The New York Times City Room reports that congestion pricing has been killed by a secret vote behind closed doors in the State Assembly, and will not reach the the floor for a vote.

This effectively ends New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s bid to charge $8 for cars coming into lower Manhattan during rush hour in order to reduce congestion and fund major mass transit initiatives.

Benjamin Kabak of SecondAvenueSagas.com argues that ‘elitism’ was the cause of the defeat of congestion pricing, asserting that lower-Manhattan rush hour commuters were especially well-heeled (I’m assuming because they can afford the daily gas, tolls, and parking fees) and fought against the additional fee.

Others have countered that it is actually less affluent car commuters who could not bear the $8 fee which resulted in the bill being shot down.(note: only the Democratic majority of the State Assembly was involved in the vote) 

Assemblyman Mark S Welprin (D, Queens) said that members voted in line with their constituents.

This is exactly what the members should not have done.

Congestion pricing is a forward-looking and ambitous investment in New York City’s future development which carries a predictably unpopular tax, and as such it is an initiative which needs to be brought forward by statesmenship, not representation. But once again, politics and re-election fears insure that no representatives will need carry the burden of supporting anything intelligent and necessary yet unpopular.

New York City commuters have just been delivered across-the-board fare hikes in New York City public transport and been told by MTA that despite these hikes, promised improvements are being delayed for economic reasons. Of course there is not enough constituent support of congestion pricing - its just too much money being asked of commuters in a city where commuters are consistently getting less for more and not seeing any return on fare hike investment.

I think there is less delineation between mass transit and car commuters than everyone seems to think, and a general distrust that the massive $8 fare will be perfectly collected yet poorly appropriated.

In any event, considering the scope and interest in Congestion Pricing, its criminal that this vote was not brought out onto the floor for public vote. It guarantees that no one in Albany can be held personally accountable for their vote.

Well done, gentlemen.

(clap).