Imperatore remembers it differently, saying he had warned only that "it may be an idea that's slightly ahead of its time."
For fans of the return of ferry service to New York Harbor, this kind of rivalry, far from discouraging, is actually a healthy sign -- that business is now vigorous enough to allow for good old-fashioned New York infighting.
Durst complains that the inequities between the two companies run much deeper than the size of boats or fleets. He said that he had been frustrated by what he saw as an official bias toward the Imperatores, longtime contributors to Governor George E. Pataki. For instance, New York Waterway receives US$2.5 million a month in federal subsidies, administered by the city and state, to run increased service between Hoboken and Lower Manhattan.
The younger Imperatore stresses that his company was asked by city and state officials to provide that service.
Water Taxi has also received about US$1 million to build ferry slips, but Durst said the money was long in coming. "When we started we found not just the absence of a level playing field, but that the gate to the game was barred," he said. "Without Tom's tenacity and my persistence and the reputation and assets of the Durst Organization, any other startup would still be on the outside looking in."
He added: "We've gotten absolutely nothing besides verbal encouragement, which is nice, but when you read about the millions and millions that are flowing to others, you have to wonder what's going on here."
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