Conge$t Tax in the News - Update

In no real order, saves me a lot of time trying to figure which comes before the other. I'm so lazy. Lazy blogger, bad blogger.

Mar. 21, 2008, NY Daily News:
"Over Next Two Weeks, State to Decide Whether to Approve Congestion Plan"
by Juan Gonzalez

PTF: "Super column by Senor Gonzalez. Hit the working class, but give the rich a discount? Is Mayor Mike on crack, again?"

Mar. 24, 2008, NY1 News:
"City Council Remains Divided on Issue of Congestion Pricing"

PTF: "Die conge$t tax, die. Die a horrible death. No one with half a brain wants you to live. Death to taxes. Especially, idiot taxes like the conge$tion tax (a.k.a. congestion pricing)."

Mar. 25, 2008, NY Post:
"Show Us the Transit $$, Say Congest Foes"
by Patrick Gallahue and Frankie Edozien and Andy Geller

PTF: "Similar theme as the NY1 News report about conge$tion tax debate in the NYC Council. Will the revenue from the conge$t tax go to the general fund? Or will it all go to improving mass transit? History strongly suggests that will not happen. Maybe at the start. But eventually some, at least, will end up in the general fund."

Mar. 25, 2008, NY Daily News:
"Mayor Bloomberg and Allies Work to Win Converts to Congestion Pricing Plan"
by Kirsten Danis and Adam Lisberg, Daily News City Hall Bureau

PTF: "More questions. Will charitable organizations be exempt? Like the meals-on-wheels nonprofit God's Love We Deliver. Will cops, firefighters, cancer patients, and others be exempt? Will low-income drivers get a tax credit? If NJ drivers are exempt, how will Mayor Mike make up the difference? Free residential parking permits for people who live outside the conge$t zone? More questions, no easy answers."

Mar. 24, 2008, WNYC New York Public Radio:
"City Council Hears Testimony on Congestion Pricing"
Complete Article: City Council Members are hearing testimony for both opponents and supporters of congestion pricing today. Mayor Bloomberg's aides again dangled the prospect of losing a $354 million federal grant as an incentive to approve the plan within the next seven days.
REPORTER: Queens Council Member Melinda Katz, who opposed congestion pricing, criticized that tactic.
KATZ: We are basically thanking the federal government for giving us the money to give us permission to tax ourselves and to me that doesn’t make sense.
REPORTER: The federal grant is supposed to pay for more buses and other upgrades to prepare the mass transit system for the additional riders who would give up driving rather than 8-dollars to get into the busiest parts of Manhattan.
The hearing continues through this afternoon. Another session will begin at 6 p.m. to accommodate people's work schedules.