Gothamist: Corzine: Congestion Pricing is "Outrageous"

Steven

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 22:07:09 -0500

Corzine had no problem raising the tolls on the Turnpike and GSP. It's outrageous to him because New York will be collecting the money while Jersey gets none of it. Corzine is such a hypocrite just like most politicians are. :-/ What is with the suburbia bashing at Gothamist? Since you live in NYC it's make you more inferior to the people outside of the city? Take a look around NYC and you see the same amount if not more SUVs, Hummer and other gas drinking cars on the road than the suburbs.

The Edge

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:01:45 -0500

Ah, that last part should have been "NYC".

The Edge

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:01:14 -0500

It's funny how NJ drivers get all the flak, what with our shitty NJT/PATH systems. How about all those folks that completely clog the LIE *every* single day, when they've got a much better rail system in place? It's also funny how quite a bit of you are all gung-ho for this, seeing as this does nothing to another issue (one of many..) that exists and will only amplify: sufficient parking at the train stations. But hey, it's not "in" NY so who cares, right?

EastRiver

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:00:15 -0500

Just in case it wasn't clear I am all for congestion pricing too I just get sick of the suburb bashing even though I don't live there. I think it's foolish and elitist. And whoever made the comment that "we don't need them" is way off. Perhaps that person would like all of the jobs to stay in the suburbs, housing prices to fall, crime to skyrocket, and we'd be back in the 1970s. maybe this will stop the bridge and tunnel crews from ruining so many places in the city that used to be fun. Case in point. What a jerk.

evidiot

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:28:28 -0500

EastRiver: And that's why I support congestion pricing... people who have the nerve to drive around Manhattan in their fancy SUV gets charged, whether they're from New Jersey or the Upper East Side.

flynn110

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:27:35 -0500

maybe this will stop the bridge and tunnel crews from ruining so many places in the city that used to be fun.

EastRiver

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 14:03:51 -0500

The hate for anything not New York displayed here is staggering. One has to wonder what your parents did to you to make you so hateful. And for the person that associates suburbia with SUVs should take a look inside any garage in an affluent neighborhood in Manhattan. The only difference is the SUVs in Manhattan are imported from Europe.

wowthatsucks

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:31:00 -0500

re: 22 I do! I do!

Think twice

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:16:56 -0500

Re: #18 Definitely.

The Edge

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:05:42 -0500

So who here really knows how shitty NJT is? I'm betting not too many of you.

Jen S

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:00:51 -0500

Um, isn't Manhattan already a gated community? The only people I know who live in the borough either are wealthy or willing to cram into a tiny space.

Dave Hogarty

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:58:27 -0500

This is two absurdly rich dudes arguing over the best way to squeeze cash out of citizens who can barely afford it.

blablanyc

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:43:41 -0500

Corzine is right. I hope Albany sinks the congestion pricing plan. I don't want to see Manhattan become a gated community for the rich. Shady Bloomberg: Pork handouts offered to pressure council members to OK congestion plan http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/04/02/2008-04-02_pork_handouts_offered_to_pressure_counci.html

dkstar1

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:27:05 -0500

Corzine is a jackass. He's simply diverting attention from his plan to jack up NJ Tolls to unheard of heights.

Politburo

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:25:33 -0500

"perhaps if NYC finally consented to the building of a second train tunnel under the Hudson river, NJ wouldn't have such a problem with this." NYC isn't blocking "THE Tunnel".. in fact, no one is. Preliminary engineering is currently being performed under contract to NJT and should be wrapping up soon. DEIS hearings were held earlier this week.

eyekantspel

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:09:19 -0500

There are plenty of New Yorkers who think congestion pricing is a stupid idea too. I don't mind if New Jersey has it's own reasons for protesting it. I'm not exactly sure what people are basing their opinions on about people driving into the city-- I know plenty of people who live in CT or NJ and work in the city (many of whom used to live in the city and moved out to raise a family or get a bigger house). Almost none of them drive to work, most of them take the train. The one who does drive to work pays something like $500 a month for parking, plus gas, tolls, etc... he makes enough that a few extra $ isn't going to change his decision to drive to work --it will just be billed through to the client. The joke here is that congestion pricing is NOT going to do a thing about congestion, it's just a tax on those who come into the city during restricted times, and virtually all of those drivers will pass those costs on to the public at large. People who think this will result in less congestion or cleaner air are just fooling themselves. Even if some delivery traffic patterns can be diverted during the 6am-6pm period, it will just make our streets have more traffic during the offpeak times. If the extra funds make public transportation better, I suppose one could argue that the extra tax is justified. But the costs of implementing and maintaining the system are huge, and given our long history with the MTA, there is no reason to think that the funds will do anything but be pissed away supporting another bureaucracy.

