$8 To Get Into Manhattan

Tommy, the Metrocard wasn't an additional cost to New Yorkers. This is yet another tax that will be absorbed by the people that realyl can'ta fford it much.

I think that this new tax should really be charged to commercial vehicles.
That's only way that it's fair and make sense.

My not driving anymore doesn't mean anything. I still feel that it's wrong towards many New Yorkers that DO drive.

New Yorkers, who pay a lot of city taxes, should not have to pay another $8 to go from Queens or Brooklyn into Manhattan.

I have mixed feelings about it. I mean, it could be a great thing. Perhaps its being toted as another way to get people to carpool and use other forms of transport into the city.


IIRC, Seattle has similar ways for getting people to use mass transit and clear the roads. It's been 8 years since Iwas last there but I seem to remember it was a much less congested city.

Sure the $8 is insane BUT I think its truly being done to encourage carpooling. Not a bad idea.

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Originally Posted by Phil D.

I think that this new tax should really be charged to commercial vehicles. That's only way that it's fair and make sense.

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That would only raise money for the city and cause a price increase on everything in Manhattan, and not reduce traffic any significant amount. There have been plans attempted to encourage deliveries at night. Problem is merchants that are open during normal business hours (the vast majority of them) simply don't want to do that...it would be worth it to them to pay more for the delivery to arrive during the day, at which point the entire plan falls apart.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phil D.

Tommy, the Metrocard wasn't an additional cost to New Yorkers. This is yet another tax that will be absorbed by the people that realyl can'ta fford it much.

I think that this new tax should really be charged to commercial vehicles.
That's only way that it's fair and make sense.

My not driving anymore doesn't mean anything. I still feel that it's wrong towards many New Yorkers that DO drive.

New Yorkers, who pay a lot of city taxes, should not have to pay another $8 to go from Queens or Brooklyn into Manhattan.

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Phil

The people that can not afford the tax, more than likely, are using Mass Transit.

What this tax does is make people think before driving into the City, "Do I really need to drive here?"

New York City has an excellent Mass Transit System, and the City, should encourage the residents to use it as much as possible.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phil D.

Tommy, the Metrocard wasn't an additional cost to New Yorkers. This is yet another tax that will be absorbed by the people that realyl can'ta fford it much.

I think that this new tax should really be charged to commercial vehicles.
That's only way that it's fair and make sense.

My not driving anymore doesn't mean anything. I still feel that it's wrong towards many New Yorkers that DO drive.

New Yorkers, who pay a lot of city taxes, should not have to pay another $8 to go from Queens or Brooklyn into Manhattan.

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Phil I know the Metrocard didn't cost New Yorkers anything but the reaction was the same, the people didn't want it and now they praise it.

Sometimes Gov't needs to do things to force an issue like the traffic problem. As Mike pointed out NYC has a great Mass transit system that people should be encouraged to use.

I don't know how they'll really be able to enforce this however. I was listening on the news that they'll send the person a bill based off a picture they take of the person's plate number. Seems simple but complicated at the same time.

I think the fact of the matter is we need to be forced into changing our transportation habits. The price of gas isn't doing it for us yet so maybe this will.

What happens if you live in the affected area? It'd be grossly unfair to charge those who already pay sky-high rents, as well as sky-high taxes extra to drive in their areas of residence.
Other than that, I'm not all against the surcharge. The only exception to the surcharge should be businesses doing business in the city.

If commuters want to drive into the city, then they should either have to pay the extra $8 or, as an alternative, drive to a park-n-ride facility and take the train or the bus into work.

Of course, before such a plan is implemented, major improvements to the current public transportation system need to be made, such as more trains/buses, and more FREE park-n-ride facilites.

Someone also mentioned the fact about how they commute from NJ to Queens or L.I. and go through the city. If that's the case, I think the plan should be designed to incorporate those who do so. I don't know how much the current tolls are, but if you pay say $4 to come through the Holland Tunnel, and then $4 to go through the Midtown Tunnel, then you're $8 "city fee" should be waived. The city could work in a system where you get like an hour or two hour grace period to get from one river crossing to the other...