CONGESTION PRICE PASS THE CITY COUNCIL

The NYC City Council has succumbed to Blombito and Bloomquin's arm bending. Congestion pricing is on to the New York State Assembly where it will once again be considered. Hopefully, Speaker Sheldon Silver will lobby to defeat it.

The decision to charge an $8 tax to motorists who drive below 60th street is nothing more than a penalty upon the working class. The majority of those who voted for this tax arrive at work in chauffeur driven cars and taxis. The issue that these tax monies will improve mass transit is just that.....an issue. The MTA consistently operates in the red despite generous raises to it's board of governors. When workers went on a three day strike, the MTA cried poverty.

Environmentalists support the tax alleging that this will contribute to cleaner air due to decreased traffic flow. The irony lies perhaps in decreased traffic but an increase in cranes and other construction apparatus spewing toxins in the air in the pursuit of yet more luxury condos.

From a working man's point of view, we present the following article.

Congestion pricing: The verdict is in
Posted by Steve on Thursday, April 26th, 2007
And it’s not good. Central Queens residents seem to hate the plan to charge drivers $8 to enter Manhattan during peak hours. Though I don’t have a car, I can’t say I blame them. I thought it was unfair when I heard about it in London years ago, and I think it’s unfair now. Really, getting from point A to point B should always be free, or at least as inexpensive as possible. Freedom of movement is a basic right, like air or water or universal health care. For this reason, I’m not much of a fan of toll roads, either.

How can you tell congestion pricing is bad for Queens drivers? Simple: Though it’s hailed by environmentalists, party-line liberal Anthony Weiner is against it. Any congressman will tell you, after a few stiff drinks, that kowtowing to the party is a close second, but pandering to the constituents is Job One.

As usual, the main criticism has been that the plan is biased against the non-rich, New York’s most-endangered socioeconomic group. Michael “Mike” Bloomberg, New York’s richest man, inadvertently tipped his hand when he scoffed at those who would complain by pointing out that $8 is a mere trifle. I voted for “Mike” in 2005, as did practically everyone, but he ain’t perfect, and his biggest imperfection is that he’s completely out of touch with anyone who rides the subway for reasons other than thinking it’s cute.

New York is a city that loves public transportation. In my experience, if people around here think they can use public transportation, they generally will. People who endure the horrors of driving in Manhattan are usually doing it because they have no other choice. That makes congestion pricing something a little more sinister than a “luxury tax.”
One thing I hadn’t even considered is the potentially huge impact on small businesses. According to the Queens Chronicle:

Many Queens wholesalers, such as Dominick Valente of Maspeth’s Valente Yeast, a bakery, similarly said that the mayor’s plan would doom them. He would have to spend $27,300 per year to send his five trucks into Manhattan five days a week. “How are small businesses supposed to survive?” he asked.

Here’s a personal story for you. When I was in college, I was living with my parents on Long Island and working a summer job in the city. I was on the night shift — journalism, you know. For the first week or so, I took the Long Island Rail Road. Getting in was fine, but when I got out of work at 1 or 1:30 or 2 in the morning, I was forced to wait God knows how long for the train. I hadn’t signed up for a three-hour commute, so I started driving. Through Times Square.

At rush hour. Every day. I hated it, but it was better than the alternative. Because I entered the city in the late afternoon, if congestion pricing had been in effect, I — a college student making $10 an hour — would have had to pay that $8 fee every single weekday.
I couldn’t have afforded that, but I would have had to do it anyway. Soon enough, a lot of people in Queens might be in that boat.