Bloomberg Running Out Of Congestion Pricing Gas

The Mayor is on his last fumes up in Albany and it looks like congestion pricing is going to die a languished death today, at least in terms of the $354 billion dollars in federal money that will disappear. Bloomberg has been quite vocal against the C-P critics and praising all of his allies, but in the end, if you can't get enough of Albany's Finest, then you are shit out of luck.

From The Gothamist:

The fate of the controversial plan to charge drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street lies with Albany, as state legislators must decide whether to approve the plan by midnight tonight. But Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said last night, "There isn't a groundswell of support for it" among other Assembly members. But most papers are saying the plan is effectively dead.

If Albany can approve congestion pricing today, then the city is eligible for $354 million in federal funds to implement the plan (if not, that money is directed to other cities). Mayor Bloomberg begged lawmakers to pass it, saying yesterday, "[Lawmakers] going to be responsible to their constituents as to why they don’t have buses. When we stop work on the Second Avenue subway, they’re the ones that are going to have to answer.”

Now those are fighting words Mr. Mayor!

Frankly, as a Manhattanite and one that supports the environment and mass transit, I'm in favor of congestion pricing, despite the Mayor's amusing level of passion for the legislation. As someone that lives right off of 2nd Avenue, I would definitely love to see the T line come down the street at some point in my lifetime. Yet like Sheldon Silver said (as much as I detest him) there isn't much of a groundswell for the bill and unfortunately Albany is slow to do anything that might benefit the city.

If the bill doesn't go through in less than nine hours from now, it'll be effectively dead because there'll be no money to make all of those "instant" improvement the Mayor and his pro-congestion pricing groups have promised.

Oh and now there'll be no vote in the Assembly, so um, if you are anywhere near City Hall, watchout for possible Bloomberg tirades!