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As the deadline nears for NYC and NY State approve congestion pricing and qualify for $354 million in federal money, the anti-congestion pricing contingent is working hard to convince constituents it's not a good idea. Streetsblog reveals there are automated robocalls asking New Yorkers to oppose congestion pricing. A Streetsblog commenter transcribed part of the call:
"[Do you trust the MTA]...the council members who support congestion pricing do. Every dollar in fees goes to the MTA. As for the promise that funds will only go for improvements, the MTA admits that 67% will be spent on everything BUT new bus and subway lines. Also, the MTA just canceled new improvements promised when fares were raised. Don't trust the MTA and call your council member and tell them not to trust them either."The MTA would be a beneficiary of congestion pricing revenue, but a recent poll suggested New Yorkers doubt mass transit will actually get better.
The Daily News and Newsday have editorials supporting congestion pricing; the News' even lists all the common myths about the plan. And presidential candidate Barack Obama likes congestion pricing (if only because he can call Mayor Bloomberg "thoughtful" and "innovative"!).
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i think congestion pricing is a bad idea. i also think automated calls are a lousy way to get a message out -- if anything they probably tend to annoy the recipient into taking an opposing viewpoint.
Maybe these calls are actually being funded by pro-congestion pricing advocates trying to annoy people into supporting their position.
The MTA would be a beneficiary of congestion pricing revenue
= massive understatement.
I think congestion pricing is a great idea.
So what if teh MTA is a beneficiary of congestion pricing? Something has to be a beneficiary of this so why not the MTA? Because they lie? Big deal? Everyone lies!
I'd like to see congestion pricing for the subway and buses too! If you use the subway during rush hour you should pay more than if you use it other times! Yeah, sounds ridiculous but with all the new builing going on and the unstoppable growth in population, NYC's subways will be more packed than a can of lemmings!
Let's make it $3, $4 to ride during rush hour and $2 to ride any other time.
My two cents.
I think getting $354 million in federal money to test a pilot program aimed at reducing congestion in Manhattan is a good idea.
yeah, great idea, until the gov't uses it as an excuse to reduce its regular funding. its been done before. its amazing how many times you can repeatedly fool the people.
Nobody actually believes mass transit will get better. Ask anyone who has been here for any length of time, the subways get worse, not better.
Bloomberg: The 4 train isnt that crowded
Mayor's own report: 4 train at 101% capacity
Yes, lets tax people. Liberals love taxes we know that. Nobody ever suggests they dont, not even themselves. So lets put MORE people onto the subways. Very smart. Here is a though. What if congestion pricing, which wont happen b/c people see it for what it is, a tax, and after 5% from the state and another 3% from the city thats 8% right there, they cant afford more taxes. But what if it doenst reduce the # of cars? What then? What, you think they wont tax you anymore? Sure. Ever ask yourselves how Florida and Texas, with populations equal to new york, have no state income tax? How is it they continue to run their state governments. Whatever job you do, if you did it in Florida, you would have 8% more of yor check. Add it up with your salary and see all the money you throw away. Liberals and taxes, a match made in heaven.
That could happen. In order to satisfy the right's demand for low taxes and the left's demand for high quality social services, moderate politicians come up with plans that fund projects like mass transit without having them show up on tax forms. Many call it "creative financing", not "fooling the public."
But while the future allocation of the MTA revenue can never be certain, the quality of life benefits of reducing congestion will last as long as the program is in place.
In order to satisfy the right's demand for low taxes and the left's demand for high quality social services
lol @ high quality social services
you should change name to IvoryTower.
left might demand more social services, or a bigger social safety net, but I don't think anyone - right, left, or moderate - considers our social services "high quality". Except maybe for the people who work for the govt.
Well said, Rolltide23. What this state and city need are deep across the board cuts and a reduction of most programs. Unfortunately there are far too many people at the gov't teat in NYC and another bunch who just don't understand what is going on around them.
I'd like to see congestion pricing for the subway and buses too!
don't worry, when the MTA is done burning through the "free" federal tax dollars, and decides that it wants more, they will no doubt keep raising fares on all of us.
At least with the subway pass you can control what you pay-- don't ride if you don't want to pay. With congestion pricing, everyone will pay more as the additional fees get passed on to consumers. Even proponents admit it won't make much of a difference on congestion, around 5% lower by their projections. bfd.
An expensive bureaucracy and higher prices in exchange for what? A projected 5% decrease in traffic from 9-5 within the zone (and surely worse traffic around the zone) and empty promises of improvements to the bus and subway lines from the MTA, kings of empty promises?
I love statements like "Liberals love taxes" made by Rolltide23. Yes, we love taxes. But we hate war.
But Republiscums hate taxes and love war!
Now, if we increase taxes and stop spending money on war and on the American people, imagine what a great world we'd have! New infrastructure, a balanced budget, no government debt, heck even police and firemen could get a raise!
Now if we continue on the less taxes, spend more on war path that we're on now, well, most everyone in the world (except some deaf, dumb and blind republiscums) can see that America was better off eight years ago then it is now.
Get real.
Vote Democrat.
