Time to Call Your Legislators About Congestion Pricing

With mixed messages at best coming from Albany and time running out, state legislators need to hear from constituents who support congestion pricing.

It’s clear that even in areas where pricing received unanimous support in the City Council, some state lawmakers are not getting the message. Here’s Bronx Assembly Member Ruben Diaz, Jr., via NY1:

"It’s just a bad approach where working class citizens of the city of New York are going to wind up having to pay either $8 or eventually a fare increase."

If pricing passes, just 3.7 percent of those who live in Diaz’s district would pay the congestion charge. That leaves 96.3 percent to face more fare increases if pricing fails. Legislators like Diaz need to understand that, by voting against pricing, they will be responsible for increases in transit costs, and delays in improvements, which will be borne by nearly 100 percent of the working class citizens they represent.

This is the most important New York City transportation policy moment in decades. It’s worth a phone call.

  • James

    DONT THEY REALIZE ITS A TRIAL!!!!!

  • I’ve calling around to a number of legislators and calmly introduce myself as a constituent and/or community member (if I’m close to their district). I then ask to speak to someone on their staff about congestion pricing. I then ask what the legislator’s position currently is on congestion pricing because I’m confused. If they say they do not support it or waver one bit I’ve been stressing three questions:

    1. Why is XXX against more money for mass transit that CP would raise? I want more buses and trains and no fare increases.

    2. Does XXX realize that with less traffic on the streets, that buses will move faster and there will be less bus bunching/overcrowding?

    3. Does XXX realize that less than 5% of people in his/her district would pay for the charge and the rest of us would benefit from less traffic/pollution?

    Then ask for the staff person’s name and if you can follow-up. If they say they will call you back, then say you want to leave a message now.

  • fdr

    Is it still a trial? I asked this yesterday. Brodsky’s letter says “It is a permanent plan. It’s no longer a pilot. And by giving himself the power to use congestion pricing revenues for debt purposes, the Mayor seeks to issue bonds that will make it impossible to repeal, no matter how disastrously it may turn out.”
    True or false?

  • J. Mork

    Much less that 3.7% of people who live in Diaz’s district — it’s 3.7% of workers who live in his district.

    (according to
    http://www.stc.org/reports/cpsheets/NYCassembly_factsheet_district%2085.pdf)

  • Absolutely right J. Mork – and they would only pay the full amount if they don’t carpool.

  • Sid

    Its amazing how much deliberate misinformation is out there. The current legislation is for only three years- but you can be sure if it is successful it will be permanent.Brodsky is full of you know what about this. How will they come up with the needed money for mass transit given that the state has a 4.4 billion dollar deficit? He doesn’t care he is from upstate. They expected the City Council to defeat this but it passed. Its time for the state to allow NY City to have control of its own destiny. Suffolk county is considering being its own state…its about time upstate didn’t use NY City as its cash cow.

  • phsyclope

    This congestion pricing is another way to improve the lifestyle of the rich. They will have their drivers move them about the city faster, but working people will be forced out of NY. It will be like the verrazano, soon $8 will not be enough, and well be paying $12. Vote agains it is what is say, you want cleaner air move to vermont

  • JF

    Phsyclope, you want to drive everywhere? Move to Phoenix.

  • “you want cleaner air move to vermont’

    EXCELLENT campaign slogan. That will go over very well with the 0% of New Yorkers that don’t want cleaner air. As a working person that supports congestion pricing, I can’t wait for it to help my driver move me about the city faster—my bus driver that is!

  • phsyclope

    hah, It got shot down. You can only milk the middle class so much. I hear Greyhound has some tickets on sale to Vermont.

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