Tappan Zee Bridge Petition

[dgolub]

For those who oppose the renaming of the new Tappan Zee Bridge after Mario Cuomo, there's currently a petition on Change.org to keep the current name: https://www.change.org/p/the-ny-state-legislature-return-the-tappan-zee-name-to-those-who-rightfully-deserve-it-the-indians-and-dutch

[jeffandnicole]

Changing the name because it's 'Cuomo'?  I'm fine with that.

Claiming the Indians and Dutch deserve the name Tappan Zee on a bridge built around 2015/2018?  Eh, not so much.

[kalvado]

Changing the name because it's 'Cuomo'?  I'm fine with that.

Claiming the Indians and Dutch deserve the name Tappan Zee on a bridge built around 2015/2018?  Eh, not so much.

Few people would care about that if done during Pataki tenure.
But with Cuomo II currently in the office, conflict of interests is too huge to ignore.

[roadman]

Changing the name because it's 'Cuomo'?  I'm fine with that.

Claiming the Indians and Dutch deserve the name Tappan Zee on a bridge built around 2015/2018?  Eh, not so much.

If you're going to rename public infrastructure after living politicians (an increasingly common practice that IMO should be outright banned), at least have the decency to do it through an initiative petition ballot question, so ALL the voters in the state have a chance to decide whether to change an established name or not.

[kalvado]

Changing the name because it's 'Cuomo'?  I'm fine with that.

Claiming the Indians and Dutch deserve the name Tappan Zee on a bridge built around 2015/2018?  Eh, not so much.

If you're going to rename public infrastructure after living politicians (an increasingly common practice that IMO should be outright banned), at least have the decency to do it through an initiative petition ballot question, so ALL the voters in the state have a chance to decide whether to change an established name or not.

CUomo I passed out last winter, so that is not an issue. Issue is that we have his son as a governor - and they happen to share last name...

[roadman65]

In NJ we had a former governor name a sport venue (back before they came out with the idea of naming rights for stadiums and arenas, though the naming right got rid the name of this governor) after himself.  No kid of his took over for him, he just thought that he was deserving of his name on it.

So this is not as bad as that.  However I wonder why New Yorkers have not gotten a petition to take the RFK name off the Triborough considering that many do not like the MA family that much and there was controversy when the name was changed there at the renaming?

[dgolub]

In NJ we had a former governor name a sport venue (back before they came out with the idea of naming rights for stadiums and arenas, though the naming right got rid the name of this governor) after himself.  No kid of his took over for him, he just thought that he was deserving of his name on it.

So this is not as bad as that.  However I wonder why New Yorkers have not gotten a petition to take the RFK name off the Triborough considering that many do not like the MA family that much and there was controversy when the name was changed there at the renaming?

Well, it might have something to do with the fact that RFK didn't have a relative in the governor's office sneaking it through in the middle of the night.  That said, my issue here is less with this particular renaming being so horrible than with the proliferation of renamings left and right.  The list of renamed infrastructure in the NYC area is pretty long: Triboro Bridge, Queensboro Bridge, Interboro Parkway, Willowbrook Expressway, Richmond Parkway, Battery Tunnel, Tappan Zee Bridge, and I'm probably forgetting something.  It creates a ton of unnecessary confusion for motorists and really needs to stop.

[PHLBOS]

If you're going to rename public infrastructure after living politicians (an increasingly common practice that IMO should be outright banned), at least have the decency to do it through an initiative petition ballot question, so ALL the voters in the state have a chance to decide whether to change an established name or not.

It is my understanding that the State of New York does not allow ballot referendum questions (per their constitution?).  Can any of our NY AARoads brethren confirm?

CUomo I passed out last winter,...

Actually, he died nearly 3 years ago; January 1, 2015

[jeffandnicole]

If you're going to rename public infrastructure after living politicians (an increasingly common practice that IMO should be outright banned), at least have the decency to do it through an initiative petition ballot question, so ALL the voters in the state have a chance to decide whether to change an established name or not.

It is my understanding that the State of New York does not allow ballot referendum questions (per their constitution?).  Can any of our NY AARoads brethren confirm?

Personally, asking the entire state via ballot referendum to name something is a very expensive, time consuming, unnecessary step.  They should be saved for funding or tax questions.

