Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg got some more political support for his congestion pricing plan. Joseph Crowley, a representative for parts of Queens and the Bronx and head of the Queens Democratic party, appeared with Bloomberg at Grand Central Terminal's subway station together. They announced that major mass transit improvements could be made in the Bronx and Queens with funding from congestion pricing. Two Metro-North stations would be opened in the Bronx (Parkchester and Co-op City) while two shuttered LIRR stations in Queens (Elmhurst and Corona) would re-open.
What's notable is that Crowley is a very influential figure in the state Democratic party. A political consultant tells the Times, "I would think that if he’s moved on this, he already knows people are moving or he knows he could move them," while Baruch professor Douglas A. Muzzio said Crowley's support “sends a powerful signal.” The Daily News reports that the "unusual weekend news conference" was held to take advantage of the endorsement; at the press conference, Crowley said, "This forward-thinking plan will dramatically reduce pollution, improve bus and rail transit options in all parts of the city and improve the health of New Yorkers. For my constituents in Queens and the Bronx, the Mayor's plan would create more bus and rail stops in our neighborhoods, and enhance the current stops we rely on regularly."
The Post takes the opportunity to run an editorial about congestion pricing with a special spotlight on how Assembly Leader Sheldon Silver (a Democrat) hasn't said "boo" about the matter, in spite of support from Democrats and Republicans in the city and state.
