Comments on: 20 City Council Members Support or Lean Towards Pricing

By: Hilary

Hilary — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 03:00:33 +0000

Feds have approved NYC for congestion pricing $ ! See Daily News for breaking story!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 14:39:06 +0000

Gerson has clarified his position, as noted in The Wonkster. He doesn't get especially specific about how he wants to see the plan changed, however.

By: NO EXEMPTIONS for Congestion Pricing

NO EXEMPTIONS for Congestion Pricing — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 00:15:35 +0000

NO EXEMPTIONS for 150,00 government sector employees when it comes to congestion pricing! The Mayor is hiding from making this statement in his proposal for congestion pricing. Why? Because 150,000 exemptions given to these parking placard holders would only serve to INCREASE the amount of traffic, congestion and pollution in Manhattan.

The Mayor has conspicuously left EXEMPTIONS for 150,000 government employees out of his CP proposal, just as he has ignored thousands of daily parking violations committed by NYPD and other government workers using parking placards for literally the whole time he has been in office.

Is the press afraid to bring this subject to light and make the Mayor fess up to this major flaw in his congestion pricing scheme? Elimination of thousands of daily illegal placard abuses first, and definitely NO EXEMPTIONS for 150,000 government sector employees. (Transportation Alternatives study of 2006)

By: Ian D

Ian D — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:06:50 +0000

I talked to Alan Gerson today (he was stopping cars in front of his building so a group of seniors could cross). He said that he was very frustrated with the Gotham Gazette reporting because he said he took a long time to explain that he supports a congestion pricing scheme in general, but he has issues with specific parts of the mayor's implementation of it.

I didn't want to take up too much of his time since he was leaving, but it sounds like a communication issue if the Gazette thought that he was "against."

By: ralph kramden

ralph kramden — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:40:24 +0000

No surprise from McMahon and Oddo. Their constiuents now pay $5 on an express bus- two hours each way to Manhattan because the mayor and governor won't do bus only lanes all the way into Manhattan. After 7:30 pm on a saturday and sunday night, they wait ONE HOUR for a ferry.

These two sold out when they had a bill passed to provide 24 hour ferry service at least every half hour. The mayor vetoed the bill- they got scared and then they cut a deal for themselves, selling out their constituents. They are cheaper to buy than a drink at Danny Boy's- Gallagher's favorite watering hole.

By: Niccolo Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:04:26 +0000

If the twenty are for real it should be easy to get six votes. A lot of these are real-politic type people and know how to maximize their leverage for whatever project they need from Bloomberg. Unfortunately, a lot of those things are really stupid and regressive themselves. Anyway, Bloomberg has lots of levers.

By: drose

drose — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:04:13 +0000

Gerson's Against vote sticks out like a sore thumb, as he is the only Manhattan council member against the plan. It also surprises me since his district in lower Manhattan stands to be one of those most beneficially impacted by the plan. Perhaps he is getting an earful from the SUV-driving crowd down in Tribeca?

By: Glenn

Glenn — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:57:03 +0000

When I spoke to Lappin in June, she expressed a general favorability, but some very specific concerns about the border issues.

At the time she described her position as similar to Gov. Spitzer's: She supports the idea of congestion pricing, but not exactly the version the Mayor has put forth.

Her district (Fmr. Speaker Miller's 5th District) straddles both the 86th street border proposed by Bloomberg and the traditional Central Business District (CBD) border at 60th Street that others have advocated for instead of 86th.

The key particular benefit for her district would be that there would no longer be an incentive for Trucks or passenger cars to use the Queensboro bridge (free) versus the Triboro (toll) or the Midtown Tunnel (toll).

By: Spud Spudly

Spud Spudly — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:56:39 +0000

Gallagher didn't comment? What a shock -- probably too busy preparing his defense for rape charges.