ALBANY - New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's ambitious plan to impose a charge on drivers who pass through the busiest parts of Manhattan received a shock setback today when Albany lawmakers rejected the initiative.
Bloomberg had proposed the plan as a part of his goal to reduce traffic congestion in the City. However the plan to charge drivers who get caught up in busy traffic leading to congestion did not go down well with lawmakers.
Lawmakers felt Bloomberg's proposal was yet to be tried anywhere in American cities and that there was no roadmap as to how New York would accomplish it. However negotiations continued through into the night on Monday as lawmakers wrestled with the idea.
“All parties have come together in good faith and will continue working together through the day and night to continue narrowing the remaining issues,” Gov. Eliot Spitzer said in a statement.
However Mr Bloomberg was not pleased with Albany lawmakers and accused them of failing to act on key issues like air pollution and climate change.
“While business as usual in Albany may be an impediment to congestion pricing at this time, we can still make a difference for the future of our city and create a greener, greater New York," he added.
Bloomberg also said that he would continue to work on the plan so as to ensure it saw the light of the day. “We will continue to press for real solutions, not interminable study groups whose only real purpose is to avoid accountability and results,” he stressed.
