Congestion Pricing Measure for Middle-class drivers; others exempt.

Read about it here:

Shortly before 7:30 p.m., the New York City Council approved a measure urging state lawmakers to vote in favor of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s congestion pricing proposal. ...

...The congestion pricing plan, as approved by a 17-member state commission that voted at the end of January, would charge drivers with an E-ZPass $8 a day to enter Manhattan below 60th Street on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those drivers would also receive a credit for bridge or tunnel tolls they paid on the same day. Drivers without an E-ZPass would pay $9 and would not receive credit for tolls.

In recent days, amid negotiations between Gov. David A. Paterson, state and city lawmakers and the Bloomberg administration, the legislation was amended to give breaks to low-income drivers and to allow commuters who cross the Hudson River from New Jersey to pay only tolls — not an additional congestion charge — if the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey agrees to make a $1 billion contribution to the M.T.A. capital budget.

Low-income drivers get a break? What kind of break? Will Manhattan be filled with only limos and jalopies? I'd like to see the details because that could sure be a deal-killer in practice.

Comments

[nathan]

The kind of break is currently as following: According to Bloomberg, his administration is working with lawmakers on a possible refund for low-income city commuters "that offsets what they'd pay in congestion pricing fees that are over and above the comparable cost of commuting by subway"

(via Streetsblog)

[M1EK]

The idea that there are non-trivial numbers of low-income people driving to or through Manhattan just went unchallenged, I see.

[jmc]

They're just trying to get it past the Assembly Leader. There are almost zero low-income car commuters in the city so it would never be used.