Congress has offered New York City $354 million to help launch a congestion pricing program that would reduce carbon admissions while raising much-needed funds for the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Under such a program, most drivers would be charged $8 for driving south of 60th Street in Manhattan. But there's a catch, as the New York Times reminded in an editorial yesterday: To get the money, New York must approve a final plan by April 7. The Albany holdout is Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who has some amendments he'd like added to the plan, such as an exception for low-income drivers who have no other way to get to work. Quickly dealing with Silver's concerns and signing him onto the program will be a first test for the newly-minted and sex scandal-beset Governor David Patterson. It's especially important to secure the federal funding now because of the MTA's financial predicament. Planned upgrades to the subway and bus systems have been canceled because a tax on real estate transactions was a crucial source of income. Of course, thanks to the mortgage crisis and larger economic downturn, those funds are drying up. The congestion tax would provide a much more dependable revenue stream. --Dana Goldstein