Goomba

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:00:09 -0500

I wanna see the facia-bruta puttanas this mamaluke has been screwing. How many diamonds does this guy's puttanas rate?

mihow

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:57:07 -0500

I wasn't serious regarding the property taxes. (It's personal. We're looking at buying a house in commutable distance to NYC since we can't afford to buy a place here. My personal rant came out. There's a time and place for it, it wasn't now. Forgive.) If we do move to Jersey, rest assured, haters, we will be using mass transit and not driving into NYC.

Outter Burrougher

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:44:10 -0500

1) definitely see what Politburo wrote regarding the property taxes; 2) perhaps if NYC finally consented to the building of a second train tunnel under the Hudson river, NJ wouldn't have such a problem with this. You want people to stop driving? Then give them the ability to send in more trains. This fight has been going on for decades and is a matter that must be dealt with by both states in regard to fairness to one another. Currently there is only one tunnel under the Hudson to accommodate all Amtrak and NJ Transit trains. When there is a problem it shuts down the entire tunnel, all trains coming in and out. When maintenance must be done on tracks, only one train at a time can enter or leave the city. This is a matter for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Whether this is Corzine's argument or not, the fact of the matter is that Bloomberg CANNOT, in fairness, UNILATERALLY demand that a large chunk of the PA's funds be re-aligned.

petebfd

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:41:38 -0500

why do people who live outside of new york expect the same benefits as new yorkers? you don't want to pay more? tough shit. move to new york. or get a job at one of the mega-malls or whatever in new jersey and stop driving (like an asshole) through the city. problem solved.

Politburo

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:32:02 -0500

"If he really wants to help his residents, lower property taxes a bit or at the very least stop raising it each and every year." Property tax is governed by municipal and county spending. Some of those expenditures are governed by standards set by the State legislature or Executive Order. Property tax remitted does not go to the State. Generally, the governor has very little power to affect property taxes.

HowBoutDemCowboys

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:31:52 -0500

"If people in Jersey don't like coming into New York, then they should just get jobs in New Jersey." I have a friend who works in the city, for Bloomberg ironically, but she takes the bus. Too many people from NJ want to drive their gas guzzling SUVs into the city, with only one person in the vehicle, so that they don't have to deal with mass transit. This is what they get for their impatience and arrogance. Deal with it!

Reality Czech

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:20:03 -0500

Here's an idea. NJ Driver's either take mass transit or stay in NJ. Really, NYC doesn't want or need you here. You live in the wealthiest state in the country so shut the fug up.

Politburo

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:17:36 -0500

I think everyone missed the real point here.. Corzine is arguing like it's a fairness issue, but what he is really opposed to is the PA funding requirement, and I'm sure he's pretty pissed that this (supposedly) came out of the blue. He's not saying that NY can't toll drivers in NY. The Bloomberg spokesman is a hack for suggesting that. "NY and NJ drivers going into the congestion zone pay the same, and NJ drivers' tolls are included..." That was the old proposal. The new proposal says if the PA doesn't give $1 bil, then NJ drivers will pay $3-4 in congestion charge, plus the $8 toll. One could make the argument that NJ drivers should be paying $8 + $8.

TKaisen

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:02:14 -0500

but New York can't raise revenue dedicated expressly for mass transit improvements for commuters across the region. How can he just lie to people with straight face and continue to lie to them. Politicians are disgusting, filthy scum.

glennQNYC

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:58:08 -0500

Since when has the MTA operated in Jersey? I'd argue NJ drivers should start paying the MTA when they provide an option for them to come into the taxed zone.

sassojr

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:56:40 -0500

How is this unfair against NJ drivers? NY and NJ drivers going into the congestion zone pay the same, and NJ drivers' tolls are included...

Sleepy

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:49:13 -0500

Legal action? Wow I didn't know that being from NJ was a protected class under the Constitution. And he acts as if NYers and everyone else visiting the city won't be charged. They should make Corzine sit in Lincoln Tunnel traffic on the west side during rush hour and see how he feels about congestion.

Tim N.

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:42:09 -0500

If people in Jersey don't like coming into New York, then they should just get jobs in New Jersey. Oh, wait, they can't...

Toby von Meistersinger

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:34:42 -0500

Our take is that Corzine, who is attempting to shake down New Jersey motorists with higher tolls, is unhappy that New Jersey is not getting a cut, which would of course not got towards anything productive but instead to help prop up the bloated government of New Jersey. So basically if the State of New Jersey isn't screwing New Jersey drivers out of their money to go into their coffers they aren't interested. It proves how useless and outdated the current system of states is and the need for some sort of governmental rationalization where things are organized regionally - it would also eliminate the leeching problem known as upstate.

mihow

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:32:54 -0500

I have an idea, why doesn't Gov Corzine work to lower NJ property taxes (home to one of the three most expensive counties in the country). Perhaps that could even it out a bit for commuters. NYers are taxed out the ass in income tax. NJ residents get it in the rear for property tax. If he really wants to help his residents, lower property taxes a bit or at the very least stop raising it each and every year. Sorry. Rant over.