Congestion Pricing Defeat a Win for the Boroughs?
The Times is describing the death of congestion pricing behind closed doors in Albany yesterday as something of a victory for Brooklyn and Queens, since the plan “was strongly opposed by a broad array of politicians from Queens, Brooklyn and New York’s suburbs, who viewed the proposed congestion fee as a regressive measure that overwhelmingly…
The Times is describing the death of congestion pricing behind closed doors in Albany yesterday as something of a victory for Brooklyn and Queens, since the plan “was strongly opposed by a broad array of politicians from Queens, Brooklyn and New York’s suburbs, who viewed the proposed congestion fee as a regressive measure that overwhelmingly benefited affluent Manhattanites.” Brooklyn City Councilmembers were clearly divided on the issue: Last week nine voted against the measure and seven voted for it. It remains to be seen now whether the residential parking permits initiative, which was contingent upon congestion pricing legislation passing, is also dead for the foreseeable future. Whether or not the defeat was a win for Brooklyn and the other boroughs, it was obviously a bruising loss for Mayor Mike. The mayor issued a statement that says, in part: “Today is a sad day for New Yorkers and a sad day for New York City. Not only won’t we see the realization of a plan that would have cut traffic, spurred our economy, reduced pollution and improved public health, we will also lose out on nearly $500 million annually for mass transit improvements and $354 million in immediate federal funds…It takes true leadership and courage to embrace new concepts and ideas and to be willing to try something. Unfortunately, both are lacking in the Assembly today. If that wasn’t shameful enough, it takes a special type of cowardice for elected officials to refuse to stand up and vote their conscience on an issue that has been debated, and amended significantly to resolve many outstanding issues, for more than a year.” Most of the dailies have stories about how Bloomberg played a hand in the bill’s defeat by using hardball tactics with legislators. The Times notes that “many opponents said they resented the pressure and threats that they said emanated from Mr. Bloomberg’s side, including hints that the mayor would back primary candidates to run against politicians who opposed congestion pricing.”
$8 Traffic Fee for Manhattan Gets Nowhere [NY Times]
It’s (Apparently) Official: Congestion Pricing Is Dead [Streetsblog]
Bloomberg Unleashes Fury as Silver Halts Congestion Pricing [NY Daily News]
Mayor’s Duck Is Looking A Bit Lame [NY Sun]
Nine Bklyn Councilmembers Vote Against Congest Fee [Brownstoner]
Mayor Rolls Out Resident Parking Permit Proposal [Brownstoner]
Photo by neysapranger.
I for one do not believe that our lives would be better or more perfect if we gave the government just a little more money. They always need just a little bit more in order to fix everything and make our lives perfect.
All governments are tyrannies, it is the role of the citizenry, whether in NY or the former East Germany, to revolt now and then and keep the ruling elites in their place.
Our current mayor whose motto is “I’m really rich and you’re not” needs citizen intervention more than most.
I say bullshit to those who say there will be less congestion. Even the Mayor’s own rosy plan says that congestion would only decrease by around 6 percent, and when was the last time a government projection like that was true? If congestion decreases then it will become easier to drive and more people will do so, thus eliminating almost all the benefit. The only real difference will be that the people driving will be the ones for whom the congestion charge is not an issue, while the rest of us will be on even more crowded subways.
And don’t tell me that there will be more subways to take up the slack because the busiest subway lines are already running at full capacity, with no room for more trains no matter how much money you throw at the problem.
Looking at the vote in the city council it appears that the city was split about 50/50 on the issue. What bothers me most about this whole debacle is that our elected representatives in Albany didn’t even put this to a vote. This way they can say that they didn’t vote for it and they didn’t vote against it depending on who their target audience is. This goes on quite often which is why nothing ever gets done. Imagine if I showed up at work and decided to do nothing because if I did something, I wouldn’t know if my boss would like it or not. They are a bunch of p***y asses.
While I favor a (national) gas tax – it is in fact FAR FAR more regressive than CP
Call me Joe Commuter. I drive in to work sometimes and I really enjoy my freedom, flexability and love the fact that I’m in control and not some MTA train operator or computer. Being underground and packed like sardines nowadays just gives me the heebie jeebies.
Dont Thread on me.
11:45 more taxis than cars…. yup… agreed. So then a taxi-cab fare hike covers that doesn’t it? Without putting 1984 cameras everywhere.
separated bike/express bus lanes create an advantage for bike and bus riders, more of the cities streets are allocated to bike and bus riders, giving them more space and faster tranists… reducing the incentive to drive. throw car-pool into the bus express lanes (tikcet violators)… and you have even further encouragment of good vehicle choices and a source of revenue WITHOUT compromising our freedoms or placing a unbalanced tax on everyone.
As to taxis are only for the rich, you would be a fool to think so, and not someone who lives in NY. I rarely take taxies, cause i dislike the expense, but almost any NYer has taken a taxi for a variety of reasons… amongst them… a not wealthy girl alone at night, a person drunk who realizes a taxi is safer for them, someone getting from york to hudson, someone who would be otherwise late for a job interview… and inumerous other reasons…. do you really think that “half the cars on the street are taxis” are filled with rich people?
YOUR outlook doesnt do a thing to stop people polluting at all, makes YOU kinda chinese… freedom to pollute!! just pay up!
no, instead of CP we should be looking for proposals that ACTUALLY encourage non (or less) polluting alternatives, CP just ups the cost of manhatten.. nothing else.
The bottom line is that it was a regressive tax that most regular people outside the ritziest neighborhoods did not support.
Don’t worry, it will be back.
Next time they will call it the anti-global warming toll or the polar bear cub toll. They will call it anything as long as they can get their hands on more of our dough.
What does having a bank account have to do with driving a car? Some people, and not just non English speaking people, or uneducated people, don’t have bank accounts for a lot of reasons, some good, some practical, some completely nutty. Ever looked at your bank statement? Bank accounts are an expense for some people that they would rather not incur. Point remains, they are out there, and they are not in the plan, and will make up a sizable number of people.
Regardless, I do not think it is in any way practical to demand that delivery people deliver goods after 6pm. That is unrealistic for 9-5 companies, and for any business that depends on receiving any kind of goods too big for a messenger bag. This city runs on the ability to move things around, and is not going to have that movement hindered without a big fight. I have no problem with the idea of charging Joe Commuter to drive into Manhattan in his Hummer, because he doesn’t like public transportation.
The fat cats have drivers who just wait all day for them or they have private garages in their law firms or banks. These guys don’t use the same grungy garages you and I do.