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Editorial Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing scheme keeps on rearing its ugly head. We were hoping it had died after the mayor spent Monday in Albany touting it to Governor Eliot Spitzer and various members of the state senate, but no such luck.Once again, we call on all New Yorkers to rail against so iniquitous a scheme, one that divides our boroughs and with monstrous unfairness seeks to separate the city's residents from their money. The Bloomberg congestion pricing plan, which would have had to be approved by both houses of the state legislature and signed off by Governor Eliot Spitzer on Monday to qualify for $536 million in federal funds, called for charging motorists $8 and truckers $21 to drive into Manhattan below 86th Street on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., in effect, penalizing drivers from Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx and Staten Island. Why should drivers from other boroughs, which are a part of New York City, have to pay to go from one part of town to another? There is no justifiable reason whatever to impose such a fee. Mass transit, at least in its present state, is not the answer. We have stated in this space several times that while New York City may have the most extensive 24-7 mass transit system in existence, most trains and buses are packed to the rafters, and not only during rush hour. Imposing a congestion pricing fee that will compel more riders to cram themselves into already overcrowded trains will aid no one. Those commuters who find trains and buses too packed to board or who live in areas underserved by any form of mass transit will have no choice but to resort to driving--and paying unfair congestion pricing fees. We agree that traffic congestion throughout New York City is a serious problem that affects everyone, driver, pedestrian or mass transit passenger alike. We are, however, completely, unutterably, immutably opposed to congestion pricing. No political dealing or compromise will ever make this plan the right one. It is, quite simply, awful, and has no place in our city. |
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