Hard Not-so-hard Choices
So, earlier I wrote that I was hopeful that the financial meltdown might help New York City make some of the hard decisions it has, as yet, been unable to make on good policies like congestion pricing. Megan responded that this wasn’t going to happen, because Wall Street was the constiuency for congestion pricing, and Wall Street is now weaker. This kind of missed the point, which was that the crisis might make groups formerly opposed to congestion pricing (and similar proposals) more amenable to them, since the alternatives would be worse.
But to immunize myself from further criticism based on my outsider status, let’s flip the script and focus on the District. From DCist:
D.C. Chief Financial Officer Natwar Gandhi is now estimating that District government revenue projections for the next two years have fallen by nearly $500 million during the past three months. The news marks the fourth consecutive quarter that Gandhi has announced lower revenue projections.
Now, it’s possible that the District will expand things like performance parking, which has debuted in a few select areas in the city, in order to increase revenue. It may even revisit the idea of congestion pricing, which has come up a few times. But even if these measures aren’t enacted, the crisis may be having a beneficial effect on aspects of city policy. Having followed the debate over the Brookland small area plan fairly closely, I get the impression that economic conditions have been a boon to its supporters. There is the sense that the city can’t afford to turn away jobs and tax revenue by reducing the potential scope of development near the Metro station.
Even as the crisis has slowed the progress of current development, it has probably helped to make future development denser and better, for the city and the environment.
February 25th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
What is performance parking? Variable rates by the attractiveness of the spot? Discount for parallel parking a pick-up in a small space?
February 25th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Like congestion pricing for parking. Meters adjust to make sure there are always spots available.
February 25th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
If DC does this, they need better management of the program. I’ve been observing the Navy Yard performance parking district for two months now, taking data throughout the day on how full the spaces on M Street SE are.
The parking meter prices are too high. Even though DC is supposed to vary the meter rates such that 80-90% of the spaces are occupied, I’ve never seen the street more than 50% full, and it’s more typical that it’s 20-30% full.
This reminded me that it’s about time for me to write up the study and post to GGW. Thanks.
February 25th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
That’s smart. Can meters adjust for that jackass parked across two spaces?
February 26th, 2009 at 1:00 am
I see your point, but crises like this simply enable ideas to come to fruition, they don’t guarantee that they’ll be good ideas. I could just as easily see the crisis to be used to argue against parking fees at all.
“charge to drive downtown?! In a crisis?! We need to make it even easier to drive and park!!”
February 26th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Does D.C. need congressional authority to implement congestion pricing? Congestion pricing just seems to kill so many birds with one stone. It could provide a dedicated revenue source for Metro, it would reduce congestion, etc. Of course as it makes sense its prospects are bad.
February 26th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
The law would have to be approved by Congress, which would present a problem. The idea has come up before, as has a commuter tax, but not gone anywhere because it wasn’t thought that Congressional approval would be forthcoming.