Minutes later, Mayor Bloomberg held a news conference with the Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, to celebrate the passing of his plan, which has left city and state lawmakers sharply divided. (The article prepared for Tuesday’s editions, by Diane Cardwell, is now online.)

At the City Hall news conference, the mayor called the vote “the result of a lengthy democratic process,” and declared, “The people of New York City have spoken.” Ms. Quinn said that of the 30 yes votes, 20 were from outside Manhattan — signaling support for the proposal in the other boroughs, where opponents have been focusing their organizing efforts.

If the State Legislature gives approval, the mayor said, the implementation of congestion pricing could begin by March 31, 2009. He urged the city to unite around the proposal, one of the most divisive ideas the mayor has pushed in his second and final term, which is scheduled in 21 months. “There will always be somebody who doesn’t like things, but they will be breathing cleaner air, they will be taking mass transit, and congestion will be less,” Mr. Bloomberg said.

Ms. Quinn said she was “very proud” of the Council and of the majority whose “chose to do the right thing,” and added, “I know that New Yorkers will support my colleagues for doing the right thing.”

Moments before 6 p.m., a City Council committee approved the measure, known as a home-rule request, which was needed before the State Legislature can act on the plan, whose fate in Albany is uncertain.

The congestion pricing plan, as approved by a 17-member state commission that voted at the end of January, would charge drivers with an E-ZPass $8 a day to enter Manhattan below 60th Street on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those drivers would also receive a credit for bridge or tunnel tolls they paid on the same day. Drivers without an E-ZPass would pay $9 and would not receive credit for tolls.

The plan is similar to one proposed by Mayor Bloomberg last April — but that plan would have established a northern boundary at 86th Street and included a $4 charge for car trips within the congestion zone.

The mayor has noted that the city will qualify for $354 million in federal grants for mass transit improvements if congestion pricing is approved.

In recent days, amid negotiations between Gov. David A. Paterson, state and city lawmakers and the Bloomberg administration, the legislation was amended to give breaks to low-income drivers and to allow commuters who cross the Hudson River from New Jersey to pay only tolls — not an additional congestion charge — if the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey agrees to make a $1 billion contribution to the M.T.A. capital budget.

Stephen Sigmund, a spokesman for the Port Authority, noted that a “substantial percentage” of the 140,000 commuters who pay Port Authority tolls to enter New York from New Jersey in fact live in New York — many of them live in Orange and Rockland Counties (which are west of the Hudson River) or even in New York City.

Earlier this evening, the Council’s State and Federal Legislation Committee passed the measure on a 6 to 3. Voting in favor were the chairwoman, Maria Baez of the Bronx, and members Melissa Mark-Viverito of Manhattan, Michael E. McMahon of Staten Island, Hiram Monserrate of Queens and Joel Rivera and Larry Seabrook of the Bronx. Voting against were Councilmen Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. of Queens and Erik Marin Dilan and Lewis A. Fidler of Brooklyn. (For background on the lead-up to the vote, see this earlier City Room report.)

Michael O’Loughlin, director of the Campaign for New York’s Future, a coalition of groups that support congestion pricing, announced that they would hold an 11 a.m. news conference on Tuesday to urge the Legislature to follow on the Council’s actions and act on congestion pricing. Mr. O’Loughlin said in a statement:

Less traffic, better transit, cleaner air, good jobs - millions of New Yorkers who share these goals can feel proud that the City Council listened to the facts and today voted ‘yes’ for congestion pricing to put New York on track to this better, healthier, more livable future. After almost a year of research, debate, public dialogue and fine-tuning, New Yorkers are eager to move forward to our future of less traffic, better transit and cleaner air. Now, we look forward to working with our leaders in Albany to take the next step this week and ensure New Yorkers receive the benefit of $354 million in federal money to improve our bus and subway system right away.

Moments after the vote, the coalition also sent out statements of approval from the Straphangers Campaign of the New York Public Interest Research Group, the New York City Central Labor Council, the New York League of Conservation Voters, the Regional Plan Association, the Environmental Defense Fund, Citizens Committee for New York City, Transportation Alternatives, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, and the New York City chapters of the American Lung Association and the Sierra Club.

The full text of Mayor Bloomberg’s remarks at the City Hall news conference follows:

Madam Speaker, thank you. You left one person off the list that deserves thanks and that is you because I think what is clear here is that Speaker Quinn’s principled leadership throughout the Council’s deliberations on congestion pricing shows this time, as it has in previous times, that she cares about the city and the interests of the city come first with her. It is not easy to corral a lot of people; it’s not easy to tackle some of the controversial issues. But Christine Quinn really did stand up and, with the power of persuasion and the arguments that we all know make a lot of sense here, she managed to get 30 votes when I think most people did not expect this to pass.

Earlier today, as you know, we were up at Yankee Stadium. She was there expecting to have a wonderful day. And people said, ‘Oh, it’s raining,’ but I think it’s fair to say that the sun is shining on New York City’s future today. The Council has now approved the congestion pricing plan that is embodied in the amended bill that Governor David Paterson is submitting to the Legislature. And as she said, it is now completely clear that congestion pricing has the strong backing of the people of New York City.

