Archive for the 'Congestion Fee' Category

Requiem for congestion pricing

Tuesday, April 8th, 2008

Chris over at East Village Idiot sums it up best with this Sheldon Silver graphic.
Two hours after the congestion pricing bill seemingly died in conference today without an Assembly floor vote, Assemblywoman Joan Millman from Brooklyn’s 52nd District announced her support of the Mayor’s controversial plan.
“Mr. Speaker, on the bill, I will vote yes on [...]

The congestion pricing edition of ‘And Now It’s Dead’

Monday, April 7th, 2008

Nearly one year to the day after its unveiling, Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan has died. The plan, which would have brought traffic relief and cleaner air to the city as well as more money for public transit, died when upstate politicians opted against bringing Bloomberg’s groundbreaking and controversial plan to an Assembly [...]

MTA Source: If congestion pricing fails, expect more fare hikes

Friday, April 4th, 2008

In a story bound to pick up speed over the weekend, the tireless Elizabeth Benjamin at the Daily News’ The Daily Politics blog reports that MTA board members are threatening more fare hikes if congestion pricing isn’t approved. That leaves with one question: Is the MTA board engaging in some political chicanery or are [...]

Russianoff praises congestion pricing’s transit lockbox

Thursday, April 3rd, 2008

Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign is something of a subway guru. He is a tireless advocate for riders’ rights and for all things public transit in New York City. When he talks, rail watchers listen.
Yesterday, Russianoff talked and in a big way. In a piece in The Post, not normally a big congestion [...]

City Council approves amended congestion fee bill

Tuesday, April 1st, 2008

In a close vote late Monday evening, the City Council sent a strong home-rule message to Albany when it passed Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing proposal. The Council vote now sends the plan up to the State Legislature for ultimate approval.
Diane Cardwell of The Times has more on the vote and what it means [...]

Council approves congestion pricing

Monday, March 31st, 2008

Finally, some good news for New York’s battered and beleaguered transportation network: The City Council has approved congestion pricing. The plan now heads to the state legislature which should heed New York’s home-rule decision. I’ll have more on this and its potential impact on transit later on tonight.

Congestion pricing vote set for 3:30 p.m.

Monday, March 31st, 2008

Another financial milestone for the MTA is fast approaching. At 3:30 p.m. this afteroon, the City Council will hold a vote on the revised congestion pricing plan. While, as City Room’s Sewell Chan notes, the State Legislature will ultimately approve or vote down the plan, the Council has to approve the plan before the Legislature [...]

On the brink of a weekend, Paterson announces congestion support

Friday, March 21st, 2008

Big News: The already-embattled new governor David Paterson has announced his support of congestion pricing. There’s hope for transit in New York City yet.
“Congestion Pricing addresses two urgent concerns of the residents of New York City and its suburbs: the need to reduce congestion on our streets and roads, and thereby reduce pollution and global [...]

Maybe the Spitzer scandal saved congestion pricing

Thursday, March 13th, 2008

Despite my previous predictions that Gov. Spitzer’s resignation may signal the end of congestion pricing, a growing crowd of voices is now suggesting that maybe his resignation will save the pricing plan. Alec Applebaum at New York Magazine’s Daily Intel blog speculated that incoming Gov. Patterson could shepherd the plan through the legislature. The Times [...]

The congestion pricing edition of ‘Now It’s Probably Gone’

Wednesday, March 12th, 2008

Yesterday, I speculated that Gov. Spitzer’s scandalous problems may signal the end of our congestion pricing hopes. Today, with Spitzer out, pricing foe Assemblyman Richard Brodsky gleefully predicts the downfall of Mayor Bloomberg’s radical and necessary plan. “Whatever political efforts he was intending to make are certainly not going to be there over the next [...]