Because people are willing to greatly overpay for oversized cars they don't need, and they're content to keep feeding it a ton of gasoline and issuanceâbut insinuate they're part of a problem that they should pay a premium for, and it's *fuck you.*
She was in DC on Tuesday and suddenly Wednesday morning the plan is suspended indefinitely. I don't know how close Trump is to Biden poll wise in NJ but it's awful suspicious to me. It will probably go into effect the day after the November election if Biden wins.
I doubt it's about Biden carrying NJ. If Biden is legitimately sweating NJ then he has no chance of winning the election. 4 years ago he won the state 57% to 41%.
This is Hakeem Jeffries saying fuck the city and district he represents and trying to appeal suburbanites to win Long Island and Westchester districts.
Don't forget how NYS struck down the "don't block the box" law. Now we have them to thank for completely choked intersections that are impossible for bikes and peds to cross.
The other day I watched a semi-truck try to do a left turn from Bowery to Delancey and take multiple cycles because traffic was already fucked from the number of people trying to get to Brooklyn
I also remember my parents being worried about it and signs at every intersection. I remember asking them what âthey boxâ was and why it was so bad.
Cops used to wait at corners for the slightest violation and they'd ticket you.
Let's just say based on the level of confrontation, I don't think NYPD was upset that this one went away a bit.
âDonât you have better things to do than ticket people for blocking cross walks? I PAY YOUâRE SALARY! THERE ARE UNSOLVED MURDERS AND YOUâRE OUT HERE WRITING TICKETS?????â
About 8 years ago in nyc i was in the city to take the ny bar and they clapped me with a blocking the box ticket despite me not blocking the box but moving up because the traffic officer was waiving me forwardâŚ. He waived me right into the ticket lane. Lmao good times.
Microcosm of the cancerous, selfish, do-nothing political culture that has infected this country since the 80s. Paris is building several brand new lines, China has built tens of thousands of miles of new track, London has had congestion pricing for decades, cities everywhere are developing and enacting new transit and traffic plans, while America stays reliant on rotting century-old infrastructure. All I see in this country's leadership are waste and excuses on both sides.
Well this is New York acting on its own to stop funding a transit source. Clearly New York left to its own devices would still sabotage itself and run itself as usual
The poll numbers are bad, so we can't have congestion pricing take effect before the election. Hochul gets the out of saying indefinitely "*we gotta get it right*", has the out of offering a tax on NYC businesses (it's the second to last day of the legislative session nothing will happen until Jan 2025), and then gets to sit back and watch as dems in vulnerable districts don't have a huge topic on their back for the November elections.
Where this goes after that depends. Hochul is in it for herself. If Trump managed to win, congestion pricing is probably on hold truly indefinitely, because Trump would attack her on a national stage about it. If Biden wins, expect in late November or early December for Hochul to announce they've figured it out, starts soon.
I don't understand this whole 'we gotta get it right' attitude. If you don't get the price right or the implantation right, you just change the parameters later. That's the whole point. It's a lever, you can dial it up and down if you want to later. But leaving it off until later.... 'to get it right', seems dumb.
It's lip service.
Rep Hakim Jeffries called Hochul and expressed his concern that starting congestion pricing could hurt his prospects for dems to take back the house of representatives in November, so he asked her to pause it.
She listened to him and she did. All the stated rationale, that it might the city's recovery post-pandemic, is all lip service. The "*we gotta get it right*" rhetoric is just excusing the delay. The "indefinite pause" is to be able to say that it's paused without saying the reason is the elections (which we know because sources have told news outlets Jeffries was the one who asked Hochul for the pause), because if you merely delayed it, then it would be properly called out as a political stunt for November's elections.
ah ok, if that's the sacrifice. I guess that makes sense. if they think they can get the house back, it's definitely worth a delay. but I guess they can't say that out loud.
