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Mar 24, 2008 11:29 pm US/Eastern
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Congestion Pricing Debate Rages Inside City Hall
Council Members Spar Over Merits Of Controversial Plan
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Outside City Hall on Monday, with a deadline looming, advocates for congestion pricing made their presence known.
"The polls show New Yorkers want congestion pricing for better transit," one supporter said.
While inside the New York City Council chambers, the tone was even more intense.
"We are running out of capacity both above and below ground," one Department of Transportation official said.
Transportation officials and the Council speaker told a packed hearing why it was necessary to pass the plan that would charge drivers every time they enter Manhattan south of 60th Street. Cars would be $8 and trucks $21.
"We have to seize this moment to create a sustainable revenue source to expand mass transit and we have to sustain this moment to end the congestion that is literally choking the economy of our city and every day choking the breath of children in our city," City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said.
The plan got a much needed boost over the weekend when Gov. David Paterson said he was backing the plan, but despite that, and the $354 million in federal money, there are skeptics on the Council.
"My most disturbing thing is we are basically thanking the U.S. Government for giving us money in order to give us permission to tax ourselves (applause)," Councilwoman Melinda Katz said.
Others complained about potential hidden costs.
"Somebody is paying for it. It's going to cost teachers, cops, firefighters, parents …" Councilman Lewis Fidler said before he was cut off by a transportation official who said, "Councilor, we have not begun to administer the residential parking permit program."
And there were references to what happened across the pond when London doubled its fees a few years into its pricing plan.
"What is in there in this legislation to prevent the same thing happening on the $8 fee going to $16 because congestion is not being reduced?" Councilman David Weprin said.
Monday's second public hearing on the issue started just after 6 p.m. If the City Council passes the plan then it goes to Albany where state lawmakers will have until April 7 to pass it if New York City is to qualify for millions in federal money.
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