City Council approves amended congestion fee bill

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 for the revolutionary plan’s future:

Approving the proposal, Ms. Quinn said, would send a message to the Legislature that the “people who were elected to represent the New Yorkers who live in our five boroughs are sick and tired of our streets being clogged with traffic, we’re sick and tired of the children who live in our city literally having to fight to be able to breathe, and that we see congestion pricing as a solution to this problem.”

But the ultimate fate of the proposal now resides in Albany, where the intentions of lawmakers whose approval is needed remained unclear. Gov. David A. Paterson and the Senate majority leader, Joseph L. Bruno, have expressed their support. But Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who has derailed Mr. Bloomberg’s ambitions in the past, remained noncommittal, telling members of the Democratic conference on Sunday night that he would not take the issue up until the state budget was completed.

Meanwhile, the form of congestion pricing passed by the City Council looks a bit different than Mayor Bloomberg’s original plan. Gone are the boundaries at 86th St. Instead, congestion pricing will go into effect south of 60th St. At the last minute, other key changes which probably saved the plan were put in place by the Senate majority. Elizabeth Benjamin summarized those changes. They address many of the concerns the congestion pricing critics had:

– Requires the Port Authority of NY/NJ to contribute $1 billion to the 5-year MTA capital plan. If the authority fails to make this payment, then the amount of the toll offset for commuters who use the Hudson River crossings will be reduced. (This is to address complaints that NJ communters weren’t paying their fair share in the original plan).

– This eligible to receive an earned income tax credit would have congestion pricing fees reimbursed over the amount of the monthly Metrocard. (This is to address complaints about the lack of an exemption for poor people).

– Increases the time to pay fines for non-EZPass drivers to 96 hours (four days) prior to incurring a penalty and provides three separate notices to be sent to a driver prior to the issuance of a violation. (To create a fairer fine structure).

– Strengthens language regarding prevailing wage to include all public works performed by the MTA with congestion pricing funds. (To assuage concerns of organized labor union and their allies).

– Expands the handicapped license plate exemption to include those with a NYC tag and an EZPass.

For the MTA, that golden carrot of funds is one step closer, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. After facing lower-than-expected revenues and the threat of less money from Albany, the MTA needed a win, and they have received at least a provisional win. The money from the congestion pricing plan will go to the MTA, and the MTA will be able to fund more of its capital campaign. That’s a win.

Pricing opponents are sure to be out in full force tomorrow, but this is a good plan for New York. It’s a good plan for the future of our region and for the future of our transportation network. It’s one step closer to reality, and that is good news indeed.