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Congestion pricing battle

March
24

New Yorkers remain split on Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s congestion pricing scheme. Here’s a new poll from Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

From the Associated Press:

NEW YORK (AP) — Half of New York state’s voters oppose congestion pricing — but some say they’d change their minds if they were convinced the traffic fee would be used to improve mass transit, according to a poll released Monday.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has just a few weeks to persuade the City Council and state Legislature to approve the plan, which would charge motorists $8 to enter Manhattan’s most congested area.
Supporters say the plan would reduce traffic and raise several billion dollars for mass transit; critics say the burden would fall unfairly on working class families.
When asked if they supported or opposed the plan, 50 percent of those polled said they opposed it, while 33 percent supported it, according to the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
When asked if they would support congestion pricing if the money was used to improve mass transit, 60 percent said they would while 30 percent said no.
But 50 percent of respondents also said they thought it not too likely or not at all likely that the money would be used for that purpose; only 42 percent thought it somewhat or very likely the money would go toward mass transit.
The New York City Traffic Mitigation Commission proposal would charge fees to use streets south of — and including — 60th Street between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday except on certain holidays.
On another issue, an overwhelming majority of those polled, 77 percent, supported a proposal to raise the state income tax paid by people who earn more than $1 million a year, while 19 percent opposed it.
The poll, conducted March 16-18, surveyed 1,528 registered voters in the state. The margin of error is 2.5 percentage points.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 24th, 2008 at 4:28 pm by Noreen O'Donnell.
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One Response to “Congestion pricing battle”

  1. Colour1

    Noreen, some of this idea isn’t bad, but with that money the train fares should be cut in half. WHY! because, if you think there only two ways to get into to mid-town you’re not real up and savie on “all” the back roads to get in and out. There have been times that I needed to get to mid-town and took many other way’s of doing it. I don’t work in mid-town, but on occasion I have to go in on business. AHH!! the “Metro-card” the best idea in years. The Westchester bee-line “BXM4C” (thank Ms.Burns for this) White Plains to “downtown” via 5th ave is the best bang for the buck!! for $5.00 each way no hassle clean quiet ride you can’t beat it! My whole point of this is that the poor slob that doesn’t know the “back-roads” into the city will get slammed, and the “back-road” rider will create more congestion then ever! and more danger’s for emergency’s. You ever see a flock of “EMT’s” truck’s on the “SMP” -HHD” -WSD” ERD” “TMD” do you? No they’re taking all of those back-roads that I spoke of. That I will not publish on this or any other forum. Is it a good idea? it has to many holes in it to be approved right now. “lock-box” ,”Bolt-cutter”!

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About the author
Noreen O'DonnellNoreen O'Donnell For the last 20 years, Noreen O'Donnell has written about Hillary Clinton's run for the Senate, rebuilding Ground Zero, the Korean immigrants who travel north each day from Queens to work in nail salons, deadly runaway fire trucks and other stories in Westchester and Putnam counties. Now she's a columnist.



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