Sam
@samd.bsky.social
https://bettercities.substack.com/
Better cities and transit are possible 🚇
#1 Congestion pricing stan
#1 RFK Jr. hater
Better cities and transit are possible 🚇
#1 Congestion pricing stan
#1 RFK Jr. hater
I don’t always agree with of the broader political takes from some “abundance”-coded pundits but man the abundance critics are just pure nonsense merchants
like, what’s this guy’s deal? literally making up a guy to dunk on the idea that cities should build more housing and transit.
like, what’s this guy’s deal? literally making up a guy to dunk on the idea that cities should build more housing and transit.
December 25, 2025 at 9:41 PM
I don’t always agree with of the broader political takes from some “abundance”-coded pundits but man the abundance critics are just pure nonsense merchants
like, what’s this guy’s deal? literally making up a guy to dunk on the idea that cities should build more housing and transit.
like, what’s this guy’s deal? literally making up a guy to dunk on the idea that cities should build more housing and transit.
It’s actually incredible how little juice the Republican running against Hochul has. just boomer crimeslop-posting
December 25, 2025 at 5:08 PM
It’s actually incredible how little juice the Republican running against Hochul has. just boomer crimeslop-posting
I wrote about this exact policy on my substack months ago and it is very nice to see it get the press it deserves in the NYT
there should not be a single free parking space in Manhattan imo
bettercities.substack.com/p/10-thought...
there should not be a single free parking space in Manhattan imo
bettercities.substack.com/p/10-thought...
December 24, 2025 at 2:00 PM
I wrote about this exact policy on my substack months ago and it is very nice to see it get the press it deserves in the NYT
there should not be a single free parking space in Manhattan imo
bettercities.substack.com/p/10-thought...
there should not be a single free parking space in Manhattan imo
bettercities.substack.com/p/10-thought...
Reposted by Sam
the fact that there is free parking at all in manhattan is wild to me
“Pairing free buses with paid parking says we value people in motion more than cars at rest,” writes Nicolas Rohatyn.
Opinion | The Way to Pay for Free Buses Is to End Free Parking
Free buses would be transformative not only for riders, but for the ecosystem of the city as a whole.
nyti.ms
December 24, 2025 at 1:38 PM
the fact that there is free parking at all in manhattan is wild to me
good lord they’re so triggered by democrats trying to make the MTA run more efficiently and provide more service that they’re going to endorse literal fascists
December 24, 2025 at 5:34 AM
good lord they’re so triggered by democrats trying to make the MTA run more efficiently and provide more service that they’re going to endorse literal fascists
Reposted by Sam
Angling for the coveted John Samuelsen nativist endorsement with policy ignorance. Will TWU leadership fall for it and back an anti-labor Republican?
December 24, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Angling for the coveted John Samuelsen nativist endorsement with policy ignorance. Will TWU leadership fall for it and back an anti-labor Republican?
it’s kinda sad that even as NYC is on the precipice of entering a left-YIMBY renaissance, Jersey City’s new mayor is abandoning their pro-housing polices and going hardcore NIMBY
The new mayors in other cities in our region (NYC & New Rochelle) see new housing on parking lots near transit as a way to keep rents low. Meanwhile Jersey City's mayor-elect Solomon fundamentally sees transit-oriented housing on parking lots as "aggression."
December 24, 2025 at 1:51 AM
it’s kinda sad that even as NYC is on the precipice of entering a left-YIMBY renaissance, Jersey City’s new mayor is abandoning their pro-housing polices and going hardcore NIMBY
we have gotten to the point where the Republican candidate for NY Governor wants to make the trains less efficient and screw over the 4 million New Yorkers who take them train every day
beyond parody tbh
beyond parody tbh
December 24, 2025 at 1:00 AM
we have gotten to the point where the Republican candidate for NY Governor wants to make the trains less efficient and screw over the 4 million New Yorkers who take them train every day
beyond parody tbh
beyond parody tbh
man I really wish that NY’s transit union leadership was focused on improving conditions/salaries for workers and finding win-win investments that benefit riders and workers
…rather than the status quo of being a right wing grievance machine actively pushing to make the system less efficient
…rather than the status quo of being a right wing grievance machine actively pushing to make the system less efficient
December 24, 2025 at 12:22 AM
man I really wish that NY’s transit union leadership was focused on improving conditions/salaries for workers and finding win-win investments that benefit riders and workers
…rather than the status quo of being a right wing grievance machine actively pushing to make the system less efficient
…rather than the status quo of being a right wing grievance machine actively pushing to make the system less efficient
Reposted by Sam
Year 1 data on congestion pricing in Manhattan…
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
December 23, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Year 1 data on congestion pricing in Manhattan…
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
* Vehicle traffic: -11%
* Foot traffic: +3.4%
* Storefront vacancy: -0.9%
* Pollution: -22%
* Revenue for mass transit: $548M
So YES this has been a huge success.
