Nixon's plan also suggests imposing a fee for companies that pollute in New York State
Actress-turned-gubernatorial hopeful Cynthia Nixon has released her plan to overhaul the beleaguered subway system and in it she proposes ideas that have already been thrown around by other elected officials.
According to the New York Times, Nixon's plan suggests implementing congestion pricing to generate funds to repair the subway system (sound familiar?), while also also enforcing a "polluter fee" on companies along with a millionaire's tax, which Mayor Bill de Blasio has been touting for some time now.
Needless to say, transit officials aren't rushing to applaud Nixon's plan, noting that is nothing more than a plan already proposed by the MTA. "After three months of slamming the MTA in the press, Ms. Nixon released a plan to fix the subways and it was the MTA's plan. Thanks," said MTA spokesperson Jon Weinstein in a statement to the Times.
"What we bashed them for was not having a sufficient plan until last week, when the subway has been struggling for years," said Nixon's campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt in a statement to the New York Post.
Last week, New York City Transit president Andy Byford released his plan to overhaul the subway system over the next five years, with a price tag that could cost $37 billion, prompting an unenthusiastic response from Governor Andrew Cuomo, who finally embraced the plan this Thursday, while once again dismissing the idea of imposing a millionaire's tax.
In April, Cuomo's congestion pricing plan failed to secure funding during budget negotiations, however lawmakers did agree to impose a surcharge on for-hire vehicles traveling south of 96th Street in Manhattan.
- In the Battle Between Cuomo and Nixon, the Subway Becomes a Central Issue [New York Times]
- Cynthia Nixon's plan to fix the subways looks very familiar [New York Post]
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