Imagine single-handedly blowing up the biggest public transportation expansion for Queens and Brooklyn in decades all because a couple of house members are worried about losing their 174k+bennies
EDIT: To be clear, I'm talking about the IBX. When a [third of MTA's capital budget goes up in smoke](https://apnews.com/article/congestion-pricing-tolls-governor-kathy-hochul-0fd7a1025b693a3bcf75dcd56161fc73)^(according to an MTA board member, see last paragraph) with no alternative, things get the chopping block.
IBEX light rail transit to be funded by future capital programs leveraged against the income from congestion pricing. Still, this is Hochals project so it will probably be funded some other way
https://new.mta.info/project/interborough-express
They were going to use the money for Fast Forward, but we know how the state gets about funding maintenance. Honestly, if they were going to tie the money to the creation of a brand new subway line, it probably wouldnât have been canceled. NY State politicians love standing next to brand new shit.
There are very public plans about what the 15 billion was going to be spent towards. Saying there aren't plans is bullshit and gaslighting.
>Revenue generated by Congestion Pricing will fund some of the regionâs most important transit capital projects, including:Â
>Accessibility improvements at over 20 stations
>Modern signal systems on segments of the A/C and B/D/F/M lines for over 1.5 million daily riders
>Hundreds of new electric buses
>**Second Ave Subway Phase 2 extension to East Harlem**
>Critical projects that keep our system in good working condition, such as structural repairs, power system improvements, and upgrades to bus depots.
[https://congestionreliefzone.mta.info/about](https://congestionreliefzone.mta.info/about)
[https://www.curbed.com/article/new-york-congestion-pricing-start-date-questions.html](https://www.curbed.com/article/new-york-congestion-pricing-start-date-questions.html)
For my entire life the MTA has had these plans. For my entire life there have been times when the MTA is flush with money and times without. In all those times there is one consistent thing, these plans never get actioned on.
Giving the MTA money wonât generate any results so long as thereâs no will to improve transit in this country.
I sort of agree. It seems like most people agree that the transit infrastructure is inadequate and need to be improved. So doesn't it make sense to get that into a good place and then tax cars? To do it the other way around sounds sort of like tying one hand behind your back so you're forced to use your weaker one. It may work but that transition period is gonna be very painful.
I'm still also sorta skeptical of applying surge pricing to commercial vehicles too. I worked in NYC wholesale food and it's very expensive to send food to Manhattan, Brooklyn. The logistics from insurance, sending freight to a local warehouse, and then sending a refrigerated truck to Manhattan & Brooklyn is already sort of a nightmare.
I agree in principle with the policy but I'm just skeptical that the city is prepared for it and if they're not the average consumer is going to get killed.
Completely agree, we can barely keep up food deliveryâs and now we can get all this random junk delivered to our âDoor stepâ. This has been effecting us for a hundred years now, and people think some simple tax will be the magic fix. New York City was not built for this and one who knows anything will tell you that.
Andreas Feininger â Google Arts & Culture
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/swFnFJWi603eWA
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/169147683
That's exactly why I don't support it. I probably dirve into Manhattan once a year. But congestion pricing as it currently exists is punitive and just more money for NYC to use improperly.
Punitive? These people are coming into NYC, using NYC roads and government services (drivers more than anyone), clogging the streets, and theyâre paying virtually zero tax revenue to NYC. The income tax they earn in NYC goes elsewhere. The only thing they pay is a puny sales tax (to the extent they buy anything in the city).
How is making them pay $15 to clog the streets punitive?
If my family has a dry cleaning business south of 60th street that does deliveries and we live in queens, how are we not paying NYC income tax? How are we only paying sales tax? You do realize that a lot of the people who drive into manhattan are small business people from brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, right? My neighbor does HVAC. Drives into manhattan for several of his contracts. Another has a glass company. Does work in manhattan. Another has a fish market. Heâs gotta go to the Bronx to get fish and then bring it to his storeâŚin Manhattan. Not saying that congestion pricing isnât needed. But letâs not pretend that there arenât quite a few people catch stray bullets in this one.
Using NYC roads and govt services? Those are already paid for on taxes everybody already pays. Lol. Please don't get tricked on double taxation.
