By Rebecca Henely
In his latest criticism of the Queensborough Bridge renaming, City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) has introduced legislation that prohibits the city from renaming public property after living people.
The Council voted 38-12 in 2011 to add former Mayor Ed Koch’s name in front of “Queensborough.”
“The Queensborough Bridge has already been taken from the people of Queens, so there is no telling what landmark could be next,” Vallone said in a statement. “At a minimum, renaming property after someone’s death helps to ensure the honor is bestowed for the right reasons.”
Vallone said naming landmarks after living people could be an unfair way to gain political support, favors, donations or approval of a politician.
The councilman was the fiercest opponent of renaming the bridge for Koch. He claimed his protest lost him discretionary funding in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 from Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan), a supporter of the renaming. She denied that was the case.
Reach reporter Rebecca Henely by e-mail at rhenely@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4564.
