Well that didn't last long. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to charge drivers up to $8 to enter Manhattan -- approved last week by the City Council -- was nixed this week by the State Assembly before even making it to the floor for debate.

The proposal, one of Bloomberg's major environmental initiatives aimed at reducing congestion and air pollution, would have charged drivers $8 with their EZ pass and $9 without one if they entered the city below 60th Street during weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

But the mayor's plan faced strong opposition from state and local officials from the city's other boroughs and the suburbs, who called it a regressive measure that benefited rich Manhattan residents. Critics predicted that the toll would hurt local businesses and unfairly tax poorer commuters.

"The word 'elitist' came up a number of times," during discussions, Assemblyman Mark S. Weprin of Queens told the New York Times.

So while the "elitist" proposal is dead, lawmakers already are looking at a plan that would raise transit revenue by taxing the elite. One plan being floated in Albany would add an income tax surcharge of 3/4 of 1 percent for people who earn more than $1 million per year in New York State. Officials say such a tax could raise at least $5 billion over five years.

We're not sure what the more surprising statistic is here: That this plan would affect 75,000 people, 35,000 of whom live out of state, or that "18 percent of the new revenue would come from the 426 taxpayers who make more than $35 million a year." That group, of course, includes Mayor Bloomberg.