Bloomberg names congestion commissioners
If Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s congestion pricing initiative for New York City fails, it won’t be for lack of persons studying the issue.
Bloomberg and New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer joined with city and state legislators to name 17 persons to a panel to study Bloomberg’s idea of charging motorists more to enter Manhattan during the day in order to reduce traffic.
The idea has been controversial with some businesses, who feel it will drive up costs, as well as some commuters who drive into Manhattan.
The group has until Jan. 31 to make recommendations to the City Council and State Legislature. Those bodies are supposed to approve a plan by March 31 to keep the project eligible for $354 million in federal grants.
The 17 commission members are:
' Richard Bivone, president of the Nassau Council of Chambers of Commerce.
' New York Assemblyman Richard L. Brodsky.
' New York Assemblywoman Vivian E. Cook.
' Andy Darrell, director of the Living Cities program at Environmental Defense.
' Thomas F. Egan, chairman of the State University of New York Board of Trustees.
' Assemblyman Herman “Denny” Farrell Jr.
' Gary LaBarbera, president of the New York City Central Labor Council.
' Edwin C. Reed, chief financial officer at the Greater Allen Cathedral.
' Gerard Romski, a former partner at the law firm of Ross and Cohen.
' Gene Russianoff, a mass transit advocate for the New York Public Interest Research Group.
' Janette Sadik-Khan, commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation.
' Elliot “Lee” Sander, executive director of the Metropolitan Transportation Agency.
' Andrea Batista Schlesinger, executive director of Drum Major Institute, a progressive policy institute.
' Marc V. Shaw, executive vice president at Extell Development Co.
' Anthony Ernest Shorris, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
'Kathryn S. Wylde, president and chief executive officer of the Partnership for New York City.
' Elizabeth C. Yeampierre, a Puerto Rican civil rights attorney.
