NEW YORK – Mayor Bloomberg’s legislation proposal to reduce traffic in New York City has not been passed, despite his efforts to have it approved by Monday, reported the Associated Press. The “congestion charge,” which was meant to improve the city’s air quality, needed state approval in Albany.

The plan would charge drivers entering New York City $8 each day for cars and $21 each day for trucks. There were concerns that this law would be unfair to commuters who have to drive into the city and have no mass transit options available to them.

If approved by Monday, it would have allowed the state to apply for hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to help get the project started, according to the Associated Press.

In regard to the plan, TRALA was requesting that any new plan implemented protect owners of rented and leased vehicles from liability for the fees. TRALA had contacted New York City Mayor Bloomberg, Senate Majority Leader Bruno (R–Saratoga Springs) and Assembly Speaker Silver (D–NYC) to request that any new congestion fee requirements include lessor liability protections modeled after existing parking ticket liability plans offered by both the State Department of Motor Vehicles and the City of New York.