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Jul 17, 2007 12:22 pm US/Eastern
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Congestion Plan Alive, New Deal In Negotiations
Sources: Commission Would Be Created For Mitigation
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
While there was speculation Tuesday morning that Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan had finally kicked the bucket, CBS 2 HD learned there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for the deal, which would charge motorists a fee to enter Manhattan's busiest areas during rush hours.
Though it's unclear whether a new deal will be reached, it's quite obvious that Bloomberg is furious with the plan's biggest opponent, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. That's evident in a statement released by Bloomberg on Tuesday, taking aim at the State Assembly.
"It's sad to note that after 3 months of working with all parties to address their questions, the failure of the State Assembly to act in time on a deadline imposed by the federal Government is a terrible setback for clean air and to our critical commitment to fight climate change," he said.
When Silver referred to the plan simply as "the Mayor's proposal" and nothing more following a closed door meeting on the issue in Albany on Monday, many people assumed the proposal was dead. It's not -- at least not yet -- as legislators will be working until 2 a.m. negotiating to have a new and tentative framework that could well be adopted.
Sources tell CBS 2 HD the new plan would include:
• Establishment of a commission to probe congestion mitigation.
• The state and city would make appointments to the commission.
• The commission would examine Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan.
• It would also look into many other ways to eliminate congestion without charging a fee, such as reducing subway fares during rush hour, or tax credits for businesses who encourage employees to telecommute.
The plan would have to be approved first by the City Council, then by the Legislature, which would be the key to getting Silver to sign on.
"We would want the City Council of New York to weigh in on the issue of congestion pricing and if anything came out of a commission ... we would do it at the request of the City Council," Silver said Monday.
Earlier Tuesday, it seemed as if many lawmakers felt the plan was no more. "It isunfortunate that the Assembly's inaction has squandered any possibility for a negotiated, final agreement," State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said in a statement.
Governor Eliot Spitzer also released a statement, saying the deal was still alive and that lawmakers were working to get something done.
"After a day of productive dialogue involving all relevant parties, genuine progress has been made on the issue of congestion pricing. Conscious of the apparent federal deadline, all parties have come together in good faith and will continue working together through the day and night to continue narrowing the remaining issues necessary for satisfying the Department of Transportation's requirements," he said.
At this point with all the hard feelings, it's hard to tell whether a deal will be struck or when. Legislators had originally set Monday as the deadline to agree to the plan, but no deal was ever reached.
"I can't ascribe motives to the lack of action in Albany, but I can definitively say the environment and the future quality of life in New York took a beating," Bloomberg said.
Stay with wcbstv.com and CBS 2 HD for more on this developing story.
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