Jun 12, 2007 6:29 pm US/Eastern
Congestion Plan For NYC Hits Political Snag
Lawmakers Look To Alternative Plan To Avoid $8 Fee
by Marcia Kramer
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been working hard to convince the state legislature to support his congestion pricing plan, but he may have hit a road block that could start to slow the process down. Powerful Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver raised a number of objections Tuesday, even suggesting it might be possible to avoid the $8 daily fee.
"There are a lot of ways to do congestion," Silver said this morning on Albany radio station WROW. "There have been some ways thrown out, you know just limiting when people can come in, limiting hours period, without the need for fees in many instances."
In many ways it was a lightning bolt with Silver suggesting it was possible to limit traffic congestion and improve air pollution without charging drivers $8 to enter Manhattan.
But Silver's concerns about Bloomberg's controversial pricing plan didn't stop there. "Can the zone be defined differently?" he asked.
Not only did Silver raise questions about charging from 86th Street and south, he was concerned about making people pay the fee within 48 hours or face a $115 fine; allowing the mayor to be the only one to decide if the three year "pilot" program is successful; and whether asthma rates in poor communities like Harlem and the south Bronx are being adequately addressed.
Bloomberg says he wants the plan approved by the end of the legislative session, which is a week from Thursday. Silver says that's unlikely. "I think it's unlikely that we can take action within the next week," Silver said.
In the meantime, Bloomberg continues to lobby hard. A new poll released today found that when the reasons behind congestion pricing are explained to people they support it too. The people the mayor has to convince now are in the legislature.
"Shelly is asking questions," Bloomberg said. "He has a right to do it. I would argue he even has an obligation to do that."
The mayor is facing a deadlin of early August for approval of his congestion-pricing plan. That's when five cities will be picked to divide $1.1 billion in federal funding. New York is on the short list, and, if picked, could get up to $500 million.
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