A Bronx Cheer for Congestion Pricing

At a press conference today, a group of Bronx and northern Manhattan elected officials have signed on in support of Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing effort. They are:

  • Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion
  • Assembly member Michael Benedetto
  • Assembly member Adam Clayton Powell IV
  • Bronx Democratic Chair and Assembly member Jose Rivera.
  • Council member James Vacca.
  • Council member Annabel Palma.

An updated list from The Daily Politics:

  • Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat
  • Assemblyman Peter Rivera
  • Assemblyman Carl Heastie
  • Assemblywoman Naomi Rivera

Here’s a piece of the press release from the Campaign for New York’s Future:

"Environmental Defense applauds Bronx Borough President Carrion, Assembly Members Benedetto, Powell and Rivera, and Council Members Palma and Vacca for supporting congestion pricing, clean energy and the goals of PlaNYC at this critical time," said Andy Darrell, director of the Living Cities program at Environmental Defense. "Vehicle emissions contribute more than 86% of the total cancer risk from toxic air pollution in the Bronx, and the air cancer risk from diesel is 1000 times higher than the EPA standards. Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion’s support helps move the Bronx — and the city as a whole — toward a future with less traffic pollution, better transit and lower energy bills. It’s time for legislative leaders in Albany to take the step that Adolfo Carrion and his colleagues have taken today."

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

NYC’s First Bus Rapid Transit Line Debuts in the Bronx

|
L-R: Assembly Members José Rivera and Adriano Espaillat, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, MTA CEO Lee Sander and Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrión at Fordham Plaza today Mayor Michael Bloomberg this morning unveiled details of the city’s first Bus Rapid Transit project, called "Select Bus Service," to debut on the Bx12 line, which […]

Carrion Supports Congestion and Congestion Pricing

|
Last week AMNY ran a profile of Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr., playing on the angle that he may make a run for mayor in two years. The piece is mostly flattering, but does make mention of Carrion’s controversial support for the new Yankee Stadium, which, as Streetsblog readers are probably sick of hearing […]

Electeds React to Congestion Pricing

|
Forty-eight hours in, here is what some elected officials are saying about PlaNYC and congestion pricing. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver: Well, I think it’s a very complicated issue, but, you know, we’ll need to look at it and discuss it with the mayor and discuss it with the members of the conference. The concept of […]

Letter of the Week: Congestion Pricing Diplomacy

|
The Bloomberg Administration is aiming to push its PlaNYC congestion pricing proposal through this session of the state legislature. That means the entire debate will take place within the next 36 days or so. One thing that you can do as an individual citizens to support the Mayor’s plan is to write a letter to […]

Rivera: Pricing Still the Way to Go

|
City Council Member Joel Rivera, whose stance on congestion pricing remained unclear until he voted "Yes" on March 31st, came out as a full-fledged supporter yesterday with an editorial in the Daily News. The Bronx rep added another wrinkle to speculation that pricing might come back: Those of us who voted for pricing and those […]