Weprin to Turner: I Was Against Congestion Pricing

David Freedlander — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 13:24:11 -0400

Earlier today Bob Turner's campaign hit David Weprin for supporting congestion pricing, saying that it was contrary to Weprin's efforts to boost small businesses.

There is one problem though, says Weprin and his allies: He never supported congestion pricing.

The Weprin campaign has passed along a statement Weprin made while in the Assembly in which he says "another foray into congestion pricing would be not only bad policy, but a waste of time politically. It is true that there are severe transportation problems facing New York City, but these problems have been years in the making, and instituting a tax on people attempting to drive into work isn't going to solve it."

They also note that he told 1010 WINS, "This is the kind of proposal that pits one borough against another because it discriminates against the boroughs outside of Manhattan. Now is not the time to divide us. We’re still in a fiscal crisis."

Weprin was also against congestion pricing when he was in the City Council, and the campaign passes along a statement from one of the measure's fiercest opponents, City Councilman Lew Fidler, to boot:

"Having led the fight against congestion pricing in the City Council, I can assure Bob Turner---whose voice I did not hear at the time---that David Weprin was at my side for every minute of that fight. David Weprin stood up loudly and clearly opposing congestion pricing as it was an unfair burden placed strictly on the people of Brooklyn and Queens. He voted no on the home rule message. Bob Turner is entitled to his point of view---even if he never expressed it when it counted----but he is not entitled to his own facts. This is an obvious attempt by the Turner campaign to mislead the voters. It seems Bob Turner would like this election to be about anything but the actual record of the candidates in this race. The voters in Brooklyn and Queens are too savvy to be fooled by this nonsense."

Politicker » Weprin to Turner: I Was Against Congestion Pricing

Weprin to Turner: I Was Against Congestion Pricing