Obama Endorses Pricing as “Thoughtful and Innovative”
Last month Barack Obama released details of a vaguely encouraging transportation platform, pledging investment in rail and "livable communities." Today the Democratic presidential candidate endorsed congestion pricing.
In town for a speech and fundraising events, Obama was introduced at Cooper Union by Mayor Bloomberg this morning.
WNYC reports:
Speaking not far from Wall Street, Barack Obama told a Manhattan audience that the US needs better oversight of national financial markets, help for financially stressed homeowners and an additional $30 billion stimulus package.
REPORTER: Later, in an exclusive interview with WNYC, Senator Obama said he supports congestion pricing.
OBAMA: I think Mayor Bloomberg's proposal for congestion pricing is a thoughtful and innovative approach to the problem.
REPORTER: Obama said congestion pricing should not replace federal funding of mass transit.
Maybe this will take some more air out of the right-wing conspiracy theory, propagated most vocally by Congressman Anthony Weiner.
In the interest of equal time (sort of), Bill Clinton has also expressed approval for pricing -- and cycling.
Photo: AP
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