The NIMBY in Chief

"The White House's decision, announced during the government shutdown, seems designed to put pressure on Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leaders in the Senate and House respectively, who both happen to represent New York State. But the specific way in which Donald Trump has decided to block the projects-by imposing an onerous regulatory-review process-is a troubling omen of how he might broadly undermine development across the country."

"If anyone should appreciate the downsides of excessive red tape, it's Trump. Forty years ago, the New York City parks department was struggling to rebuild Central Park's decrepit Wollman ice-skating rink. But a state anti-corruption statute known as the Wicks Law precluded the city government from hiring a single general contractor to do the job. Instead, the parks department was required to bid the plumbing, electrical, and ventilation jobs separately,"

The Trump administration froze funding for the Gateway tunnels under the Hudson River and the extension of Manhattan's Second Avenue Subway, actions announced during the government shutdown. The freeze appears aimed at pressuring New York representatives Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries by delaying critical projects that serve regional transit. The administration imposed an onerous regulatory-review process to block progress, signaling a willingness to use bureaucratic hurdles to impede development. This approach contradicts prior promises to reduce bureaucracy and instead elevates local opposition to national policy. A past example shows Trump's private takeover of Central Park's Wollman rink after anti-corruption bidding rules delayed and inflated costs.

Read at The Atlantic