Submitted by DowntownResident, Jun 13, 2007 17:24

The Mayor has his priorities all wrong - He has not taken care of illegal placard/permit parking first (which he had stated publicly that he would). Congestion pricing (another name for a driving tax in NYC) is an enticement to all those illegal placard abusers, government employees, NYPD, etc. - to get FREE parking AND, with congestion pricing - FREE entry into NYC. If the Maor abolishes illegal parking (thousands of violations occuring everyday) the need for congestion pricing is greatly reduced, and many, many millions of dollars (re)gained from previously lost parking meter revenue.

I calculated that on my single block alone, with 17 parking meter spaces - since 9/11 - in downtown Manhattan, NYC has lost over $160,000 - Repeat: This A SINGLE NYC BLOCK. The Mayor needs to abolish illegal placard/permit parking first and foremost, then, with thousands switching to mass transit, congestion pricing becomes a moot point, and quality of life in New York is that much better.

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