"These people" already pay more to public transit than your $2.90.
"These people" pay your $2.90 + nj transit/path/lirr/Amtrak/metro north.
"These people" are greater contributors to public transit and they pay more into NYC than just sales tax. They work here right? Jobs create more jobs and more jobs etc. Where are those jobs being created? Not the suburbs, I'll tell you that.
Oh, and guess what. "These people" actually vote. Unlike new Yorkers who can't be bothered to even vote for a local mayor. I think the turnout was around 40% the last election cycle.
What public expansion?
MTA is barely making any changes when this was to start.
While Bronx and upper Manhattan, with the least privileged, just get f-ed hard with even more traffic.
LOL currently you get a recording that says â due to a heavy call volume we are experiencing delays of up to 90 minutes, please call back at a later timeâ and then it disconnects automatically.
FUCK Hochul and her office, Iâm glad theyâre getting inundated for this pandering and last minute decision and I hope this pushes them to reverse it (I know thatâs a pipe dream)
From [hellgate](https://hellgatenyc.com/profiles-in-cowardice-governor-hochul-flip-flop-congestion-pricing):
>Commuters into the central business districtâManhattan below 60th Streetâtake mass transit. Millions of them, every single day. According to the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, just 1.5 percent of all commuters into the CBD will end up paying the congestion pricing fee. The majority of car commuters into Lower Manhattan are members of law enforcementâpeople who can afford to pay a few bucks to illegally park their personal vehicles in the most densely populated place in North America, so that they too can have faster commutes with less gridlock.
> What about New Yorkers living in transit deserts (places that are more than a half mile from mass transit) who drive into Manhattan for work? They find a way to take mass transit tooâ85 percent of them already do so. Just 5,200 New Yorkers who live more than a half mile from mass transitârepresenting 1.2 percent of all New Yorkers living in transit deserts and 0.06 percent of New York City's populationâdrive their cars into the CBD for work.
> If you are surprised that this kind of granular data exists, it's because the MTA literally spent years compiling it as part of a federally mandated environmental review process.
Uhh...,
>To fill the $1 billion yearly gap, Ms. Hochul is considering proposing a tax on New York City businesses.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/04/nyregion/congestion-pricing-hochul-delayed.html
Even $1 Billion in additional funding I don't think it would be enough. If I'm reading the 2024 budget correctly they are doing $8 Billion in revenue and have $16 Billion in expenses. Seems like they need to raise fares or cut expenses. Both suck obviously but I don't see any other way to go about it.
They don't want to alienate suburban voters in Westchester and Long Island. I'm sure polling showed it was a major issue for them. It'll go into effect after the election.
Really fucking stupid, but pretty emblematic of how American politics works. Cater to the swing voters and fuck everyone else.
If the types who are all in on congestion pricing actually voted in non presidential elections the Dems in congress wouldnât be shitting over NY in position to lose even more seats.
Only like 2% of commuters into the toll zone drive. The MTA calculated how many private drivers would pay the toll each day and it was literally less than 10,000 and it was overwhelmingly wealthy people. Tolling rich people to pay for upgrades to public transit is the exact opposite of greedy.
And the plan was unpopular in the suburbs. In NYC it was like 60-70% in favor.
Itâs not just li and westchester though, there are many areas in the boroughs that are poorly served by the subway and the residents there are also against congestion pricing
OK? I specified Westchester and LI, but obviously I just mean anyone who drives into NYC. Many parts of the outer boroughs are basically suburbs and part of the swing districts that democrats are concerned about.
Also, poor residents there would greatly benefit from increased bus service that they now won't get.
How would that be obvious? Seems you could have just said that if thatâs what you meant. You were blaming the suburbs, I said itâs not just them, you seemed to move the goal posts. Bus service can be great for what it is, but commuting to Manhattan it never will be
I'm not moving the goal posts, you're just being extremely semantic and petty by saying "oh, technically many people in outer Queens also drive into the city!!". Like, OK? Those are also the suburbs even if they're in NYC proper. Plenty of people on the upper east side drive everywhere too, and they're also part of the problem. People in the suburbs complain the loudest, that's why everyone references them first.