Reposted by Sam
The point I wish got emphasized more is that the big winners from congestion pricing are *people who urgently need to drive*. Because they are ones that travel times really matter for. I always thought that instead of congestion pricing it should be called "free streets" - free from other cars.
this is incredible stuff. most state DOTs would spend tens of billions on highway expansions to try and see numbers like this (that wouldn’t even pan out anyway thanks to induced demand lol)
December 23, 2025 at 3:10 PM
The point I wish got emphasized more is that the big winners from congestion pricing are *people who urgently need to drive*. Because they are ones that travel times really matter for. I always thought that instead of congestion pricing it should be called "free streets" - free from other cars.
the anti phonics stuff was always insane to me because… like… just… why?
so, uh, I just saw this [h/t @mikeblack114.bsky.social) and... jesus christ we're literally teaching an illiterate generation. instead of teaching meaning we're literally telling kids to just invent what the text says
December 22, 2025 at 8:27 PM
the anti phonics stuff was always insane to me because… like… just… why?
Reposted by Sam
Every homeowner should be barred from future votes on housing since the potential for gain is far higher than Jesse Zwick's piddly ass nonprofit salary.
In Santa Monica, the FPPC has disqualified pro-housing Councilmember Jesse Zwick from all future housing votes. They said that because he works for a housing non-profit, he’s “conflicted” and must recuse.
Pretty absurd. The NIMBY deep state strikes again.
www.smdp.com/state-regula...
Pretty absurd. The NIMBY deep state strikes again.
www.smdp.com/state-regula...
State regulators say Councilman Zwick is conflicted on housing votes
The California Fair Political Practices Commission has ruled that Santa Monica Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Zwick must recuse himself from housing production decisions
www.smdp.com
December 22, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Every homeowner should be barred from future votes on housing since the potential for gain is far higher than Jesse Zwick's piddly ass nonprofit salary.
Gotta say it’s pretty remarkable that Bari Weiss is unfamiliar with the Streisand effect. This is about to be the most viewed 60 minutes episode in a long time.
(also lol the irony of The Free Press trying to kill a story because it makes the regime look bad)
(also lol the irony of The Free Press trying to kill a story because it makes the regime look bad)
Expect a "revolt" among 60 Minutes staff over Bari Weiss pulling the CECOT segment at the last minute, one network insider told me.
Another CBS News reporter added that a Rubicon had been crossed with this decision, which 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi called "political" and not editorial.
Another CBS News reporter added that a Rubicon had been crossed with this decision, which 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi called "political" and not editorial.
December 22, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Gotta say it’s pretty remarkable that Bari Weiss is unfamiliar with the Streisand effect. This is about to be the most viewed 60 minutes episode in a long time.
(also lol the irony of The Free Press trying to kill a story because it makes the regime look bad)
(also lol the irony of The Free Press trying to kill a story because it makes the regime look bad)
Reposted by Sam
she's just doing what she was hired to do
Why would you need to put a pause on a story that has been meticulously fact-checked and lawyered?
Sounds like the kind of story you’d want to run right away!
Sounds like the kind of story you’d want to run right away!
December 22, 2025 at 2:22 AM
she's just doing what she was hired to do
this is exactly what I mean by JD laying it on too thick and why he’s a weak general election candidate. he could either go with the “freethinker” or the “Soros” dogwhistle and maybe get away with it
but he can’t help himself and doubles down to the point where there’s zero plausible deniability
but he can’t help himself and doubles down to the point where there’s zero plausible deniability
JD Vance: "Wouldn't you rather lead a movement of freethinkers who sometimes disagree than a bunch of drones who take their orders from George Soros?"
