Well, we did it!
The Congestion Tax is dead! Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver just came out a short while ago and stated that the Congestion Tax legislation does not have the support to pass, and therefore will not be scheduled for a vote.
The State Senate is apparently in “chaos” over the matter, as reported by the Daily Politics. All other leaders have thus far confirmed that it is dead.
That means the primary incentive used by Mayor Bloomberg and other pro-taxers as the impetus for passing this tax, the $354 million in Federal grants, has been forfeited. But, it’s worth reminding you that the grant amounts to less than 1% of the annual budget for the City of New York, so it really wasn’t much of an incentive anyway.
We should all take today and celebrate for the hard work that the public put into fighting the tax from becoming a reality! We all deserve to enjoy this most welcome development.
In the meantime, we need to show special appreciation and support for the following elected officials who did right by all New Yorkers in opposing the Congestion Tax:
- Assembly Member Richard Brodsky
- Council Member Joseph Addabbo
- Council Member Tony Avella
- Council Member Charles Barron
- Council Member Leroy Comrie
- Council Member Bill de Blasio
- Council Member Erik Martin Dilan
- Council Member Mathieu Eugene
- Council Member Lewis Fidler
- Council Member Dennis Gallagher
- Council Member James Gennaro
- Council Member Vincent Gentile
- Council Member Vincent Ignizio
- Council Member Melinda Katz
- Council Member Darlene Mealy
- Council Member Michael Nelson
- Council Member James S. Oddo
- Council Member Diana Reyna
- Council Member Helen Sears
- Council Member Peter F. Vallone, Jr.
- Council Member David Weprin
(If I left anyone out, let me know)