"These are petitions," Vernon explained. "Would you like to sign?" "Petitions for what?" I calmly asked.
"Petitions to secede. If the congestion pricing plan goes into effect, then I want Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx and Staten Island to secede from the City of New York. After all, we didn't become a part of New York City until the Act of Consolidation in 1898. Before that, New York City was nothing more than the island of Manhattan."
The Road To Secession
"Just think about all those wealthy Manhattanites who drive those gas-guzzling SUVs out to the Hamptons or the Jersey shore or the Berkshires. How are they going to get there without driving through one of the other boroughs? And why shouldn't we be allowed to reduce the auto emissions in OUR air and the traffic congestion on OUR parkways and expressways? Why should we be discriminated against? Think of all the Manhattan yuppies and celebrities who spend their weekends partying in the Hamptons. Think about all the corporate big shots who use our roads to get to the airports. If we have to pay to enter Manhattan, then they should have to pay to leave it. What's fair is fair."
40 comments:
would be a nice idea and on the whole sounds good.
The reality is outer boroughs property taxes would easily triple, the Manhattan businesses pay for our schools, services, infrastructure, etc. Plain and simple, we'd be screwed.
I cannot fathom why Queens residents are against congestion pricing. Probably less than 1% of Queens residents drive into Manhattan during work hours during the week on a regular basis. I work in midtown and I wouldn't even think of it. This plan would bring hundreds of millions of dollars of federal money to the city to improve mass transit, including in Queens. Has everyone here thought this through?
Think of it from the perspective of the small businesses who must travel to and from Manhattan throughout the day in order to make pickups, deliveries, etc. Think of it from the perpective of people who have to drive through Manhattan to get to wherever they work. Think of it from the perspective of many Queens neighborhoods, who have inadequate public transportation and must rely on their cars to get to where they need to go.
If anyone believes that congestion pricing will reduce pollution, traffic, or a fare hike, they need to have their heads examined. This is simply a way to make money off of the public. Why are there no public hearings on the subject? Why is it being crammed down our throats. NEVER trust your government when they say they will make everything ok. It's always a lie.
Con pricing is just that - a con. Traffic will improve in Manhattan and get worse in Queens. Yes, I am in favor of that - NOT!
I live in Queens, work in Manhattan, own a car, and ride the subway. I think congestion pricing is good. It would be better if it only hit out-of-city folk, but so be it. It will definitely reduce traffic and pollution somewhat, even if it is a minor amount. No matter what, that is a good step.
Congestion pricing for Manhattan is because it contains the largest business district in the nation (midtown) and also the 3rd largest (downtown). Queens is mostly all residential. Big BIG difference. At any given moment between employees and tourists, there are many, many more people in Manhattan than Queens.
Queens couldn't make it on its own anyway
Anyone notice that Claire Shulman was in favor of congestion pricing?
Curious.
Ever notice that whenever a post about congestion pricing is put up on this board, there is a flurry of comments saying how great it is? The lobbying firms must have their interns working overtime. Funny how the vast majority of Queens is opposed to pricing, yet on a Queens board there are so many in favor of it.
there is a gigantic cancer hot spot in western queens, so someone should explain how increasing volume in this part of the borough is a good thing.
Yes it's more important to protect tourists who will go home in a week from pollution than kids living in Queens.
Pollution and congestion never stopped tourists from visiting NYC.
So, if you were say, an HVAC technician, do you haul all your tools into the subway from site to site?
How about deliveries? I guess handtrucking 7 cases of drinks onto a bus wouldn't be impossible.
Businesses pay. We'll pay. Whether we drive or not.
The large majority of the fees would be paid by non-NYC suburbanites.
I am glad that Queens is part of NYC, I wish the complainers on the blog could embrace that instead of trying to make Queens resemble Rockland County.
Hmm. That looks like what, 7-8 anti congestion pricing comments in a row from the same anonymous poster?
I remember all the screaming and crying about how the smoking ban would be the end of the world too.
Congestion pricing will benefit all of us. I live in Brooklyn, work in manhaatan, own a car, and take the subway. Drivers need to bear the true costs of driving, and congestion pricing helps.
The only people against congestion pricing are drivers. The rest of us (the clear majority) that actually uses our public transit system (best and most extensive in the nation by far) are in favor, since it will help fund mass transit improvements.
Oh but it's a tax against the poor. Last I checked poor people weren't driving into Manhattan.
The smoking ban wasn't a cost per use policy. This one is.
3 comments in a row from the pro-congestion side. I take the subway and am against congestion pricing. So you should be careful what you declare to be the majority opinion, especially when most polls contradict what you say.
Why would you own a car if you take the subway?
I'm a Quuens resident and I work in Manhattan. I ALWAYS take public transportation when possible - particulary to my place of work daily. I agree with this proposed tax. I believe it would definetely help with the traffic problems and perhaps it would force some to utilize public transporation / carpooling.