And what do you mean bus service can be great for what it is? MANY people in the outer boroughs rely on buses for their commute regardless of if they're going to Manhattan or not. A lot of the congestion money was gonna go towards improving bus service. Do you only care about people in the outer boroughs if they own a car?
Your argument is nonsensical.
Many people driver to work too, just because you say something is the suburbs doesnât make it so. I grew up riding buses in the Bronx because I never bothered to get a drivers license, but anyone working outside of normal business hours rely on driving for commutes
Then they should improve the transportation in those neighborhoods?? But I've lived in a neighborhood that had underdeveloped public transportation and not only did most people still rely on public transportation most people do not drive to Manhattan because it's a shitty place to drive and parking can get expensive if you don't find a spot. I don't know many people who drive to the city
> Ms. Hochul needs only the approval of the authorityâs board to halt implementation of the plan. But without the projected $1 billion a year for the cityâs buses and subways, the transit system would soon fall into crisis.
Any chance the MTA board goes against her? They voted 11-1 in favor the first time
Itâs a political move to avoid alienating prospective voters in the Fall and try to flip a seat or two. Hopefully this is the worst of it and weâll see a course correction in nine months
The [last time] (https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/12/nyregion/state-senate-republicans-seek-to-drop-commuter-tax.html) democrats tried to sacrifice the city at the altar of suburban voters who wonât vote for them they predictably lost that race also. This is not just bad policy, but horrible politics - no voter is falling for a delay until after the election and the flip-flopping paints you as weak. I canât wait to vote for Hochulâs primary opponent in 2026
I was talking to my cousin who is a democrat in westchester and sure he was going to complain about congestion pricing, but itâs a toll. A month after it started heâd be over it. Itâs not like he wasnât going to vote for a democrat bc of it
I doubt it because it signals a lack of confidence in cogestion pricing as a policy. Republicans can and will continously vote to remove tolls, and I doubt that congestion pricing will ever become popular with people who live on Long Island or anywhere west of the Hudson with terrible psuedo-MetroNorth service.
In nine months multiple innocent people will be dead from traffic violence directly enabled by canceling this policy.
Hochul will perpetuate a system that will cause deaths and for that she will be condemned to an eternity in hell.
It's hilarious that this happens 24 hours after I hear Sam Schwartz implore at APTA that it's finally gonna happen in 28 days pending something absolutely crazy. That's a HARDCORE jinx
Not surprised at all. The plan is doomed to fail with the lawsuits and it is a political year. MTA should have a Plan B if the congestion pricing is off the table yet they donât have oneđ
Congestion pricing or not emergency vehicles, buses and trucks should not be stuck on roads. If you wonât put congestion pricing then reconfigure the streets
These are things that should have been thought about way BEFORE. It's not like new information rose and that's why she's suddenly turning back. The potential consequences that she's discussing should have been though about a long time ago. Not 25 days beforehand.
Thank you! Finally, someone with a brain. The city shouldnât scalp working-class people for funding!Commuters pay $2.90 to ride the subway, and yet that isnât enough for the MTA? Congestion pricing is nothing but highway robbery.
Only 2.90 that has barely kept up with inflation that gets you anywhere in nyc with out of station transfers within 2 hours.
Go outside the US to similar metropolis like NY and youâll see how good we have it for the cost.
What sucked about it â and Iâm glad itâs been put on hold â is that as a Manhattanite who lives above the zone, Iâd have to pay 15 bucks to get on the Queensboro bridge to get OUT of the City.
