Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Congestion Pricing

Thank Goodness for Dear, Glorious Leader Sheldon Silver

Almost exactly one year ago, Harvard economist Edward Glaeser wrote a great little essay for the New York Sun's op/ed page that asked the question, Does New York Suffer From A Soviet Traffic System?:

The Soviet approach to marketsset prices at some controlled price, and then let shortages ensue.Under this system, millions wasted hours queuing and goods went toconsumers with the time to stand on line rather than to consumers whovalued the goods most. Today, you don't need to go through the messyprocess of getting a visa to Cuba or North Korea to see the socialcosts of under-pricing. Right here in New York, we don't chargeanything for using a particularly valuable resource: car access toManhattan streets.

Today, on the very same op/ed page, the Sun's Jacob Gershman praises the New York State Assembly's Soviet-style political apparatus for throwing a wrench into Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing plans:

Thank goodness for Sheldon Silver. Mr. Silver, the obstructionist, the political merchant, the dour face of Albany's status quo, is one of the few voices of caution in the intensifying battle over congestion pricing. Whatever the motive, Mr. Silver and one of his colleagues in the Assembly, Richard Brodsky, have been asking the right questions in a debate that could use a dose of reality.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Friday’s Headlines: Canal Street Follies Edition

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine isn't happy. Plus other news.

April 26, 2024

Community Board Wants Protected Bike Lane on Empire Blvd.

Brooklyn Community Board 9 wants city to upgrade Empire Boulevard's frequently blocked bike lane, which serves as a gateway to Prospect Park.

April 26, 2024

The Brake: Why We Can’t End Violence on Transit With More Police

Are more cops the answer to violence against transit workers, or is it only driving societal tensions that make attacks more frequent?

April 26, 2024

Report: Road Violence Hits Record in First Quarter of 2024

Sixty people died in the first three months of the year, 50 percent more than the first quarter of 2018, which was the safest opening three months of any Vision Zero year.

April 25, 2024
See all posts