Besides...the renaming occurred via the politicians the voters elected. If the voters aren't happy with how they're being represented, vote them out.  There's entirely too much politician re-electing going on in this country...only to have voters complain the other 364 days out of the year about those same politicians.

[PHLBOS]

If the voters aren't happy with how they're being represented, vote them out.  There's entirely too much politician re-electing going on in this country...only to have voters complain the other 364 days out of the year about those same politicians.

I hear you on that one.  Similar happens in other states as well.  However, Massachusetts has had some success with referendum initiatives being passed despite constituents electing/re-electing the same politicians that opposed the initiatives.

BTW, Gov. Cuomo is up for re-election next year.

[jakeroot]

For those who oppose the renaming of the new Tappan Zee Bridge after Mario Cuomo, there's currently a petition on Change.org to keep the current name:

I might be misunderstanding how these things work, but I thought the old bridge was the Tappan Zee, and the new bridge was the Cuomo? Basically, it's not as much reverting to the old name as it is renaming the new bridge after the old one that previously occupied the same space.

[PHLBOS]

For those who oppose the renaming of the new Tappan Zee Bridge after Mario Cuomo, there's currently a petition on Change.org to keep the current name:

I might be misunderstanding how these things work, but I thought the old bridge was the Tappan Zee, and the new bridge was the Cuomo? Basically, it's not as much reverting to the old name as it is renaming the new bridge after the old one that previously occupied the same space.

That is correct & the petition heading IMHO should be re-worded to reflect such. 

However, during most of its construction period, the replacement bridge was (unofficially) generally dubbed as either the New Tappan Zee Bridge or as the Replacement Tappan Zee Bridge or similar.  Many thought that whomever the new bridge was going to be named after, that the Tappan Zee name would be carried over (the old bridge included the Gov. Malcolm Wilson name to the Tappan Zee name since 1994).  Gov. Cuomo's announcement earlier this year that the new bridge would be named after his late-father (w/no Tappan Zee suffix) threw all that out the window.

[jeffandnicole]

For those who oppose the renaming of the new Tappan Zee Bridge after Mario Cuomo, there's currently a petition on Change.org to keep the current name:

I might be misunderstanding how these things work, but I thought the old bridge was the Tappan Zee, and the new bridge was the Cuomo? Basically, it's not as much reverting to the old name as it is renaming the new bridge after the old one that previously occupied the same space.

That is correct & the petition heading IMHO should be re-worded to reflect such. 

However, during most of its construction period, the replacement bridge was (unofficially) generally dubbed as either the New Tappan Zee Bridge or as the Replacement Tappan Zee Bridge or similar.  Many thought that whomever the new bridge was going to be named after, that the Tappan Zee name would be carried over (the old bridge included the Gov. Malcolm Wilson name to the Tappan Zee name since 1994).  Gov. Cuomo's announcement earlier this year that the new bridge would be named after his late-father (w/no Tappan Zee suffix) threw all that out the window.

That is pretty typical though.  When something is in the early process of production or construction, a true name hasn't been given to the project yet.  Bridges, buildings, stadiums, movies, etc., all tend to have temporary/working names prior to being given an official name.

[SidS1045]

However, during most of its construction period, the replacement bridge was (unofficially) generally dubbed as either the New Tappan Zee Bridge or as the Replacement Tappan Zee Bridge or similar.

Its official name was the New NY Bridge, until the renaming after Gov. Mario Cuomo.

http://www.newnybridge.com/

[PHLBOS]

Its official name was the New NY Bridge, until the renaming after Gov. Mario Cuomo.

http://www.newnybridge.com/

While true, that's more of a generic name & the name for the magazine chronicling the project.

The New NY Bridge Magazine, chronicling the efforts of the New York State Thruway Authority and Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC during construction of the new twin spans.

It's interesting the constructors used the Tappan Zee name since the majority of their work was on the new bridge.

Nonetheless most of the news reports on the bridge construction & nearly everyone else referred to the new bridge as the new or replacement to the Tappan Zee.  Official name or not, I don't believe that anyone called it the New NY Bridge.

[roadman]

Its official name was the New NY Bridge, until the renaming after Gov. Mario Cuomo.

http://www.newnybridge.com/

While true, that's more of a generic name & the name for the magazine chronicling the project.

