Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Bloomberg Says Plow Failure Is "Character Building"


By

Ben Yakas

Published Dec 31, 2010

Modified Dec 31, 2010


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

Nrbelex's flickr

 


By

Ben Yakas

Published Dec 31, 2010

Modified Dec 31, 2010


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Mayor Bloomberg spent yesterday getting finger-wagged by angry taxpayers over the snow removal failure, and he let everyone know just how lousy he's feeling about it on his radio show this morning. "This year is not ending the way I would have preferred, but it's still been a good year. Nobody has a career that goes straight up," he glumly pronounced. He also added that the city's failure to plow the streets days after the blizzard was "character building." We're sure those disgruntled people stuck on unplowed streets are very pleased to know that this is all about your personal growth.

Now that Bloomberg has given a mea culpa or two, he can get down to the hard work of investigating that alleged Sanitation slowdown. Or, he could talk to the Department of Investigation, who it turns out already began a probe earlier this week after hearing rumors of the slowdown. Repentant Sanitation workers now allege that the Sanitation bosses who sabotaged the blizzard cleanup because of massive budget cuts targeted specific politically connected and ritzy neighborhoods in Queens and Brooklyn during the slowdown. One source told the Post, "It was more targeted than people actually think. Borough Park was specifically targeted [because of]...its ability to sort of gin up the p.r. machine."

The majority of snow removal complaints Public Advocate Bill de Blasio received since the blizzard came from Borough Park. You know what Borough Park residents might have appreciated more than apologies and "character building"? Unplowed streets. Or perhaps Corey Booker.

Tagged

blizzageddon

Blizzard

blizzard 2010

mayor bloomberg

sanitation department

slowdown


Ben Yakas

Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

NYPD searching for suspect after fatal stabbing in Queens

Officers responding to a call at the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and 173rd Street around 1 a.m. found 29-year-old Sulimon Ferrier, who had multiple stab wounds to his chest, police said.

By

Ben Feuerherd

Published Oct 3, 2026 at 4:38 p.m. ET


NYPD: 2 suspects in off-duty officer stabbing tried to rob victim

It’s unclear if the attackers knew the victim was NYPD.

By

Jill Webb

News

NYPD: 2 suspects in off-duty officer stabbing tried to rob victim

It’s unclear if the attackers knew the victim was NYPD.

By

Jill Webb


Astoria-born Chip City announces sudden closure days after former CEO sues

By

Catalina Gonella

US judge tosses Trump lawsuit targeting pro-Palestinian protesters in NJ

By

Willow Higgins

A big, bright Saturn will be the highlight of NYC's fall stargazing season

By

Rosemary Misdary


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .