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Jul 17, 2007 8:12 pm US/Eastern
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Mayor Rips Albany, But Congestion Deal Possible
Bloomberg Sounds Off On Silver; Negotiations Continue
by Marcia Kramer
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Mayor Michael Bloomberg lashed out at lawmakers on Tuesday. He's blaming them for missing a deadline to qualify for hundreds of millions of federal aid for his congestion pricing plan.
But could a compromise deal to make drivers pay to enter parts of Manhattan still be approved?
"This is just a disgrace," Bloomberg said Tuesday.
Even with his representatives still in Albany trying desperately to strike a last-minute congestion deal, Bloomberg was red-hot mad at Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver for falling in line behind his plan to charge drivers $8 to drive into Manhattan's business district.
"Marcia, I'm going to be fine," Bloomberg said. "But I can tell you who should feel let down, the people breathing the air, the people who try to do business in this city, the 95 percent of the people who commute into the city by mass transit who aren't going to be able to ..."
Despite the mayor's anger, sources tell CBS 2 HD they are still hard at work on a possible compromise. It includes:
* Establishment of a commission to probe congestion mitigation
* The state and city would make appointments to the commission
* The commission would examine the mayor's congestion pricing plan
It would also look at other ways to avoid charging a fee:
* Like reduced subway fares during rush hour.
* And tax credits for businesses that encourage their employees to telecommute -- work from home.
* The plan would have to be approved first by the City Council, and then the legislature.
That's key to get Assembly Democrats to go along.
"We would want the City Council of the City of New York to weigh in on the issue of congestion pricing," Silver said.
Bloomberg said compromise aside, he fears for the city.
"New York City is today poorer because of Albany's inaction," Bloomberg said.
As of now there is still no deal, but the fact that the talks are continuing is a good sign for the mayor.
The $500 million question is if officials are able to craft a compromise that enables the city to still get the federal transportation grant.
Stay with wcbstv.com and CBS 2 HD for more on this developing story.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)