The New NY Bridge Magazine, chronicling the efforts of the New York State Thruway Authority and Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC during construction of the new twin spans.

It's interesting the constructors used the Tappan Zee name since the majority of their work was on the new bridge.

Nonetheless most of the news reports on the bridge construction & nearly everyone else referred to the new bridge as the new or replacement to the Tappan Zee.  Official name or not, I don't believe that anyone called it the New NY Bridge.

I always thought the The New NY Bridge moniker was just for the publicity materials, and was never intended to be the actual designation of the new bridge.

[02 Park Ave]

I heard Gov. Cuomo himself use the name New New York Bridge several times.

[jakeroot]

I heard Gov. Cuomo himself use the name New New York Bridge several times.

[roadman65]

In NJ we had a former governor name a sport venue (back before they came out with the idea of naming rights for stadiums and arenas, though the naming right got rid the name of this governor) after himself.  No kid of his took over for him, he just thought that he was deserving of his name on it.

So this is not as bad as that.  However I wonder why New Yorkers have not gotten a petition to take the RFK name off the Triborough considering that many do not like the MA family that much and there was controversy when the name was changed there at the renaming?

Well, it might have something to do with the fact that RFK didn't have a relative in the governor's office sneaking it through in the middle of the night.  That said, my issue here is less with this particular renaming being so horrible than with the proliferation of renamings left and right.  The list of renamed infrastructure in the NYC area is pretty long: Triboro Bridge, Queensboro Bridge, Interboro Parkway, Willowbrook Expressway, Richmond Parkway, Battery Tunnel, Tappan Zee Bridge, and I'm probably forgetting something.  It creates a ton of unnecessary confusion for motorists and really needs to stop.

Well I had no idea this was done that way, as I am know New Yorker, but knowing a man named Joe who moved down from Westchester County, NY to Orlando, FL and listening to his rants (as he says he and all of New York was displeased with the renaming BTW) I had no idea what the situation was with that one. 

Yes, I agree many things should have been put to a vote in a ballot question as things would be different, but then again a lot of stuff we deal with gets in sneaky or by those we elect to represent us all. It goes beyond party when I say that, as I learned in school we are not a total democracy as the US is a democratic republic so it won't be easy to get rid of some of this stuff.

[kalvado]

Well I had no idea this was done that way,

to put things in perspective:
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=9574.msg2237677#msg2237677

Everything happened between posts 83 and 99...

[roadman65]

I am not on here 24/7 to read every article.  Even though some I admit I could easily spot as I am human.

I was responding to dgoclub, as I did not know the difference as he answered my question that I asked which was legitimate and have no problem with his response at al

[kalvado]

I am not on here 24/7 to read every article.  Even though some I admit I could easily spot as I am human.

I was responding to dgoclub, as I did not know the difference as he answered my question that I asked which was legitimate and have no problem with his response at al

I am just bringing up our local story of how things happen.. That was really quick one!

[roadman65]

No problem.  I do not take offense at petty stuff that some of our fellow members do and have to get a MOD to lock a thread or edit some posts out.

Its all good. 

[Pete from Boston]

In NJ we had a former governor name a sport venue (back before they came out with the idea of naming rights for stadiums and arenas, though the naming right got rid the name of this governor) after himself.  No kid of his took over for him, he just thought that he was deserving of his name on it.

Look, I'm not kidding anybody about the filth of New Jersey politics, but the NJSEA is/was an independent quasi-public corporation.  It's not like they asked Byrne what they should name it, and he responded, "Name it after me. I am deserving of it."

[roadman65]

In NJ we had a former governor name a sport venue (back before they came out with the idea of naming rights for stadiums and arenas, though the naming right got rid the name of this governor) after himself.  No kid of his took over for him, he just thought that he was deserving of his name on it.

Look, I'm not kidding anybody about the filth of New Jersey politics, but the NJSEA is/was an independent quasi-public corporation.  It's not like they asked Byrne what they should name it, and he responded, "Name it after me. I am deserving of it."

Whatever, that was in my high school days.  I remember a lot of NJ folks did not like the name as the man was not that popular among NJ residents during his tenor as governor.

I would not be surprised if he nudged them some.