State Senate To Weigh Paterson’s Traffic Bill
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan inched closer to reality yesterday as the state Senate moved to consider legislation drafted by Governor Paterson that would qualify New York City to receive $354 million in federal grants promised by the federal government.
“Senator Bruno and his conference are once again demonstrating their commitment to the people of this city and state by introducing Governor Paterson’s program bill today that will allow us to implement congestion pricing — a plan that an overwhelming majority of New Yorkers support when the money is tied to improving mass transit,” Mr. Bloomberg said in a statement yesterday. “This is another step in the right direction.”
If the Senate approves Mr. Paterson’s legislation, the Assembly and the City Council will have to ratify it for the city to receive the pledged federal funds.
A poll released yesterday by Quinnipiac University showed that 60% of New York State voters say they would support the congestion pricing plan, which would charge most drivers $8 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street, “if the money were used to improve mass transit in and around New York City.” However, 50% of those polled said they believed the money would not go to mass transit. When asked whether they supported the mayor’s congestion pricing proposal with no additional qualifiers, 50% said they were opposed and 33% said they favored the plan.
The city’s transportation commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, sought to address lawmakers’ congestion pricing concerns at a City Council hearing yesterday, saying money raised by the plan would be used to fund mass transit improvements.
Mr. Paterson’s legislation’s will create a “mass transit lockbox” that “will ensure the monies that are dedicated from congestion pricing revenue will be used for that purpose and that purpose only,” Ms. Sadik-Khan said.
One opponent of the plan, Council Member Lewis Fidler of Brooklyn, said he was “dubious” that the state would not one day take from the mass transit fund indirectly by reducing the city’s transportation budget. Several council members also echoed concerns voiced by Rep. Anthony Weiner that the federal government might offset congestion pricing revenue by cutting transportation aid to New York.
