With the Assembly Democrats scheduled to conference congestion pricing today and the Senate poised to take up the pay-to-drive measure any moment now, this map created by Justin Kray at the Pratt Center for Community Development how Council members voted could come in handy for gaming out the pressures on various downstate lawmakers.
Of particular interest are areas where term-limited Council members are considering challenges to incumbent state legislators.
For example, in Brooklyn, Councilman Kendall Stewart, who is likely to primary Sen. Kevin Parker, flipped to vote "yes" on the plan.
In Queens, Councilman Hiram Monserrate (another "yes") is eyeing another run against fellow Democrat, Sen. John Sabini, and recently learned he has the backing of Mayor Bloomberg in that endeavor.
Two likely Democratic challengers to incumbent Republican senators in Queens, Councilmen Jim Gennaro (Sen. Frank Padavan) and Joe Addabbo (Sen. Serphin Maltese) both voted "no" on congestion pricing.
Last summer, the Senate voted 39-19 to create a commission to study traffic mitigation techniques that eventually proposed congestion pricing. Eight Democrats sided with the GOP majority on that vote,
The no votes that day (July 26, 2007) were: No: Adams, Diaz, Dilan, Flanagan, Fuschillo, Hannon, Huntley, Johnson (Craig, not Owen), Klein, LaValle, Maltese, Marcellino, Morahan, Parker, Sabini, Savino, Skelos, Stavisky, Stewart-Cousins. (Hassell-Thompson, Montgomery and Oppenheimer were excused; Carl Kruger was absent).
Two city GOP senators - Golden and Padavan - joined in the "yes" votes.
The Assembly approved the commission 122-16.