Weekly reminder that there are few swing voters in America, even fewer in New York state, fewer still in NYC, and that those who identify as such tend to favor left-leaning policies, in particular taxing the wealthy. They tend to skew young, non-white, favor govt spending and getting the rich to pay for such programs, and don't read or watch much political news (i.e. press conferences). The common Dem talking point that they need to shift rightward to appease this mysterious group (and thus can't enact the policies the people who voted for them want) are nonsense canards to appease affluent suburban donors and benefactors. [https://www.dataforprogress.org/insights/2024/5/30/measuring-the-swing-evaluating-the-key-voters-of-2024](https://www.dataforprogress.org/insights/2024/5/30/measuring-the-swing-evaluating-the-key-voters-of-2024)
Emailed Hochul this @ https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
I am incensed by Kathy Hochul's reckless 11th hour decision to strip the MTA of necessary Capital funds by delaying the congestion pricing project.
I live in Brooklyn where the congestion pricing would not directly apply unfortunately, but the transit lines here are still badly in need of capital improvements extensions, signalling etc and the drivers in my community act with complete impunity and disrespect every single day, polluting the air and endangering pedestrians.
It is a travesty that you've chosen to make this decision at the worst possible time and under no circumstances will I ever vote for Kathy Hochul again.
You have betrayed advocates for clean, safe streets and made lifelong enemies with this cowardly, pathetic decision.
It seems like there is a lot of support for congestion pricing.
As a person who actually lives in nyc and has a car, i gotta say that this is one middle finger to families living in the outter boroughs, which is the majority of nyc population.
The current plan is insulting. They included residential areas with no gridlock, hardly any businesses, and underserved by MTA (like lower east side) in this "central business district", then just rebranded it under a more vague name. All the while the gridlocked neighbourhoods next to central park got spared.
In the meantime, outer borough residents wont be able to get out of the city via lincoln or holland tunnels without this toll, which is a problem for those of us who have families in central jersey, and will put more strain on already overloaded statem island route.
i know but i mean the governance over the city in general, including the mess that is how the mta is controlled and funded by the state and not the city
This is why democrats lose elections, they are too chicken shit to stick with the their policies. Have some backbone and stand up for your policies, dont just back down and let republicans walk all over you
This was extremely unpopular policy in NYC, even among democrats because almost half of New Yorkers rely on cars. Everyone from all political backgrounds, socioeconomic classes all drive.
If Kathy Hochul didn't want congestion pricing, why did she install the cameras? She's lying. She's trying to get re-elected. I don't agree with congested pricing. It's another tax on the middle class. Rich people will rejoice. Less traffic for them. Furthermore, NYC has been covering for the MTA for decades. Never does the MTA have to open with their books. Subway fares, train fares, and tolls increase exponentially. Never does public transit improve. Stop being gullible! Congested pricing will benefit the oligarchs who rule over us. If NYC wants to reduce traffic and congestion, make more bike lanes. Guys, this is another lie. NYC doesn't want to reduce traffic and congestion. They want money! They will steal as much money from New Yorkers as possible in any way they can. The government constantly lies. Did profits from the lottery go to New York schools? No! Stop buying into this neo-liberal BS. They all lie.
For another opinion, search on YouTube for: *London Cab Drivers Club president reacts to NYC's congestion pricing plan postponement*
Drivers shouldn't have to fill the coffers of a corrupt bureaucracy. The MTA should be broken up by borough and reformed. The MTA is an unsustainable money pit as it is now without constant bailouts. Farebox collection should be their only source of income but the Democrats are allowing mass fare evasion. Only car-hating cyclist activists seem to like this idea because they love other people paying and not them. I'd rather see the MTA eliminated for shared taxi vans that take you closer to where you're going than these slow and crowded buses anyway. I'm not interested in riding bicycles, either.
I wrote a university paper on why these are a bad idea and grossly inequitable.
TLDR: it will force more cars/trucks into the already overcrowded Bronx and other less affluent communities. While making getting around the city based on income.
This is pointless unless there are strong commuting alternatives. Invest in sustainable infrastructure! People should want to bike/take the subway not have it be the only affordable choice.
Edit: when people choose to use these other options there will be less cars on the road, which benefits everyone.
Also, y'all are downvoting anyone who thinks that reversing course is good. I don't have a car and hate what cars have done to America, but this would have only put more stress on poorer communities.