It has the support of both sides of City Hall, of borough presidents, and of Assembly members, State Senators, and members of Congress representing us in Albany and in Washington. It has the support of New York City’s organized labor leaders, who today strongly urged quick action on congestion pricing. It has the endorsement of business groups and newspaper editorial pages across the state who have urged Albany to enact this piece of legislation which will give us $354 million in federal money and a recurring, dependable source of funds to work on mass transit improvements which we sorely need in this city. And also to improve the quality of air that we and our children are breathing and to help unclog a city that is really getting stifled by the inability to get across town in the business day from one side to the other.

Environmental and transportation advocates have long supported congestion pricing, as you know, and the amendments that have been added to this bill significantly strengthen it. They resolve several major concerns that have been expressed about making congestion pricing fair and effective. And now I am increasingly confident that State leaders will do what’s right for New York City’s future and promptly enact Governor David Paterson’s bill.

If they do, commuters in our city will be able to benefit immediately from mass transit improvements that you will see literally within months. And we’ve also created then the ability to go ahead and work on some of the long-term projects like the Second Avenue Subway.

And so this evening’s historic vote by the Council really is something that they all deserve congratulations, all of those who voted for it. I think everybody in this city either believes today or will come to believe that this is the right thing to do for New York City and I just wanted to personally applaud those who had the courage to stand up and do what was right, starting with the Speaker and all of her members. So thank you very much.

Opponents of congestion pricing — who have received financial backing in part from parking-garage companies — have so far been muted in their response to this evening’s votes. But Councilman Leroy G. Comrie Jr., an influential Queens Democrat who is usually close to Ms. Quinn, the speaker, issued a statement strongly dissenting with the body’s decision:

I am very disappointed that this body was not able to come together to develop a real plan to help all New York City residents deal with the issues of congestion and health. The lack of outreach was evident and an opportunity to create a real five-borough plan has been missed. In my opinion, the residents of Queens will be unfairly taxed by the current congestion plan.

As a long-time member of this body — as an elected official and as a staffer — over the past 20 years I’ve heard numerous promises made by several administrations regarding improved public transportation and capital improvements in Queens, which were never delivered. And despite the assurances of this administration, I’ve seen nothing that will assure me that the projected benefits of this congestion plan will ever be delivered upon.

We have no control of the M.T.A.’s capital budget- they can change it whenever they want to. Several years ago, when the M.T.A. took over the private bus lines in Queens, there were promises made for additional express bus services. We still haven’t seen them. And the M.T.A.’s inability to open their real financial books to the public only reaffirms my belief that the people of Queens will be paying into a system that places executive perks over real transportation improvements. I have absolutely no faith in M.T.A. to be honest with New Yorkers.

I want to applaud my colleagues who stood against this plan, especially my colleague from Brooklyn, Council Member Lew Fidler. Real leadership comes not when you are agreeing with majority- that’s the easy part -but when you dissent as minority, based on your principles and your belief that what you do and how you vote is a true reflection of the community you serve.

Today, I cast my vote for the residents of Queens, who this evening will be packed like sardines on the E train to Jamaica Center. Who will be frustrated sitting in traffic on the Grand Central. Our economy is in recession and the mortgage crisis now threatens to erode the entire Southeast Queens community. Our federal government has seen fit to bail out billion dollar Wall Street firms, while real families in this City are losing homes and jobs. And the message from this Council, in the midst of this crisis, is to impose another tax. We are unwilling to raise taxes on the wealthy, but see fit to continue pricing working class residents out of the City.

I will not in good conscience vote in favor of this plan.

The Roll Call

The full vote tally, as provided by the Council, was as follows: Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., No; Maria del Carmen Arroyo, Yes; Tony Avella, No; Maria Baez, Yes; Charles Barron, No; Gale A. Brewer, Yes; Leroy G. Comrie Jr., No; Bill de Blasio, No; Inez E. Dickens, Yes; Erik Martin Dilan, No; Mathieu Eugene, No; Simcha Felder, Yes; Lewis A. Fidler, No; Helen D. Foster, Absent; Dennis P. Gallagher, No; Daniel R. Garodnick, Yes; James F. Gennaro, No; Vincent J. Gentile, No; Alan J. Gerson, Yes; Eric N. Gioia, Yes; Sara M. Gonzalez, Yes; Vincent M. Ignizio, No; Robert Jackson, Yes; Letitia James, Yes; Melinda R. Katz, No; G. Oliver Koppell, Yes; Jessica S. Lappin, Yes; John C. Liu, Yes; Melissa Mark-Viverito, Yes; Miguel Martinez, Yes; Michael E. McMahon, Yes; Darlene R. Mealy, No; Rosie Mendez, Yes; Hiram Monserrate, Yes; Michael Nelson, No; James S. Oddo, No; Annabel Palma, Yes; Christine C. Quinn, Yes; Domenic M. Recchia Jr., Yes; Diana Reyna, No; Joel Rivera, Yes; James Sanders Jr., Yes; Larry Seabrook, Yes; Helen Sears, No; Kendall Stewart, Yes; James Vacca, Yes; Peter F. Vallone Jr., No; Albert Vann, Yes; David I. Weprin, No; Thomas White Jr., Yes; David Yassky, Yes.

Diane Cardwell and Jennifer Mascia contributed reporting.