| Things are looking increasingly grim for Michael Bloomberg's Congestion Pricing plan, or at least for the prospects for the plan snagging a huge chunk of federal money to help implement the plan.
First, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky has released a study that he claims shows that congestion pricing is unfair to middle class New Yorkers.
Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plan is unfair to middle-class New Yorkers, says a study out today - as Albany obstacles threaten to derail the proposal.
"I could not recommend the bill presented to us. It doesn't do the things the mayor says he wants to do," said Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, who heads a committee examining Bloomberg's legislation.
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But Brodsky (D-Westchester) said the fee will hit outer-borough drivers the hardest, and that the bill Bloomberg sent to Albany doesn't guarantee the fees will be spent on construction.
Brooklyn, Queens and Bronx drivers make about 24% of the trips into the congestion-pricing area, but would pay 47% of the fees - even though their average salary is $46,000, the study says.
Manhattan drivers, though, would make 72% of the trips into the pricing zone and pay just 42% of the fees - even with a $74,000 average salary. Trips within Manhattan would cost just $4, and taxis would be exempt.
(The Drum Major Institute disagrees, btw.)
And now it's looking less and less likely that Shelly will bring the Assembly back for a special one day session next week.
Albany's atmosphere is so toxic that the Assembly probably won't return next week.
"I don't think it will happen," said Democratic Majority Leader Ronald Canestrari, D-Cohoes. "Realistically, we could come back in the fall, and that might be better."
Added Albany Democrat Jack McEneny: "I don't see how we could be productive in this poisoned atmosphere."
McEneny, Canestrari and others cited the bitter fight between Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Republican Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, which escalated last week amid questions about Bruno's use of state aircraft and Bruno's allegation that Spitzer used State Police to spy on him.
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Even if the Assembly were inclined to approve the plan, which is far from certain, the complex issue would still need to be negotiated.
Silver, said one insider, speaks daily with Spitzer and Bruno, but the feuding "really makes it harder, or really impossible, to get any deals. ... The sense is, no progress will be made until things calm down."
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