City Hall on Assembly 'Cop-Out,' and Other Reactions

Michael Bloomberg’s spokesman John Gallagher is releasing, upon request, a statement blasting the legislative process that killed his boss’ plans for congestion pricing.

“What we are witnessing today is one of the biggest cop-outs in New York’s history. After insisting on the formation of a commission to make recommendations for a bill, and then for the City Council to vote to endorse that bill, the Assembly needs to stand up and be counted.  They owe it to the majority of New Yorkers who support this plan, the scores of environmental groups, public health organizations, business leaders, unions, and the public at large, to put this proposal to a public vote.”

Mary Peters, the U.S. Transportation Secretary also released a statement thanking by name everyone but Sheldon Silver for their “leadership” on the issue.

“Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Bloomberg, Governor Paterson, Majority Leader Bruno, the City Council and many other state and local officials and civic, environmental, business and labor organizations, New York has engaged in one of the most vigorous and significant debates about transportation policy in modern U.S. history. While today's announcement, if accurate, is deeply disappointing, New York’s mounting traffic and environmental woes point to congestion pricing as an inevitable solution, even if not in the next few months or with the assistance of federal Urban Partnership dollars. Starting tomorrow, we will engage with many of the largest cities in the United States that have put forward ambitious traffic fighting plans to discuss how they could use this money to cut traffic, improve transit and reduce pollution.”

John Liu, the chairman of the City Council’s transportation committee said, “This defeat is disappointing to transportation advocates, environmental advocates, community activists and business leaders alike. However, there's no use crying over spilled milk.  Even without congestion pricing, we still need to reduce the extreme congestion that has a chokehold on our economy as well as on our environment. Opponents of congestion pricing did in fact offer constructive alternatives to help alleviate traffic congestion, including initiating programs for carpooling, cracking down on parking placard abuse and restoring express bus service to levels that existed prior to Bloomberg becoming Mayor. The Bloomberg Administration must now examine those alternatives in earnest."

Democratic Assemblyman Ruben Diaz, Jr. of the Bronx released a statement saying he is “pleased to announce that the Mayor’s ill conceived ‘Congestion Pricing Plan’ has failed to win approval here in the New York State Assembly, the People’s House. After serious deliberations along with my colleagues in the Assembly we have rightfully concluded that the plan proposed by the Mayor would place an unfair financial burden on the already economically over burdened residents of the Bronx and New York City.”

Domenic Recchia, a Brooklyn City Councilman who voted for the program at the last minute, released a statement saying, “"I'm disappointed congestion pricing wasn't put to a vote," said Councilman Recchia.  "Mayor Bloomberg's plan deserved to be publicly vetted by lawmakers.  Money to improve transportation isn't going to materialize from thin air, and congestion pricing, while controversial, had real potential to solve some of the biggest problems facing New York City.  While commuters already paying tolls would have been held harmless under the plan, no one will be held harmless to fare increases, lack of service and clogged streets."