Wait, our country is in the middle of a war that was launched by the right, with dubious popular support, that will end up costing a trillion dollars and over 4,000 American lives, with no tangible benefit, and you're worried about how the LEFT spends money? Please. The Dollar is in the toilet right now, but those "socialized" democracies across the Atlantic seem to be doing pretty well. And yes, they have "high quality" social services.
By the way, how many subway systems do Florida and Texas subsidize? I'd see for myself, but with some of the nation's highest hotel and car rental tax rates, I can't afford to go. Down there, they prefer to tax people who don't vote in their states.
With congestion pricing, everyone will pay more as the additional fees get passed on to consumers. Even proponents admit it won't make much of a difference on congestion, around 5% lower by their projections.
Um, I don't think so. If you don't drive into the city below whatever street they set it at then you don't pay for congestion pricing, got it?
I'll take that 5% anytday of the week.
Look, you want to be able to do whatever you want without consequences and without conscience, fine. That makee you the scum of the earth. Republiscum.
Why not get rid of all tolls?
Hey, let's have no taxes and no police or firemen or EMTs. Or we could privatize it. Lets of good that does. Look at the scumbags in private industry who have ripped of this government for millions during this unjust war.
Get real. Repblicans are going down this november, farther down then they have ever been and they won't be coming back, hopefully.
This country needs to wake up. You have to pay for somethings in life. If we weren't the world's policeman, and spent billions on the military industrial complex and instead spent the money on American in America, this country could be a heck of a lot better than it is now.
But that doesn't worry you, you only care about your wallet.
Greedy fugger.
LMAO, Venezuela is quite nice. Seems to have everything you're looking for. I suggest you go asap. It's a regular socialists wet dream.
I'm no fan of Bush & Co. but I am equally no fan of getting my pockets picked to support unproductive people and programs and then get the added benefit if having to pay even more for it.
This will especially hurt the small business owner. Consider the small coffee shop, or book store that now has to pay more to compete with the big chains.
I can't wait to hear congestion tax advocates complain about zone access fees listed on their invoices!
Who here is a socialist? Not me. And who wants to live in a third-world country? Not me. I just think charging drivers of smog-producing and street-hogging vehicles to enter a traffic-choked district that they don't reside in, and using the the revenue to fund alternative transit options for those same people, sounds like just reasoning and good business. On the merits.
I'm not going to make any excuses for the MTA. With labor unions negotiating salaries like $63,000 for flagmen whose qualifications include "color vision", it's a miracle anything gets done at all. This proposal isn't about fixing the MTA - that's a whole other ball of wax. Congestion pricing is a traffic reduction and public health improvement proposal that comes with the ADDED BENEFIT of funding expensive mass transit improvements which are good for spurring city- and even region-wide development. It's good business, and politically, pretty middle of the road.
I'm a socialist and damn proud of it! The most civilized first world countries in this world are socialist countries. The countries that care the most about their citizens are socialist countries. Americans have to see that capitalism in it's purest form is far more evil than socialism anyday!
Yeah, realityczech, I figured as much. I would bet your nice and comfy in your rent controlled apt on someone else's dime and you're probably even collecting some sort of gov't handout too, and most likely undeservedly. Even you're own homeland rid itself of such nonsense.
Most vehicles entering the CBD do not even have a mass transit option.
Extremely few drivers that do have a mass transit option will be motivated by the new tax.
There will be no noticeable reduction in pollution or congestion.
State and federal tax payers already pay for the roads; and benefit from them... Even if they never drive.
NY's 16.4 cent/gallon (14.65 -diesel) fuel tax, as well as the country's highest tolls, already contribute to road repair and construction.
Sorry Kissel, you smart-ass, you are wrong on all accounts. Good to know exactly who and what you hate.
Stop thinking about yourself, moron, and start thinking about the greater good of the whole.
It's people like you who give Americans a bad name through this world. But what do you care?
FOIGM is your motto.
DA
It's people like you who give Americans a bad name through this world.
I love this argument. Quick question, did America have a good reputation in the world on Sept 10, 2001? What about the entire time President of The World Bill Clinton was in office, while the US was repeatedly attacked. Were we liked in the world then? Did the US have the 'Moral Authority', whatever that is, on Sept 10, 2001?
Here's the thing. All you losers can do is complain until you are blue in the face. That is it. The US will use its military at the President see's fit, end of story. If you dont like it, guess what, thats too bad, there is nothing you can do about it other than complain.
One day people might wake up and realize we are all not in 7th grade, and life is not a popularity contest, and its pathetic and sad to want everybody to like you. We all knew those people in high school.
So...did 'the world' like the US in Feb 93, or in August 98, or September 2000? Did they?
The biggest problem with congestion pricing is that we need the mass transit improvements in place BEFORE the tax goes into effect.
The current system is already overburdened. How do they expect it to handle more commuters once the tax goes into effect?
Also very unfair to those who live in NY and work in NJ or vice versa as they'd get slammed with tolls and congestion pricing. Lincoln & Holland tunnels would fall into the congestion zone.
Whatever Rolitide, YTou are the loser. You are not only that but a disgrace to civilization. You need to get out of the 7th grade and your "might makes right attitude". You are not the school bully anymore.
As for the world "liking" America. YES! A lot more of the world liked America in Feb 93, or in August 98, or September 2000.
But you just don't get it.
Retard.