Congestion Pricing Opponents Re-Group, Release Letters

A day after the City Council voted in favor of congestion pricing, and before the state legislature has a chance to, critics of the plan are making the argument that it is a financial burden on community services and charities.

Today, State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. of the Bronx released a letter he sent to his colleagues urging them to oppose. In the letter Diaz wrote, “buses from organizations transporting senior citizens and/or community groups are obligated to pay the full $8.00,” and added, “there are no guarantees that the $8.00 fee or ‘new tax’ for drivers will not rise annually as it did in Europe which began charging $10.00 to drivers and rose to $16.00.”

Richard Brodsky of Westchester released a letter that he received from a charitable group that delivers food to New Yorkers with HIV-AIDS.

President and C.E.O. of God’s Love We Deliver, Karen Pearl, told Brodsky she fears congestion pricing will be too costly for the non-profit. She writes, “Depending on which fee our vans might be subjected to, it could cost us anywhere from $30,000 to $80,000 (and more in the coming years, given our projected growth).”

Before city lawmakers approved the plan yesterday, Michael Bloomberg made a final push for the plan as a way to stimulate the economy and create jobs.