Thursday, May 10, 2007

Congestion pricing: how to mitigate its impact on the poor?


Remember the congestion pricing proposal in New York City? Robert Frank finds an interesting similarity between the current debate on congestion pricing and another such episode in the 1970s, and proposes some practical changes to make the congestion pricing program more viable. So, what happened in the 1970s?

In a reform effort, ... the agency that regulates New York’s public utilities took aim at the now quaint-seeming practice of providing directory assistance free. The commission argued that a 10-cent charge for directory assistance calls would give consumers an incentive to look up telephone numbers on their own whenever convenient, which would free up operators and equipment for more valuable tasks.

Although the commission’s proposal promised net benefits for the average telephone subscriber, it was greeted by a firestorm of protest. And when social scientists testified gravely, albeit absurdly, that it threatened to disrupt vital networks of communication in the community, its defeat appeared certain.

Commission officials then introduced a simple amendment that saved it. In addition to charging 10 cents for each directory assistance call, they proposed a 30-cent credit on each consumer’s monthly phone bill, a reduction made possible by the additional revenue from the charge and the savings from reduced volumes of directory assistance calls. Because this amendment promised to reduce the monthly bill of customers willing to use their phone books, political opposition vanished overnight.

Thanks to Mark Thoma for the pointer.

1 Comments:

  1. Anonymous said...

    We all have to wonder what Bloomberg is really thinking of with this congestion pricing tax scheme. Maybe he mostly just wants a new tax. Just wrap it up in 'concern for the environment', and people can just demonize those who oppose it.

    If he cares so much about traffic jams, congestion and air pollution, why does he let Park Avenue be blocked off? Why doesn't he do anything about that?

    Pershing Square Restaurant blocks Park Avenue going South at 42nd St. for 12 hours a day/6 months of the year! This Causes Massive Congestion & Air Pollution!

    But apparently it does not bother NYC's Nanny-in-Chief Mike "Congestion Pricing Tax" Bloomberg? Check out the map!

    http://whataplanet.blogspot.com
    http://preview.tinyurl.com/38obfd

    Check it out!

    Thanks,

    Little Blue PD

    :)