Congestion & The Bloomberg Primary

This afternoon, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn made it official and [announced her support] of Mayor Bloomberg's congestion pricing proposal for the Manhattan business district.

"Protecting our City's environment and economy often requires difficult and courageous choices by our public leaders. But that is what leadership is all about. Today, Christine Quinn is doing what's in the best interest of her constituents and all New Yorkers by endorsing this plan and working to get it passed. As Speaker, she is once again demonstrating true leadership.  I'm proud to have her support and happy that she is standing with me to build a more sustainable future for our City - a greener, greater New York," said Bloomberg in reaction to the news.

With Quinn, Bloomberg now has three of the reported contenders to replace him in 2009 on board with his congestion pricing vision, including Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr. and Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum. One theory floating around government circles these days is that such high profile names are backing the plan as a way of shoring up their great relationship with Bloomberg in the hopes that he might consider endorsing their candidacy to replace him in a few years.

This is Bloomberg's legacy, said one source, and those who go along with it are more likely to reap the benefits in the future, benefits that could include not only an endorsement but fundraising assistance. One governmental staffer even surmised that some of Bloomberg's support at the lower levels of public officials exists only because many feel Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver will not allow the plan to pass in Albany. That gives them a chance to make nice with Bloomberg without actually seeing Bloomberg's plan take effect.

As for 2009, Bloomberg has had a great relationship over the years with both Quinn and Carrion. Both have rarely criticized the Mayor, and when they have they have done so in muted tones. When Fernando Ferrer and Mark Green were leading the charge to replace Rudy Giuliani, they never missed an opportunity to be critical, and they were always brutal in their criticism.

In a related note, Bronx City Councilman G. Oliver Koppell, the former State Attorney General, voiced his support for congestion pricing in an interview with me today. Koppell did state that he wanted to examine this particular plan further before offering his full endorsement and praised Bloomberg for his ideas on the issue.