Thursday, January 27, 2011

Congestion pricing is back



From Fox 5:

New York City officials are reportedly considering a plan to charge motorists up to $10 to enter lower Manhattan on weekdays.

The NY Daily News reported on Wednesday that "traffic pricing" as some insiders are calling it is similar to Mayor Michael Bloomberg's 2008 plan to charge $8 to drive at certain times in specific areas of New York City.

The plan which was rejected by the Assembly, charged drivers entering below 60th Street from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. the fee.

There is no formal proposal in place for the new pricing plan, reported the paper.

Money raised could be used to help plug the MTA's maintenance gap.


From the Daily News:

Now, backers call it "traffic pricing" - and want to build support among outer borough and suburban lawmakers before proposing a specific plan.

"The MTA needs a sustainable funding source," explained state Sen. Daniel Squadron (D-Brooklyn), who's rounding up colleagues. "This has to be on the table."

One idea would reduce the payroll tax on businesses outside Manhattan - which could win backing from suburban lawmakers.

"Everybody out in the suburbs hates the payroll tax, so the idea of 'feathering' the tax could be helpful," said one person involved.

"This has to be a regional effort. It has to enjoy regional support," the source added.

Driver fees could also reverse some of the MTA service cuts that eliminated two subway lines and 36 bus routes last year, and help plug the system's $10 billion long-term maintenance gap.

They could also delay the 7% fare hike scheduled for a year from now, backers hope.

While Gov. Cuomo has not taken sides on the idea, Bloomberg aides have been working on it behind the scenes for months.

"The key is devising a proposal that would win broad support across the five boroughs, the entire region, and in Albany," said Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mayor Bloomberg will not let this rest. He is like a spoiled brat that didn't get his way the first time around and will continue to manipulate with his money and power to make sure his precious Manhattan is like a gated community where we, the outer boroughs, will have to pay dearly to enter his paradise. I hope Albany squashes this immediately. New York City belongs to us all!!!!

Anonymous said...

Tax the commuters from outside NYC. Leave us alone, we need to circulate within our city's boundaries - otherwise why live here? If you decide to tax Queens and other residents to go into Manhattan, then impose a Manhattan residency tax annually - say 20x52 = 1,040 per annum. They can afford it. Or a tax added to a monthly car garage space levied at 25% would be better. After all a car stored in Manhattan is a luxury.

Anonymous said...

This is good news -- we need East/Harlem river bridge tolls badly!

Anonymous said...

We need to fight this to the death. No Congestion Pricing. Its all about making money. The claim that it will keep bus and subway fare increases down is bs. You know all the city and mta will do with the extra money is hire more useless managers up top, cry poverty again, and still raise the fare. No matter what there is never enough money according to the city and mta.

Anonymous said...

If this passes, and drivers are expected to front the burden, its only fair for cyclists to contribute as well.

Big Hairy Balls said...

I lived in NYC for 28 years. I took the subway everywhere. Unless you are in a line of work that requires you to drive, i.e. the trades, why would you want to? End welfare! Long live Israel! Death to the Palestinians! Long live my INCREDIBLE NYC teacher's pension. Big Hairy Balls is back! Did you miss me?

Anonymous said...

How do you take the subway from Middle Village to Fresh Meadows?

Anonymous said...

This needs to be opposed. The government should learn to run with less money and not more. If it needs more it should just raise rates uniformly and not create all these gimmicks - especially ones like this with very high startup costs, operating costs, and unknowable unintended effects.

KeepNYCFree said...

Traffic Tax/ Toll Tax/ Congestion Tax - The faulty policy that no amount of messaging can correct. Keep NYC Free comments on Daily News report
(2011-01-26) See http://keepnycfree.com/media/files/2011-01-26_Purple_Haze.pdf

Anonymous said...

"No matter what there is never enough money according to the city and mta."

I think that goes for everyone and everything in respect to money/funds.

Anonymous said...

