Lancman has counter plan to congestion pricing

If, as expected, the state legislature returns to Albany in the next two weeks to discuss Mayor Michael Bloomberg's congestion pricing proposal, they will likely have another proposal to reduce congestion to consider.
Queens Assemblymember Rory Lancman, who has been a vocal opponent of Bloomberg's plan to charge car drivers $8 and trucks $21 to enter Manhattan south of 86th Street during the week from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., plans to introduce legislation prior to the anticipated special summer session that he believes will give drivers incentives not to drive into Manhattan.
Recently, Bloomberg's office also acknowledged that drivers leaving Manhattan within a designated zone would also pay a fee.
&#8220The fundamental problem with the mayor's plan is that it is all stick and no carrot; all punishment and no incentive,” Lancman said. &#8220The mayor's plan is a $2,000-per-year congestion price tax that he wants to use to beat over the head of New Yorkers to prevent them from driving into the city.”
Lancman's bill includes incentives that would provide tax breaks to businesses that allow their employees to telecommute, institute car pool lanes, eliminate or reduce the tolls at all bridges and tunnels into Manhattan during weekday peak hours to promote deliveries and infuse $500 million from the state general fund to increase mass transit for the outer boroughs.
Although Lancman said it is conceivable that the Port Authority of NY & NJ and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which control the bridges and tunnels into Manhattan, could reduce or eliminate the tolls, he said the more likely scenario involved allowing drivers to deduct the tolls from their taxes at the end of the year.
Meanwhile, proponents of Mayor Bloomberg's proposal continue to target a deadline for the middle of July to pass a bill so that New York could be eligible for up to $500 million in federal funds to help with the costs of implementing a pilot program for the project.
Bloomberg said the congestion-pricing plan, which is part of his 127-point PlaNYC for New York City's future, would reduce traffic in the central business district, raise money for public transportation projects and help lower asthma rates.
Governor Eliot Spitzer, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn have all backed Bloomberg's plan, while Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has greeted the proposal with more hesitancy and questions.
In addition, a number of Queens Assemblymembers including Lancman have spoken out against the proposal or have raised serious questions about the plan. However, most have said they are willing to debate the merits of the proposal should a special session be called later this month.