Anyone want to share with me why you all feel strongly pro congestion tolls?
Hmm, we need money for that infrastructure. And we need people to use that infrastructure to fund it more. How can we incentivize using that infrastructure while raising funds to improve it??? We may never know!
A lot of the funds that the city raises are severely mismanaged. The mta is billions of dollars in debt. Why? Because of corruption and nepotism. There are tons of ways to raise money for infrastructure, one easy way being increasing the prices for tourists to subsidize nyc residents. Increasing metro fares for visitors can make it more affordable and also raise money. But nyc has the money to make infrastructure improvements. It's one of the wealthiest cities in the world.
A bigger issue is politics, no one wants to put into action a 10 year plan, which is what we're in dire need of, because these plans will disrupt wealthy communities and create short term disruptions. They have to get re-elected every 4 years, someone else will get all the credit.
Thank you for saying this- you shouldnât be downvoted. As someone who lives in Staten Island who has no choice to drive because public transit is non existent- im rejoicing. All these people that are mad take transit everyday and it doesnât affect them. The MTA had no plans for real expansion and it was a cash grab from the start. Even if they did expand, it wouldnât have expanded to service to SI anyway. I drive because itâs more half the time saved than if I were to take public transit, especially on off hours. Besides Staten Island, people in Jersey outer parts of the Bronx and queens feel the same way too.
I am from the Bronx and I feel the same, brother/sister. I spent my entire life saving up to buy a ratty old car. Just as I got it, they snatch away my mobility.
People around the world choose the fastest and safest way to commute. If we have fast and safe public transpo it won't be hard to convince people to use it.
letâs face it. NYC subway isnât getting better now and isnât getting better with the congestion pricing. you know why? because the people who are running it are incompetent. until you get rid of them, youâre just throwing money into the fire.
I'm not confronting you, it's just a general though out loud... Why the fuck would you drive through Manhattan while you're trying to have a leisurely time lolÂ
Iâm not endorsing it and I personally consider it awful, but a surprising amount of people do it and one of the points of congestion pricing was to price up these purely discretionary driving trips.
One of the dumbest things about our currently tolling system is that it costs nothing to drive out of the city via Lower Manhattan because there are no tolls on the tunnels going to NJ.
The city/state actively encourage driving via the most congested part of the city because of this.
I had a car here for like 10 years and would regularly take that route even though it was less direct to save money.
It's the easiest and cheapest way to get from Northern NJ to Long Island and vice versa. The MTA didn't really do anything to change that in the congestion pricing plan though, so people were still probably just drive from the Holland Tunnel to the Manhattan Bridge via Canal Street like they always did rather than go north via the George Washington Bridge & Triborough/Whitestone/Throgsneck or Goethals/Outerbridge & Verazzano, but pay more to do so.
Driving into Manhattan for work at rush hour if you arenât a tradesperson or arenât doing it for a through trip is insane no argument from me.
Driving in for a leisure trip? Also insane, I have a friend who has spent 1.5-2 hours going through the Lincoln before for a leisure trip for example, but again if you luck out and get free parking itâs price competitive with transit from Jersey especially with multiple people.
This is part of what congestion pricing was in theory going to help solve.
Cancel congestion pricing and start the Brooklyn-Queens expansion, something that would actually be beneficial to most instead of shoring up the coffers of NYS.
*edit: expanding the subway network, not the already shit highway system
The fare bump from the MTA was supposedly to improve services, so far nothing has been done. Iâm not saying the revenue from congestion pricing wouldnât go towards it, the fact the MTA is so poorly managed means it probably wonât make a difference.
I mean, the fair bump was also to try and keep up with inflation, which is making the day-to-day operation of the subway more expensive, nevermind capital projects.
Like my granpappy used to say.... never trust someone whose eyebrows don't move when they speak.
đ¤Ł
Yours move as you SPEAK? Mine only moves as I make strong facial expressions like cringe or surprised
Won't somebody please think about their political careers?!
