Mayor Bloomberg appears to have the necessary votes to get congestion pricing passed in the City Council, because the Council scheduled a vote on the matter for this afternoon. The fact a vote has been suddenly scheduled is interpreted as a sign that fellow supporter Council Speaker Christine Quinn has enough votes for approval. The Mayor must have spent his weekend bending ears and twisting arms!
A critical amendment was made to the statewide version of the bill over the weekend that may have changed minds. According to the NY Sun, the congestion pricing plan will be linked to a $1 billion contribution from the Port Authority to the MTA's five-year capital spending budget. The funds from the Port Authority, a joint NY-NJ state agency, allayed some concerns New Jersey residents wouldn't be paying as much as New Yorkers traveling into Manhattan.
Outer borough Council members who vote yes to congestion pricing may be sticking their necks out by supporting an unpopular bill in their districts (some outer borough Council members against the plan protested at the 59th Street bridge on Friday).
UPDATE: The Council has voted to approve congestion pricing, in a 30-20 vote. Earlier, the Council's State and Federal Legislation Committee voted 6-3 in favor of the plan.
Per Streetsblog, the City Council members who voted for congestion pricing: Maria del Carmen Arroyo (Bronx), Maria Baez (Bronx), Gale Brewer (Manahttan), Inez Dickens (Manhattan) Simcha Felder (Brooklyn), Daniel Garodnick (Manhattan), Alan Gerson (Manhattan), Eric Gioia (Queens), Sara Gonzalez (Brooklyn), Robert Jackson (Manhattan), Letitia James (Brooklyn), G. Oliver Koppel (Bronx), Jessica Lappin (Manhattan), John Liu (Queens), Miguel Martinez (Manhattan), Michael McMahon (Staten Island), Rosie Mendez (Manhattan), Hiram Monserrate (Queens), Annabel Palma (Bronx), Christine Quinn (Manhattan), Domenic Recchia (Brooklyn), Joel Rivera (Bronx), James Sanders (Queens), Larry Seabrook (Bronx), Kendall Stewart (Queens), James Vacca (Bronx), Albert Vann (Brooklyn), Melissa Mark Viverito (Queens), Thomas White (Queens),David Yassky (Brooklyn).
The City Council members who voted against congestion pricing: Joseph Addabbo (Queens), Tony Avella (Queens), Charles Barron (Brooklyn), Leroy Comrie (Queens), Bill DeBlasio (Brooklyn), Erik Martin Dilan (Brooklyn), Mathieu Eugene (Brooklyn), Lewis Fidler (Brooklyn), Dennis Gallagher (Queens), James Gennaro (Queens), Vincent Gentile (Brooklyn), Vincent Ignizio (Staten Island), Melissa Katz (Queens), Darlene Mealy (Brooklyn), Michael Nelson (Brooklyn), Diana Reyna (Brooklyn), Helen Sears (Queens), James Oddo (Staten Island). Peter Vallone (Queens). Not present: Helen Foster (Bronx).
Now it will be up to the State Legislature to pass the bill in order for the city to qualify for $354 million in federal funding.
NYC: City Hall, by wallyg at flickr
