Don’t count on Bloomberg’s congestion-pricing plans quite yet, you northern city-slickers. Seems the great state of Georgia might beat us to the federal money the mayor is counting on to fund the implementation of his plan. Outside a New School forum on urban issues this morning, Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin gently told us that her suburban neighbors in Fulton and DeKalb Counties have already voted to join Atlanta in expanding a tax to fund rapid transit, and Washington demands cities show proof of matching funds to get this federal money. “That puts us at the top of the list for federal funding,” Mayor Franklin explained. “Our local people are willing to tax themselves, and that’s a big hit in Washington.” Albany, meantime, has yet to give Bloomberg the money he needs to show the Feds we’re all on the same page. “If Atlanta is the economic hub of the state, the state has to take leadership on public transit,” Franklin said. “And you could make the same argument in New York.” Hey, we’re trying. —
Alec Appelbaum
Earlier: PlaNYC Fine Print: Waiting for Albany
