Deadline Day On Congestion Pricing Tax

Today is the deadline day for New York City and Mayor Bloomberg to get its duck in a row to get their piece of $500 million in federal aid that would go towards transportation projects around the city. If they don't act, they'll lose the money, which would help implement the congestion pricing tax that Bloomberg so desperately seeks to impose.

The State Senate is expected to vote today on a bill that would enact the congestion pricing plan so the city can apply for $500 million in federal transportation money. The mayor has repeatedly told the Legislature that today is the deadline attached to the money. The Assembly has no session scheduled for today.

Speaking with reporters after his tour, Mr. Bloomberg cast the possibility of missing the deadline in stark tones. He suggested that without the $500 million, New Yorkers would have to “downsize some of our expectations” for projects like the Second Avenue subway line.

Without easing traffic congestion, “You’ll start seeing businesses move out or businesses not coming here,” the mayor said.

Mr. Bloomberg planned to go to Albany today for meetings with Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who has voiced support for congestion pricing, and with lawmakers.

Asked whether he had made headway with the Legislature, Mr. Bloomberg was not specific, but said he was hopeful. “Well, there’s always progress in negotiations in Albany,” he said. “We have to get to a certain place every once in a while, and whether we’ve made enough progress, only time will tell. But I am optimistic that in the end everybody will come together.”

Mr. Bloomberg’s proposal and the Senate bill would require drivers to pay $8 to enter Manhattan south of 86th Street during peak traffic hours. Movement would be tracked with cameras. While some legislators have questioned the firmness of today’s deadline, a spokesman for the federal Department of Transportation has said that it is “unlikely” that New York will receive federal funds if today’s deadline is not met.

Mr. Bloomberg said yesterday, “If we don’t tomorrow have an agreement, we’ll miss $500 million in federal monies, $300 million of which would go to mass transit improvements right away.”

I question this whole notion of imposing the tax without a rigorous debate on the merits and detractions. Right now, there is no way the existing mass transit system can accomodate the influx of users from outside the congestion pricing zone.

I'd suggest mapping out the subway stations that are already exceeding capacity and explaining how anyone can be safely accomodated in those stations - I speak of the Lexington Avenue lines at 53rd Street, Times Square, and other stations in and around Midtown. Those subway lines are already maxed out, so where exactly are people going to stand when waiting for subway service?

Additional buses will not greatly improve the situation because they'll be stuck in traffic that cannot be alleviated by congestion pricing because there are few options for those living outside the zone.

There's also the added problem that congestion pricing will simply shift the burden of traffic, emissions, and congestion to other parts of the city that are already burdened. Drivers may simply drive to places close to subway service, causing an increase in emissions in those areas. That's the concern of people living in some areas of the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn.

Then, there's the whole question of how this benefits Staten Island. The State Island Expressway is already maxed out with traffic and the addition of bus lanes has done little to alleviate the traffic because there are no direct links between Staten Island and Manhattan. You must either take an express bus (which is anything but express as they usually get mired in traffic), or make your way to St. George to hop on the Staten Island Ferry. Help for Staten Island commuters is years away, and indeed there aren't even any new plans on the drawing board to relieve congestion on the Island.

New Jersey commuters, along with Westchester, Rockland, and Orange county commuters are also faced with few options because existing transit options are maxed out. Such commuters would be hit hard by the congestion pricing model until alternatives are in place, and there's no way to know when any such alternatives can be put in place.

The whole push behind the congestion pricing scheme is to currently secure the federal funds, and the Mayor and everyone pushing this tax will work on the details at a later date. That's the exact opposite of how a comprehensive and sound fiscal policy should be advanced.