Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, along with a number of city and state legislators, is supporting an alternative to Mayor Bloomberg’s Congestion Pricing Plan. Under this alternate plan, which is headed by Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, the burden for reducing congestion would be moved off  regular motorists commuting to Manhattan and placed onto cab and limousine riders.

The new proposal calls most notably for a new surcharge of $4 (on top of the $2.50 already charged to enter a taxi) to ride cabs and livery cars short distances in Manhattan. To try to lessen the blow, the cost of a cab ride would be reduced to 35 cents per one-fifth mile from 40 cents. This change would mean more expensive rides within Manhattan but very little change for longer trips to neighboring boroughs and Westchester. According to Brodsky, this increased fare would result in $187 million a year in new taxi revenue and $80 million in new limousine revenue while reducing vehicle miles of travel about 2 percent.

“This alternative plan will generate revenue for the city, reduce congestion, promote cleaner air, and, best of all, does not punish the Bronx and outer boroughs,” Dinowitz said in a statement.

This alternate plan also calls for increasing the number of taxi stands to reduce cab cruising, which Brodsky says wastes gas and adds to congestion. There would also be increases in fines related to parking, moving, and block-the-box violations.       —Allison Grande