Bloomberg responds to heliport investigation

NEW YORK (WABC) -- No amount of City Hall spin could change what the video reveals: A Mayor repeatedly violating a city-imposed noise curfew at an East side heliport.

So after two Eyewitness News reports documenting Mayor Bloomberg's noisy weekend intrusions, 8 in just one weekend, he announced he would use another heliport.

Dr. Ron Sticco, a fed up resident who recorded the scofflaw Mayor's helicopter movements, says he's pleased with Bloomberg's decision:

"This is about respecting the community and abiding by the rules. I'm happy but I really wish it had never come to anything like this," Sticco said.

The Mayor could now end up using the city-owned Wall Street heliport, which is open during weekends. An obviously miffed Mayor brushed off the entire curfew controversy:

"Don't know why it's such a big deal. If that's the news that's fit to print in this day in age, it's a sad day," he said.

But the Sticcos and others say when the Mayor, a man of great wealth and power, behaves as though rules don't apply to him and then gets caught - that they say is newsworthy.

"If you're flying a helicopter, you should obey the rules," City Councilwoman Gale Brewer.

Brewer spent years working with the Bloomberg administration to reduce noisy helicopter flights around Manhattan:

"We had spent 3 or 4 years negotiating rules so it was particularly egregious that he either didn't know the rule or perhaps disobeying them, knowing them," Brewer said.

Residents say for an urgent matter or an emergency, no one would blame the mayor for using the heliport, but 8 times in one weekend, they say shows blind arrogance.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PART 1 OF JIM HOFFER'S INVESTIGATION

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