Weiner still on the fence about mayoral run, posts plan to boost middle class

 

(Original Link)

4/15/2013

By Ivan Pereira

Anthony Weiner remains mum on his possible mayoral run, but that’s not stopping him from giving his two cents on how to improve the city’s middle class.

When asked whether he is throwing his hat into the contest during NY1’s “Inside City Hall” Monday evening, the disgraced congressman said he was “thinking about it.”

Weiner repeatedly expressed regret for his lewd photo scandal that forced him to leave his post in 2011 and asked for forgiveness.

“I’ll be spending a lot of time from here on out saying I’m sorry,” he said.

Weiner, 48, has $4.3 million in campaign contributions for a mayoral run and tried to run in the last two elections.

Earlier in the day, GOP mayoral candidate Joe Lhota said he would welcome Weiner if he threw his hat into the ring.

“Anthony is an old friend and his entrance into the race would raise the level of discourse,” Lhota said in a statement.

Even though Weiner hasn’t officially declared his candidacy, he said he wants to help keep middle-class New Yorkers from falling through the cracks.

Weiner’s 64-point “Keys to the City” plan, which he posted online Sunday night, would help make New York a better place to live, he said. Weiner’s plan offers suggestions for several areas, including:

Education — Weiner wants to create a master teaching academy where former teachers can pass their skills to a newer generation. “This is a much-needed opportunity for the city and teachers’ union to work together,” he wrote.

Transportation — Weiner said the city needed to launch ferry service among all boroughs to ease congestion. He also pushed for cellphone service on every subway platform.

“Going down to catch a train should not mean you lose the ability to check on a meeting, run an app or report a crime,” he wrote.

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