Congestion Pricing: The Public Deserved a Vote
April 24, 2008
As a supporter of congestion pricing, I was looking forward to having the opportunity to cast my vote in favor of the plan. I am disappointed that the plan never came to a vote on the Assembly floor.
While there were a number of flaws in earlier versions of the proposal – which I pointed out in my report on the issue – in the end the most serious concerns were addressed. I am particularly proud that three changes I advocated for made it into the final version of the bill: 1. Residential parking permits; 2. Dedication of any and all congestion pricing revenue to funding improvements in our mass transit system; and 3. Exemptions for people with disabilities who have disabled license plates or SVIP placards.
While it is true that there are thousands of bills every year that are not voted on – simply because there isn’t enough support – I believe that congestion pricing was different. After there has been intensive public conversation about a policy issue, the public deserves to see how their elected officials will represent them.
Traffic congestion remains a serious problem in New York City, and I remain committed to finding ways to reduce it and to better fund and improve our regional mass transit systems.
