State and city political leaders announced the appointees for the New York City Traffic Mitigation Congestion Commission, the 17-member-committee that will study the ways of easing congestion in New York City.
The commission, which came out of an agreement between the governor and the state legislature, has representatives appointed by Governor Eliot Spitzer, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith and Assembly Minority Leader James Tedesco.
“Putting the congestion pricing commission in place is an important step towards creating a healthier, cleaner environment for our children and generations to come,” Spitzer said. “The Commission has a vital task to ensure the ability of New York City’s continued growth, and do so in an environmentally responsible manner.”
Three of the 17 members of the commission have direct ties to Queens including Assemblymember Vivian Cook, who represents areas of southeast Queens; Edwin Reed, who is the CFO of The Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York in Jamaica; and Gerard Romski, Counsel and Project Director of Arverne by the Sea.
As a deadline to receive federal funding approached in July, the state legislature and governor agreed to form the commission to study all alternatives to reduce congestion in New York City, and it will make its recommendations from the study by January 31, 2008. Once the city and state receive the commission’s recommendations, the legislature and governor will have until March 31 to vote on a bill.
Recently, officials announced that New York City would receive $354.5 million in federal funds if the federal government approves the plan by the March 31 deadline.
Discussions about a congestion pricing plan began earlier this year when Bloomberg announced proposal that would charge car drivers $8 and trucks $21 to enter Manhattan south of 86th Street on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in order to decrease congestion in the central business district as well as improve air quality in the area.
Traffic Mitigation Congestion Commission appointees
GOVERNOR SPITZER
Marc Shaw – Former First Deputy Mayor
Anthony Shorris – Executive Director of the Port Authority of NY & NJ
Elliot “Lee” Sander – Metropolitan Transportation Commission Executive Director/CEO
MAYOR BLOOMBERG
Gene Russianoff – New York Public Interest Research Group & Straphangers Campaign
Janette Sadik-Kahn – New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner
Elizabeth Yeampierre – Civil rights attorney and Executive Director of United Puerto Rican Organization of Sunset Park (UPROSE)
ASSEMBLY SPEAKER SILVER
Assemblymember Herman “Denny” Farrell, Jr.
Assemblymember Richard L. Brodsky
Assemblymember Vivian E. Cook
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER BRUNO
Gary LaBarbera – New York City Central Labor Council President
Thomas F. Egan – State University of New York (SUNY) Chair
Richard Bivone – Nassau Council Chambers of Commerce President
COUNCIL SPEAKER QUINN
Andrea Batista Schlesinger – Drum Major Institute Executive Director
Edwin Reed – Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York CFO
Kathryn Wylde – Partnership for New York City President and CEO
SENATE MINORITY LEADER SMITH
Gerard Romski – Counsel and Project Director of Arverne by the Sea
ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER TEDESCO
Andy Darrell – Environmental Defense New York Regional Director