Long live Israel!(death to Israel) Death to the Palestinians!(death to palestinians) Long live my INCREDIBLE NYC teacher's pension. Big Hairy Balls is back! Did you miss me?

enjoy your INCREDIBLE NYC teacher's pension , anyways you'll get diagnosed with cancer in less than three years .

Death to both of you brown garbage.

Anonymous said...

" End welfare! Long live Israel!"

Isn't this an oxymoron - Moron?

Israel IS a welfare STATE of ours.

Anonymous said...

Big Hairy Balls is back!

The original teabagger!

Queenzach said...

Define "Lower Manhattan." Anything below 60th street is total BS, as the roads are to wide enough easily able to handle cars and pedestrians. The financial district is another story, but no one really drives there anyway, except government cars that wouldn't be paying the tax.

The whole idea is crap, you shouldn't have to pay to move about your own city. Perhaps they should just toll every bridge into Manhattan, and make us present our papers as well as pay a toll. They can take our photo and scan our fingerprints while they're at it.

Anonymous said...

WTF ever happened to that billion dollar surplus that caused the MTA workers to go on strike a few years ago? WTF happened to that?!? You mean to tell me they managed to turn a surplus into a huge debt in just a short amount of time?!

Anonymous said...

When will be get to charge all the Manhattan companies whose workers drive their vans home and park them on residential streets. We won't put our cars in Manhattan if you don't let companies park their crappy commercial vehicles here in Queens!

Anonymous said...

If the mayor really wants to make money, why doesn't he sell monthly parking permits to all the Pennsylvania cars and those form other states lining our streets?

Anonymous said...

Get rid of the MTA. Throw those people in the garbage.

Helen said...

Anonymous #1 ~

"Elites" like Bloomberg are trying to keep the riffraff (border towners from The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island)out of their Emerald City of Manhattan.

Anonymous said...

Please everyone....we have to fight this. We should not have to pay to travel around in our own city just because we live in the boroughs. Write your congressman, and all elected officials. Don't let Bloomberg get his way with this one. It is no good for anyone, especially the elderly and sick who travel into Manhattan to see doctors and specialists. This is unfair.

Anonymous said...

"How do you take the subway from Middle Village to Fresh Meadows?"

Unless the plan changed radically you wouldn't pay anything to go from Middle Village to Fresh Meadows.

Anonymous said...

That was not the statement being responded to. The statement was "I took the subway everywhere."

Anonymous said...

Anon No. 37: And replace them with whom? Do you think the elected representatives want to have the responsibility for running the transit system?

Anonymous said...

You could be right maybe I'll be diagnosed with cancer in three years, here's a newsflash for you, you too could get cancer. Just because you live in your mother's basement doesn't mean you can't achieve success. Join the USAF like I did in my youth the experience would help you grow up.

Big Hairy Balls said...

The last post was by Big Hairy Balls. BHB is a Christian Zionist, Pro-Israel, anti-Palestinian, anti-Welfare and pro hard work. Quit whining and join the anti Muslim revolution. Long live Rush, Sean & Sarah Palin!!! I'm back fom Christmas in Israel, did you miss me?

Anonymous said...

No. No one gives a shit about you.

Big Hairy Balls said...

It's really funny reading the insanely funny comments that range from somewhat intelligent to threatening. An old retired guy like me couldn't buy this kind of entertainment. Long live Israel! Death to the Palestinians! End welfare! I love my big fat pension that you have to pay for!

Anonymous said...

Forget Congestion Pricing. Just brink back the commuter tax and privatize the MTA. The MTA should be disbande for its waste and inefficiency. Hire the Disney people to move people and run the trains and buses. They do a great job. Congestion pricing is just another tax and a way to get rid of the middle class. Bloomberg won't be happy until he gets his way. Let's stop him NOW.

Anonymous said...

Most of the subway and bus systems were privately operated at one point. That's why there's an MTA now. Who would want to operate the transit system?

Anonymous said...

BRING BACK THE COMMUTER TAX