Jan 31, 2008 8:01 pm US/Eastern
Bloomberg Wins Latest Congestion Pricing Battle
City Council Next On Mayor's Hit List; Legislature Looms
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Could gridlock be a thing of the past with a new congestion pricing plan in place? (File)
AP
It's a plan that could affect virtually everyone who drives into Manhattan. On Thursday, the controversial congestion pricing proposal got approval from a key committee.
However, CBS 2 HD has learned the ultimate greenlighting of the plan will likely come down to the efforts of one person, Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
With Thursday's congestion pricing vote, Bloomberg has won the battle. Now he has to win the war.
"In the end, for every big city, bicycles are not the answer," Bloomberg said. "It is mass transit."
Getting the Congestion Mitigation Commission to greenlight a plan to charge drivers $8 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street and make taxis pay $1 for every fare that begins or ends in the central business district is just the first step in raising an estimated $500 million a year for mass transit. Next, the City Council has to approve it.
"I have not made up my mind," Councilman Robert Jackson, D-Manhattan, said. "I'm looking at what the impact is going to be in my district."
Sources tell CBS 2 HD that many council members will withhold their support until they see what portion of the money they can get for their districts. Final approval will come from the legislature. Assembly Democrats representing the suburbs and outer boroughs whose residents will pay the congestion fee will play the key role.
Sources also said right now assembly Democrats are against congestion pricing. But the big fear is the fear of Mayor Bloomberg. How many assemblymen can he get through promises, arm-twisting and even making threats?
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says one problem is his members don't know where the transit funds will be spent.
"So far, as of today, no such plan is forthcoming so today people are in effect saying trust us and based on the track record that has happened in the past there is difficulty in trusting us," Silver said.
Lawmakers will also hear from their constituents, many of whom told CBS 2 HD they are 100 percent against the idea of congestion pricing.
"They're trying to make it only for the rich," said Jerry Kolokotsas of Queens.
"Absolutely devastated," said Belton Long of Queens. "That's not a nice thing at all."
Win, lose or draw the legislature has to take some action by March 31.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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