New York state residents oppose Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion-pricing plan, but would back the proposal if they believed the money would, as pledged, be used to improve mass transit, a new poll said yesterday.
Still, both urban and rural drivers have their doubts that politicians would keep that promise.
The Quinnipiac University poll found that 50 percent of those asked oppose the plan to charge motorists $8 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street, compared to 33 percent who favor it.
When asked whether they would support the plan if the money were used to improve mass transit, 60 percent said yes and 30 percent said no.
But half of those polled said they thought it was “not too likely” or “not likely at all” that the money would be used for that purpose.
“New Yorkers don’t like the idea unless the money goes to help mass transit. Then they approve,” said Maurice Carroll of the school’s Polling Institute. “Would politicians really steer the money to mass transit? Half of us are skeptical.”
So were politicians who spoke at a City Council hearing at which officials were bombarded for hours with questions about the congestion pricing plan.
“The record is mixed,” said Assemblyman Richard Brodsky (D-Westchester). “Anyone who promises that this money will not be touched for anything else is ignoring history.”