Skepticism in Brooklyn About Congestion Pricing Funds

Among the things that came up at Wednesday night's community session in Windsor Terrace on the Mayor's Resident Parking Permit Program was congestion pricing. One of the points of contention, according to GL Correspondent Anna Lewis was the fate of the money that would be raised by fees:

Many residents expressed cynicism about the fate of the revenue raised by congestion pricing and the $354 million promised by Washington if New York's politicians approve the plan by April 7. According to Mayor Bloomberg’s plan, the revenue and funds would be directed to the MTA. However, City Council Member Bill de Blasio said, "I am profoundly dubious about more mass transit being the outcome." He called his past experience with the MTA "a trail of broken promises" and in the long term he said he favors changing the MTA’s governing structure to give NYC more power. When asked what environmentalist measure he would advance as an alternative to congestion pricing, Councilmember De Blasio said he favors a rail tunnel between Brooklyn and New Jersey, which could take 1 million truck trips per year off the streets.
--Anna Lewis