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Gov. Cuomo's Office Takes Aim At Racy Subway Ads

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York transit officials are agreeing to reconsider their advertising standards after a top aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo objected to a cleavage-baring ad for breast enhancement.

Howard Glaser, Cuomo's director of state operations, wrote to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Tuesday asking the agency to take action after the New York Daily News wrote about the revealing advertisement.

In the letter, Glaser noted that thousands of children use the transit system every day.

"The MTA is a public conveyance, subsidized by $190 million annually in the state budget, plus over $5 billion in dedicated taxes," Glaser wrote. "The public has a right to expect that the MTA will strive for a family-friendly environment."

As CBS 2's Alice Gainer reported, support for the ads among subway riders also appears to be lacking.

"I have a 6-year-old and a 9-year-old and she did see that and she just stared at it for a couple seconds and you know what's going on," Sidney Bowen said.

Others didn't appear bothered by the ads.

"I think it's fine. It's not a big deal," Branden Olson said.

In a statement an MTA spokesman says the agency understands Cuomo's concerns and will review its advertising standards.

The breast-enhancement ads for Doctors Plastic Surgery, which are located on 1,000 subway cars and 50 stations, offer the surgery for $3,800.

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(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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