Is the NYC mayor being environmentally friendly or... a total ass? You decide.Via CBS: A controversial new plan is about to be implemented to improve the quality of life in New York City. This weekend Mayor Michael Bloomberg is expected to introduce an $8 congestion fee for drivers who enter Manhattan below 86th Street.
A mayoral panel has proposed charging motorists to enter Manhattan below 86th Street from 6 am to 6 p.m. That charge would:
1-- Include any bridge or tunnel tolls people already pay
2-- Exempt drivers who bypass the business district on their way to another part of the city.
3-- Exempt taxi drivers, and possibly give discounts for people who live and work in the zone.
Advocates said it's crucial for a city that's expected to add another million people in the next 20 years. Opposition has already formed in the boroughs outside of Manhattan, where some view Bloomberg as a Manhattan elitist. Former Queens Councilman Walter McCaffrey represents a group opposed to the idea.
"Those individuals who are not that well to do are going to find they're being hit with a $5,000 a year tax," McCaffrey said. This could set off a battle royale from here to Albany, where the legislature would have to approve the plan. The mayor will unveil details of it on Sunday when he delivers a speech on the future of New York City. In that speech, the mayor is expected to outline an ambitious agenda for his final 32 months in office. He'll propose a new $7.5 billion freight tunnel under the Hudson River, and call for the construction of 250,000 new homes.
MP3: Sondre Lerche - Airport Taxi Reception
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