It isn't the return of congestion pricing, but Manhattan Borough President, presumed mayoral candidate and rapper Scott Stringer does want to bring back another favorite financial fear of the car-class: The Commuter Tax. You know, the one on folks who work in the city but live elsewhere that was with us for 33 years until 1999. Stringer wants it back. He's proposing reinstating it at the old rate of about "0.45 percent for most commuters."
Of course, Stringer can't bring the tax back from his current job and couldn't even bring it back from Gracie Mansion if he got there—it needs to be enacted by the State Legislature. But it doesn't hurt to bring the idea up, and it has a good populist angle in that the tax could provide much needed money for the MTA. "We must create a steady revenue stream for the MTA," he says.
"A mayor has to be willing to step up and have those conversations with Albany," Stringer said. "You can’t talk about long-range economic growth in this city without having a serious conversation about the future of our transportation system." He goes on to add that he doesn't "want us to have a first-rate city with a second-rate transportation system. I am tired of the old ideas. I am tired of people saying it can't be done."
Stringer probably has a few allies up in Albany for the idea (Shelly Silver has come out for it in the past) but he's still got a long political row to hoe before it makes a comeback. Because people? Not fans of new (old) taxes. And pols don't like to upset people.
