ferry system that would connect every borough to Manhattan and even run between the outer boroughs -- a plan that would require a substantial and continuing city subsidy.