From Newsday: Feb. 1, 2008 issue

The following article appears in the Feb. 1st issue of Newsday and Newsday.com at:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/transportation/ny-nycong015559930feb01,0,1099309.story

It appears evident that this state panel has recommended a plan which raises funds for MTA capital projects (i.e.: LIRR Mainline Corridor Improvement Project) while imposing serious economic hardship on Long Island middle class homeowners and taxpayers. Not only does this jeopardize our economic stability, but it also will raise the funds which puts our suburban quality of life at serious risk. Read the article below to learn more about the positions of several important representatives who have influence on decisions that will affect all of Long Island. Save Our Village wishes to extend its thanks to Newsday for covering this important issue in a manner that keeps Long Islanders informed with the facts.

State Panel Recommends Version of Congestion Plan

BY PERVAIZ SHALLWANI
Special To Newsday; Staff writer Laura Rivera and Albany bureau chief James T. Madore contributed to this story.
February 1, 2008

A state panel yesterday recommended a scaled-down congestion pricing plan that would charge commuters $8 to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street during peak hours but would permit free movement within the zone.

The plan, which would also increase metered parking costs and impose a $1 surcharge on taxis, is expected to generate $520 million a year and save on administrative costs over another version of the plan that set a larger congestion zone, according to the commission's findings.

Two members of the 17-person traffic commission voted against the proposal following months of contentious debate and public hearings. It is the first step in what is shaping up to be a combative legislative process. To be enacted, the plan must be approved by the City Council and the State Legislature, which must act before a March 31 deadline or risk losing $354.5 million in federal funds for improving mass transit.

Assemb. Richard Brodsky (D-Westchester), a commission member, blasted the alternative plan yesterday as a "regressive tax on the middle class. The commission took a bad plan and made it worse," Brodsky said in an interview. "It reduces the burden for people who live in Manhattan and increases it for people outside." (pictured left)

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who had championed a pricing plan that would have set the border of the congestion zone at 86th Street, said he accepted the alternative plan and urged both legislative bodies to act before the federal deadline. "The plan that the commission is recommending today meets our goals of reducing congestion, cutting carbon emissions and providing much-needed funds to improve mass transit for millions of New Yorkers," he said. "New York cannot afford to walk away from hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds and a guaranteed revenue stream for the MTA's capital plan." (pictured right)

Other proposed plans included charging $8 round trip on East River and Harlem River bridges, and restricting access to parts of Manhattan based on license plate numbers.

More than 60 percent of city voters polled by Quinnipiac University last month said they supported congestion pricing if all the money it generated were earmarked toward mass transit improvements.

Reaction among legislative leaders in Albany mirrored last year's divide, with the State Senate's Republican majority expressing general support, while the Assembly's Democratic majority continuing to have reservations.

"I believe the commission's work is not done," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan), who asked whether tax credits would be given to low-income motorists who pay congestion fees and urged that all tolls be dedicated to mass transit improvements. (pictured, left)

Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Brunswick), an early supporter of Bloomberg's plan, noted the commission held 14 public hearings to gather residents' input before issuing recommendations. Bruno said, "Mayor Bloomberg began this process when he unveiled a thoughtful and ambitious plan to improve the quality of life in and around New York City, and we look forward to working with him as this plan moves ahead in the review process." Bruno and his Republican conference rely on hefty campaign contributions from the mayor to help maintain a slim, two-seat majority in the Senate, the sole remaining GOP power base in the Capitol. Lawmakers face re-election in November, when Democrats hope to wrest control of the Senate for the first time in more than 40 years. (pictured right)

Gov. Eliot Spitzer called for prompt action, saying, "the economic impetus behind congestion pricing is strong, as is the potential for cleaner air, improved public health, and a steady and predictable source of funding to support the MTA's capital plan ... The specifics of the plan will be discussed and debated, but the profound implications for our entire transit system are clear." (pictured left)

Staff writer Laura Rivera and Albany bureau chief James T. Madore contributed to this story.

Copyright © 2008, Newsday Inc.