Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan to charge drivers extra tolls in congested parts of Manhattan inched closer to approval on Monday with authorization by the City Council (it passed 20-30).
The concept, known as congestion pricing, still faces its most substantial hurdle in Albany, where legislators were focused on finishing the state budget and were expected to take it up later this week.
The Legislature must approve the plan by April 7 or the city stands to lose $354 million in funding promised by the federal government to help kick-start the initiative.
Congestion pricing is intended to cut traffic and pollution by forcing more commuters onto mass transit; the money collected through the tolls would go toward mass-transit improvements. The Bloomberg administration has said it would like to have it up and running in a year.
Opponents, including many lawmakers from outside Manhattan, say commuters who drive in from the outer boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island often have no mass-transit options and have no choice but to use their cars.
NO – Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., 32, Queens, Democrat
YES -Maria del Carmen Arroyo, 17, Bronx, Democrat
NO – Tony Avella, 19, Queens, Democrat
YES -Maria Baez, 14, Bronx, Democrat
NO – Charles Barron, 42, Brooklyn, Democrat
YES -Gale A. Brewer, 6, Manhattan, Democrat
NO – Leroy G. Comrie, Jr., 27, Queens, Democrat
NO – Bill de Blasio, 39, Brooklyn, Democrat
YES -Inez E. Dickens, 9, Manhattan, Democrat
NO – Erik Martin Dilan, 37, Brooklyn, Democrat
NO – Mathieu Eugene, 40, Brooklyn, Democrat
YO – Simcha Felder, 44, Brooklyn, Democrat
NO – Lewis A. Fidler, 46, Brooklyn, Democrat
ABSENT – Helen D. Foster, 16, Bronx, Democrat
NO -Dennis P. Gallagher, 30, Queens, Republican
YES- Daniel R. Garodnick, 4, Manhattan, Democrat
NO – James F. Gennaro, 24, Queens, Democrat
NO – Vincent J. Gentile, 43, Brooklyn, Democrat
YES – Alan J. Gerson, 1, Manhattan, Democrat
YES – Eric N. Gioia, 26, Queens, Democrat
YES – Sara M. Gonzalez, 38, Brooklyn, Democrat
NO – Vincent Ignizio, 51, Staten Island, Republican
YES – Robert Jackson, 7, Manhattan, Democrat
YES – Letitia James, 35, Brooklyn, Working Families
NO – Melinda R. Katz, 29, Queens, Democrat
YES – G. Oliver Koppell, 11, Bronx, Democrat
YES – Jessica S. Lappin, 5 Manhattan, Democrat
YES – John C. Liu, 20, Queens, Democrat
YES – Melissa Mark-Viverito, 8, Manhattan, Democrat
YES – Miguel Martinez, 10, Manhattan, Democrat
YES – Michael E. McMahon, 49 Staten Island, Democrat
NO – Darlene Mealy, 41, Brooklyn, Democrat
YES – Rosie Mendez, 2, Manhattan, Democrat
YES – Hiram Monserrate, 21, Queens, Democrat
NO – Michael C. Nelson, 48, Brooklyn, Democrat
NO – James S. Oddo, 50, Staten Island, Republican
YES – Annabel Palma, 18, Bronx, Democrat
YES – Christine C. Quinn, 3, Manhattan, Democrat
YES – Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., 47, Brooklyn, Democrat
NO – Diana Reyna, 34, Brooklyn, Democrat
YES – Joel Rivera, 15, Bronx, Democrat
YES – James Sanders, Jr., 31, Queens, Democrat
YES – Larry B. Seabrook, 12, Bronx, Democrat
NO – Helen Sears, 25, Queens, Democrat
YES – Kendall Stewart, 45, Brooklyn, Democrat
YES – James Vacca, 13, Bronx, Democrat
NO – Peter F. Vallone Jr., 22, Queens, Democrat
YES – Albert Vann, 36, Brooklyn, Democrat
NO – David I. Weprin, 23, Queens, Democrat
YES – Thomas White, Jr. 28, Queens, Democrat
YES – David Yassky 33, Brooklyn, Democrat
(Source: WCBSTV)
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12 Responses
Congestion pricing STINKS as bad as the Mayor does. First & foremost the Mayor is agends driven to accomplish something to make a name for himself. This billionaire is not happy with his money alone he needs Kovod big time.
Let’s not forget that the main agenda behind congestion pricing is what ???? That’s right!!! You guessed it, GLOBAL WARMING!!!
Let’s not be fooled by the Mayors promises of “new & improved” mass transit, that is his way of trying to convince us “foolish citizens” to go along with his nonsence.
Bottom line, what you’re gonna get is a fee to drive into the city, an increase in bus & subway fares & tolls. Prices of goods & services will rise because of the additional costs of doing business in the city. Whatever revenue will increase will get lost in government as usual. And last but not least reduction in traffic???? HA!!! That will NEVER happen.
I just checked the rollcall and Councilman Simcha Felder voted in favor. I’d like to know why he has voted against the interests of his community, many of whom drive to Manhattan and will now get penalized by congestion pricing which is essentially a tax on the outer boroughs. This is especially difficult for those in our community that need to see doctors in Manhattan who will now have to pay an aditional $8 or $9 if this ultimately passes the state legislature.
Orthinsider,
In answer to your questions,
1- Simcha plays politics like anybody else.
2- He (Simcha) will possibly be able to avoid paying as a city employee (not 100% sure on this one).
3- There was no jewish community pressure on our politicians to vote against it.
SORRY BUT SIMCHA LET US DOWN BIG TIME!!!!!
Kudos to Councilman Michael Nelson for voting with his communities interest. The Mayor must of made many promises to our Elected Officials just to see this pass. For many money hungry politicians that are runing for higher office couldn’t resist but to go with the Mayor. Yes, this year they will be getting extra monies for their communities but in the long run we all lost. Let’s not only complain about those Elected Officials that voted yes but we should call up our representatives that voted NO and give them a big Yasher Koach. Simcha Felder who voted against his community can be reached at 718-853-2704 and Councilman Nelson who voted NO with our Community can be reached at 718-368-9176.
quote from YWN article: YO – Simcha Felder, 44, Brooklyn, Democrat
Everyone votes “YES” or “NO”, but Simcha (according to YWN) votes “YO”. Why didn’t he vote “NES”?
with all the mentions of this strange term “congestion pricing”, this article is the first which defines it or explains it.
So much for the NYC Council being an independent branch from the mayor. Thanks to Simcha Felder and Christine Quinn the City Council has been proven to be nothing more than the mayors’ rubber-stamp. We need a leader like Councilman Michael Nelson, who understands that he works for the people in his district and not for the mayor. If Mayor Bloomberg couldn’t buy Nelson, no one else can.
what does YO mean? Did he really vote NO and it was a typo? Me thinks Yo sounds more like no than like yes! YWEditor, please clarify!
From what I’ve read, congenstion pricing will have to paid even for driving up the FDR… so anyone driving through Manhattan to Monsey or upstate NY will also have to pay this toll…
THIS IS A HUGE BURDEN and an added unecessary expense!. And as an aside, traffic will NOT significantly decrease to make it worth it… but the city will make lots of money in the process.
Mayer Bloomberg, has really taxed NY’ers to a point where living in NYC has become unbearable.
Kudos also to Councilman Bill de Blasio, who represents a good chunk of Boro Park, for voting no. We should remember that as he is running for Boro President.
Another new tax pushed through by Simcha Felder.
Simcha let us down!!!!!