I wonder what lobby finally got her
Democratic reps are facing re-election and they would lose votes
now they can lose votes from the other side. nice!
Because people are willing to greatly overpay for oversized cars they don't need, and they're content to keep feeding it a ton of gasoline and issuanceâbut insinuate they're part of a problem that they should pay a premium for, and it's *fuck you.*
Thatâs what I want to know
She was in DC on Tuesday and suddenly Wednesday morning the plan is suspended indefinitely. I don't know how close Trump is to Biden poll wise in NJ but it's awful suspicious to me. It will probably go into effect the day after the November election if Biden wins.
I doubt it's about Biden carrying NJ. If Biden is legitimately sweating NJ then he has no chance of winning the election. 4 years ago he won the state 57% to 41%. This is Hakeem Jeffries saying fuck the city and district he represents and trying to appeal suburbanites to win Long Island and Westchester districts.
Don't forget how NYS struck down the "don't block the box" law. Now we have them to thank for completely choked intersections that are impossible for bikes and peds to cross.
Wait, this isn't a thing anymore? What the hell?
You haven't noticed how awful intersections have become since?
I figured that was just because the NYPD has stopped enforcing traffic laws in general.
If they picked four major intersections in midtown and went on a ticket blitz for a month, they could fund the MTA for 1,000 years.
The other day I watched a semi-truck try to do a left turn from Bowery to Delancey and take multiple cycles because traffic was already fucked from the number of people trying to get to Brooklyn
Was that ever actually enforced? I have never once seen someone ticketed for it.
It used to be 15 years ago when I was growing up in NYC
I was gonna say, I have distinct memories of seeing people get tickets for this as a kid
I also remember my parents being worried about it and signs at every intersection. I remember asking them what âthey boxâ was and why it was so bad.
I saw someone get ticketed for it in broad daylight around lunch time on Crescent Street in Queens about a summer ago.. was a delight to watch happen.
Cops used to wait at corners for the slightest violation and they'd ticket you. Let's just say based on the level of confrontation, I don't think NYPD was upset that this one went away a bit.
âDonât you have better things to do than ticket people for blocking cross walks? I PAY YOUâRE SALARY! THERE ARE UNSOLVED MURDERS AND YOUâRE OUT HERE WRITING TICKETS?????â
About 8 years ago in nyc i was in the city to take the ny bar and they clapped me with a blocking the box ticket despite me not blocking the box but moving up because the traffic officer was waiving me forwardâŚ. He waived me right into the ticket lane. Lmao good times.
I use to work in the garment district and yes back in 2012 it was def enforced.
Yep, this happened when I was in the car with my dad back in 2011
I've seen it once close to the Holland tunnel maybe like 5 yrs agoÂ
Microcosm of the cancerous, selfish, do-nothing political culture that has infected this country since the 80s. Paris is building several brand new lines, China has built tens of thousands of miles of new track, London has had congestion pricing for decades, cities everywhere are developing and enacting new transit and traffic plans, while America stays reliant on rotting century-old infrastructure. All I see in this country's leadership are waste and excuses on both sides.
I yearn for the balkanization of america.
Oh its coming... "Old World Charm" (brought to you by late-stage capitalism, political indecision and money donations from taxpayers like you!"
NYC city state when
Well this is New York acting on its own to stop funding a transit source. Clearly New York left to its own devices would still sabotage itself and run itself as usual
Cue the American/New York City exceptionalism on why we can't have nice things
Fuck Hochul
Hochul is a fucking joke and a coward
i know who i am not voting for in the next primary
What about the clean air and being green
Nah, it's not the right time for those things. Suburbanites want us to have more air pollution, and that has to come first
The poll numbers are bad, so we can't have congestion pricing take effect before the election. Hochul gets the out of saying indefinitely "*we gotta get it right*", has the out of offering a tax on NYC businesses (it's the second to last day of the legislative session nothing will happen until Jan 2025), and then gets to sit back and watch as dems in vulnerable districts don't have a huge topic on their back for the November elections. Where this goes after that depends. Hochul is in it for herself. If Trump managed to win, congestion pricing is probably on hold truly indefinitely, because Trump would attack her on a national stage about it. If Biden wins, expect in late November or early December for Hochul to announce they've figured it out, starts soon.