December 21, 2025 at 9:14 PM
this is exactly what I mean by JD laying it on too thick and why he’s a weak general election candidate. he could either go with the “freethinker” or the “Soros” dogwhistle and maybe get away with it
but he can’t help himself and doubles down to the point where there’s zero plausible deniability
but he can’t help himself and doubles down to the point where there’s zero plausible deniability
Reposted by Sam
the vice president is a klansman
JD Vance: "In the United States of America you don't have to apologize for being white anymore"
December 21, 2025 at 8:22 PM
the vice president is a klansman
This freak is going to lose by 10 points in 2028
JD Vance gets the biggest applause of his speech so far when he says "by the grace of God we always will be a Christian nation"
December 21, 2025 at 7:35 PM
This freak is going to lose by 10 points in 2028
Reposted by Sam
Cuomo's allies in the TWU leadership understood much better than the actual Cuomo campaign that the wedge that can split the Mamdani coalition is "real New Yorkers vs gentrifiers" - by contrast attacking Mamdani and allies as Muslims or Socialists (as Cuomo did) strengthens the left coalition.
the reaction from the TWU President:
December 21, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Cuomo's allies in the TWU leadership understood much better than the actual Cuomo campaign that the wedge that can split the Mamdani coalition is "real New Yorkers vs gentrifiers" - by contrast attacking Mamdani and allies as Muslims or Socialists (as Cuomo did) strengthens the left coalition.
Reposted by Sam
As I’ve said before, politics in New York City don’t fall along traditional partisan lines, they fall along the divide of inner boroughs and outer boroughs and the outer boroughs think they’re the only real New Yorkers. They all also have clearly melted their brains on the Internet.
the reaction from the TWU President:
December 21, 2025 at 2:40 PM
As I’ve said before, politics in New York City don’t fall along traditional partisan lines, they fall along the divide of inner boroughs and outer boroughs and the outer boroughs think they’re the only real New Yorkers. They all also have clearly melted their brains on the Internet.
the reaction from the TWU President:
December 20, 2025 at 10:11 PM
the reaction from the TWU President:
I honestly think the fact that most prominent NYC YIMBY groups ( @opennewyork.org, @abundanceny.bsky.social) took a constructive “yes and” approach to engaging with Zohran is a large part of the reason he has embraced our policies.
we genuinely want him to succeed, and he can tell!
we genuinely want him to succeed, and he can tell!
One big takeaway from Mamdani bringing YIMBYs into his transition is that advocates can often gain a lot of power by
1.) having useful answers to questions and accurate information
2.) being reasonably polite and pleasant to elected officials
3.) understanding the actual mechanics of government
1.) having useful answers to questions and accurate information
2.) being reasonably polite and pleasant to elected officials
3.) understanding the actual mechanics of government
December 20, 2025 at 5:22 AM
I honestly think the fact that most prominent NYC YIMBY groups ( @opennewyork.org, @abundanceny.bsky.social) took a constructive “yes and” approach to engaging with Zohran is a large part of the reason he has embraced our policies.
we genuinely want him to succeed, and he can tell!
we genuinely want him to succeed, and he can tell!
it’s truly pathetic how Zuckerberg is doing this when pro-immigrant causes are:
1) most popular
2) most important
just strategic and moral insanity
1) most popular
2) most important
just strategic and moral insanity
Zuck continues to back away from causes he previously championed. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Zuckerberg Cut Ties With Pro-Immigration Organization He Founded
Mark Zuckerberg’s philanthropy has cut ties with the pro-immigration advocacy group that he founded more than a decade ago, a move that parallels other sweeping changes he’s made to his company’s poli...
www.bloomberg.com
December 20, 2025 at 2:58 AM
it’s truly pathetic how Zuckerberg is doing this when pro-immigrant causes are:
1) most popular
2) most important
just strategic and moral insanity
1) most popular
2) most important
just strategic and moral insanity
Reposted by Sam
i have been thinking a bit about how any political program that requires the premise of “america bad” is a dead end
December 19, 2025 at 12:21 AM
i have been thinking a bit about how any political program that requires the premise of “america bad” is a dead end
This is fantastic news. While the subway cannot convert entirely to OPTO overnight, banning it outright was an absurd proposal.
What we need is a strategic phased plan to implement OPTO over time where it makes the most sense, with a focus on improving service first and foremost
What we need is a strategic phased plan to implement OPTO over time where it makes the most sense, with a focus on improving service first and foremost
Gov Hochul will veto a bill to require both a conductor and a driver on every subway train, according to two sources familiar with the decision. Story to follow. Details on the bill here:
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/n...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/n...
Does the Subway Still Need Train Conductors?
www.nytimes.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:11 PM
This is fantastic news. While the subway cannot convert entirely to OPTO overnight, banning it outright was an absurd proposal.
What we need is a strategic phased plan to implement OPTO over time where it makes the most sense, with a focus on improving service first and foremost
What we need is a strategic phased plan to implement OPTO over time where it makes the most sense, with a focus on improving service first and foremost