New York City Council Votes for Congestion Pricing

A congestion pricing measure before the Council just passed, 30 to 20.

Domenic Recchia, who is planning to run for Congress, took a pass on voting the first time around, but eventually voted yes. Eric Gioia, who had told the New York Times on March 8 that he was voting no, also voted for it. Comptroller candidate Melinda Katz voted no, but her likely rival David Yassky voted yes. The two candidates for Brooklyn brough president, Bill De Blasio and Charles Barron, both voted against.

The outcome wasn't unexpected -- Speaker Christine Quinn, who called the vote earlier today, supports the proposal -- but it was a necessary prerequisite to congestion pricing being taken up in the state legislature.

The fate of the proposal, the most controversial component of the mayor's PlaNYC, now hinges on the decision of Sheldon Silver and his Assembly majority. Silver has been skeptical of congestion pricing since its inception, and has said that he won't consider the measure until the state passes a budget.