"The only people against congestion pricing are drivers. The rest of us (the clear majority) that actually uses our public transit system (best and most extensive in the nation by far) are in favor, since it will help fund mass transit improvements. "
Frankly - Bull
I take mass transit every day - Congestion pricing is bull
You want to lower congestion in Midtown/downtown? I can do it
Stop giving tax breaks to companies to build there/locate there - tell them "We'll give you a tax break - anywhere in the city except in Manhattan below 96th st"
I own a car. I also take the subway into Manhattan where I work. For the last two years I've been driving to the 179th St subway station. I do this mainly for the convenience after work, so I can drive to the supermarket, pick up my daughter from dancing school, etc.
The area where I park will probably get even more congested as far as commuter parking. I can only imagine how bad it'll be in certain other neighborhoods.
I also own a car and take the subway to work. The subway is the best, quickest way to commute, and I have a car to get around to other places. People here complain the the mass transit systems in this city need improvement, and now we have a plan to fund improvements and people who are not even directly affected by the plan still complain.
It didn't work in England, so what makes you think it will work here, especially when too much of the revenue will go towards maintaining the system?
am i missing something here, or are all these SUVs and oversize gas guzzling cars parked on my--Queens--streets all from Manhattan? Get a clue folks, Queens is the land of cars, this county has more cars than either Brooklyn or Manhattan! congestion pricing is just a start, we need more motivating initiatives to give up a destructive car oriented culture!
I am a long time Queens resident and I support congestion pricing. The funds from cp would be used to improve mass transit and it would be beneficial to biz owners who don't have to waste time in traffic.
The only people on this board opposing cp are the old white folks who still think it is 1950 and can't stand the idea of getting into the subway cars and rubbing elbows with the brown and yellow third world masses.
"The funds from cp would be used to improve mass transit and it would be beneficial to biz owners who don't have to waste time in traffic."
Someone drank too much Bloomberg Kool-Aid. There is nothing that says funds raised will pay for mass transit improvements. I also fail to see how business owners will save money when they will be spending money to receive and send deliveries. That means costs passed on to customers. That means loss of business.
I'll give up my car when the mayor gives up his.
We have more cars in Queens because our transportation alternatives aren't all that great.
Congestion pricing worked great in London for a while, and once the streets became clearer and it was easier to get around, the people who had money decided it was worth it to drive again, so who will benefit from this plan in the long run????
You trip will speed up by a few minutes and air will be 1-2% cleaner. Yeah, great idea! Let's spend billions on it!
Why is this being pushed on the pubic without proper study, without hearings, or better yet - how about a referendum?
"The only people on this board opposing cp are the old white folks who still think it is 1950 and can't stand the idea of getting into the subway cars and rubbing elbows with the brown and yellow third world masses."
I am one of the third world masses you refer to. I am well aware of what year it is and my skin has color in it. I am disabled and must drive my car into Manhattan. I am against congestion pricing.
"Funny how the vast majority of Queens is opposed to pricing, yet on a Queens board there are so many in favor of it."
Well ... yes, you are right, but when the folks in LIC & Astoria (are 10%? of Queens) have some valid concerns
(cancer from auto polution - THEY are closer to NYC, afterall)
and don't really see what the big deal is
(they spend about 95% of time in areas that HAVE good transportation - and less than 5% in Bayside)
why should eastern Queens always have the only valid opinion?
Because they can downzone their development into your backyard, thats why.
Cause that is just the way it is!
They don't have the only valid opinion, but neither does Astoria. In fact, I'd guess there are fewer fans of Queens Crap in Astoria than anywhere else in the borough. They love crappy buildings there. Nope, don't think Astorians are the ones flooding the board in favor of con pricing.
Whirlybird pads will then be provided on the rooftops of every Manhattan building so all living on their isle of isolation will be able to circumvent paying the reverse congestion pricing fees.
Of course if they transgress Brooklyn's, Queens', Bronx's or Staten Island's air space they'll be warned to turn back or be shot down !
Keep your sights keenly trained on the distant horizon.
Somebody in City Hall is about to give you a surprise "whammy" in the rear!
The fall-back position (mark my words) to congestion pricing is going to be placing TOLLS on all the TOLL FREE river crossings !
Anonymous said...
"So, if you were say, an HVAC technician, do you haul all your tools into the subway from site to site?
How about deliveries? I guess handtrucking 7 cases of drinks onto a bus wouldn't be impossible.
Businesses pay. We'll pay. Whether we drive or not. "
Read the last line again.
Funny, after the Vallones came out in favor of congestion pricing, the Gazette would print that.
La Famiglia Vallone is nothing more than a bunch of political mafia dons left over from the days of grand-daddy Judge Carlo (Charles) !
They've never been a part of the solution....they've always been a part of the problem !
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