Others who are considering contacting their representatives in the government and would like information regarding asthma issue will find at least some here:

http://home2.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/asthma/asthma.shtml

Car owners can drive their cars to work or leave them home and take the train. Either way, they’re utilizing a public good. When transit users pay to do so, Fidler and his allies don’t seem to mind. But when someone suggests that drivers pay for their trips, they seem offended by the very idea that people would have to pay to get into Manhattan. As a longtime subway rider, I don’t see the big deal in charging people to commute into Manhattan, particularly when we consider the damage drivers do to the city and its residents.

http://www.tstc.org/CP_factsheets.html

“The fact sheets contain, for each county or legislative district, a breakdown of commuting patterns by mode and destination, vehicle ownership statistics, and the average incomes of vehicle-owning households and non-vehicle-owning households.”

It beats the crass disingenuousness I’ve heard from Weprin, Brodsky, Weiner etc.

But Lew, this plan is a winner. I urge you to get behind it.

Many people here will gladly support some of your Carat Stone initiatives in addition to this plan. But we need you to get on board this train.

Perhaps not, but close. In my view the subway fare should be set to cover the cost of buying, maintaining, and operating the subway cars.

Taxes should pay for the infrastructure and stations just as it does for the streets and public buildings. Drivers should contribute as “rent” since transit riders give up their share of the street to them.

http://www.council.nyc.gov/html/members/members.shtml

I should note that Councilman Fidler’s page on this site lists “Futurama” among the places he represents. I’m assuming that’s a joke, and I think he deserves credit for sneaking it in there.

It seems to me that the first four dollars of the congestion charge shouldn’t be an issue – that’s what subway riders are already paying. The only imaginable type of “unfairness” argument one could raise is that an $8 fee would make city drivers pay more than city transit users. And, of course, that argument only works for single drivers. I certainly can’t take my family to Manhattan for $8.

Starting next month, the rates will rise for E-ZPass drivers to $0 via BB and $8.30 via BBT. For drivers w/o E-ZPass that will be $0 via BB and $10 via BBT.

Under the proposed CP program, the rates for drivers with E-ZPass will be $8 via BB and $8.30 via BBT. For drivers without E-ZPass, that will be $9 via BB and $19 via BBT (because the toll offset is only granted for E-ZPass users).

I don’t see a $2 disparity there. I see a $0.30 disparity, and thirty cents extra is IMO worth it to take the BBT and avoid the Gowanus merge.

But as to your post, “let the politics begin”. You are kidding right?

They began a year ago.

Lew from Brooklyn