Chastising the Congestion Commission
August 23rd, 2007
The 17 individuals selected to sit on a congestion pricing commission charged with reviewing Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan have sparked outrage from some City Council members and have left some questioning whether they could eventually support the plan at all.
No one on the congestion commission hails from Staten Island or the Bronx, an editorial in the Staten Island Advance points out, which could potentially be two of the most affected boroughs if congestion pricing is adopted. The move has angered several Staten Island legislators, including Minority Leader James Oddo and Councilmember Michael McMahon.
At the City Council’s stated meeting yesterday, those from boroughs outside of Manhattan also expressed rage regarding the commission, claiming it was stacked and its appointees would merely rubber stamp the mayor’s plan.
“This commission is a sham,” said the council’s Assistant Majority Leader Lewis Fidler of Brooklyn, while calling for alternatives to congestion pricing from his colleagues. “The members of this commission have signed, sealed and delivered Mike Bloomberg’s plan… I want to state for the record that I think congestion pricing is morally wrong.”
If this opposition continues, the mayor may have more trouble swaying the council toward congestion pricing than previously anticipated.
By Courtney Gross on August 23, 2007, 10:51 amIn category: Environment, Gotham City, Health, Transportation
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