Posted on 08/15/2007 1:52:30 AM PDT by neverdem
The federal government said on Tuesday that it would provide $354 million for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s broad plan to reduce traffic, but left it to the city to come up with more than $200 million needed for the most controversial part of the plan: a system to charge people who drive into Manhattan.
In addition, under the agreement outlined by the United States secretary of transportation, Mary E. Peters, the release of the funds is contingent upon the City Council’s and the State Legislature’s approving the plan, including the new fee on drivers, by next March.
The announcement was mixed news for Mr. Bloomberg, who is trying to establish the first broad-based congestion pricing program in the country, and to raise his national profile on environmental issues. While the federal support helps to advance his initiative, it is now up to the mayor to find the money — through borrowing, appropriation, or perhaps from a private corporation — for what has been seen as the centerpiece of the plan, the new charge on drivers.
In its federal application, the city estimated that it would cost $223 million to install a computerized system to monitor traffic and impose the fee on cars entering the busiest parts of Manhattan, and asked the United States to cover $179 million of that. But the Department of Transportation said it would contribute only $10 million to that initiative. Most of what the department agreed to provide on Tuesday is designated for the construction of bus depots and other mass transit improvements.
Mr. Bloomberg, at a press conference in the Bronx shortly after the announcement, played down the lack of federal money for congestion pricing.
“I think that rather than look at the money we didn’t get, we should look at the money we did...,”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The founding fathers must be sick over such a concept. One has to wonder what they’d toss into the Bay first, were time swapped.
Simple, enter into a long term lease agreement with a private investor such as Cintra.
Why are US taxpayers paying for NY idiocy?
FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.
I guess the people of NYC feel they aren’t being taxed enough.
this is a very stupid idea....pay millions to charge millions...
why are US taxpayers paying to charge nj commuters millions in new charges???
when less and less come into NYC...they will complain about not having enough revenues....
lib/dems never get the concept of consequences of taxes!!!!
NO MORE TAXES. Simply ENFORCE THE LAWS WE ALREADY HAVE by
ticketing the cars that block the intersections (especially the city buses), cars that DOUBLE PARK, & taxi’s that block traffic, etc.
From 34th St. on down, disband the CLUSTERS of chit chatting TRAFFIC cops that congregate on every street corner. They should be out in the streets moving traffic & writing tickets. That will put $$$$ in the coffers real quick!
When the former NY workers begin to telecommute, look for NYC to find a way to tax their salaries because the companies they work for have phone lines based in NYC.
yep
Just wait for the law suits. (equal protection etc)
What next? Travel papers? Do you havv you paapers pleeez?
or is this just a tax to keep the “wrong people” out of NYC.
Five cities were awarded this money.
Bloomie and Spitzer remind me of Il Duce...tyrranical little blowhards.
Ed
Thanks for the ping!
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