New York City traffic congestion charge plan stalled by politics
June 29, 2010
By VINCE VERSACE
New York City’s currently stalled plan for a congestion-charge pilot program would generate US$390 million a year for the city’s transportation coffers, says one of its councillors.
“Considering the loss of our commuter tax, that loss of dedicated revenue to mass transit improvement really has compounded a serious situation we have,” said Melissa Mark-Viverito, New York councillor.
“Our transit authority is severely in debt; cutting back on services and bus drivers...they are even talking about rolling back transit supplements to students.”
New York’s 51 member city council agreed, in March 2008, to attempt a three-year congestion charge pilot project in its central business district, explained Mark-Viverito at the recent Transport Futures conference in Toronto.
“It was a very interesting time at city council,” she said. “In a very short time we ran a very vigorous debate, discussion and educational campaign to get the city to understand the importance of implementing this.”
Despite the public’s support and unified collaboration among municipal council, business, environmental and social justice stakeholders, New York’s state legislature chose to not vote on the pilot proposal. Any city in New York State hoping to implement a new taxing initiative requires state approval.