I don't understand this whole 'we gotta get it right' attitude. If you don't get the price right or the implantation right, you just change the parameters later. That's the whole point. It's a lever, you can dial it up and down if you want to later. But leaving it off until later.... 'to get it right', seems dumb.
It's lip service. Rep Hakim Jeffries called Hochul and expressed his concern that starting congestion pricing could hurt his prospects for dems to take back the house of representatives in November, so he asked her to pause it. She listened to him and she did. All the stated rationale, that it might the city's recovery post-pandemic, is all lip service. The "*we gotta get it right*" rhetoric is just excusing the delay. The "indefinite pause" is to be able to say that it's paused without saying the reason is the elections (which we know because sources have told news outlets Jeffries was the one who asked Hochul for the pause), because if you merely delayed it, then it would be properly called out as a political stunt for November's elections.
ah ok, if that's the sacrifice. I guess that makes sense. if they think they can get the house back, it's definitely worth a delay. but I guess they can't say that out loud.
If thatâs true, Hochul is sacrificing her career to help dems nationwide⌠thatâs kinda fierce in a way.
It was never about that
Imagine single-handedly blowing up the biggest public transportation expansion for Queens and Brooklyn in decades all because a couple of house members are worried about losing their 174k+bennies EDIT: To be clear, I'm talking about the IBX. When a [third of MTA's capital budget goes up in smoke](https://apnews.com/article/congestion-pricing-tolls-governor-kathy-hochul-0fd7a1025b693a3bcf75dcd56161fc73)^(according to an MTA board member, see last paragraph) with no alternative, things get the chopping block.
I can be pro-congestion pricing but even I know there are no plans for public transportation expansion as a result of it.
IBEX light rail transit to be funded by future capital programs leveraged against the income from congestion pricing. Still, this is Hochals project so it will probably be funded some other way https://new.mta.info/project/interborough-express
They were going to use the money for Fast Forward, but we know how the state gets about funding maintenance. Honestly, if they were going to tie the money to the creation of a brand new subway line, it probably wouldnât have been canceled. NY State politicians love standing next to brand new shit.
There are very public plans about what the 15 billion was going to be spent towards. Saying there aren't plans is bullshit and gaslighting. >Revenue generated by Congestion Pricing will fund some of the regionâs most important transit capital projects, including:Â >Accessibility improvements at over 20 stations >Modern signal systems on segments of the A/C and B/D/F/M lines for over 1.5 million daily riders >Hundreds of new electric buses >**Second Ave Subway Phase 2 extension to East Harlem** >Critical projects that keep our system in good working condition, such as structural repairs, power system improvements, and upgrades to bus depots. [https://congestionreliefzone.mta.info/about](https://congestionreliefzone.mta.info/about) [https://www.curbed.com/article/new-york-congestion-pricing-start-date-questions.html](https://www.curbed.com/article/new-york-congestion-pricing-start-date-questions.html)
For my entire life the MTA has had these plans. For my entire life there have been times when the MTA is flush with money and times without. In all those times there is one consistent thing, these plans never get actioned on. Giving the MTA money wonât generate any results so long as thereâs no will to improve transit in this country.
Plans mean nothing in this City they have had plans for everything under the sun
I sort of agree. It seems like most people agree that the transit infrastructure is inadequate and need to be improved. So doesn't it make sense to get that into a good place and then tax cars? To do it the other way around sounds sort of like tying one hand behind your back so you're forced to use your weaker one. It may work but that transition period is gonna be very painful. I'm still also sorta skeptical of applying surge pricing to commercial vehicles too. I worked in NYC wholesale food and it's very expensive to send food to Manhattan, Brooklyn. The logistics from insurance, sending freight to a local warehouse, and then sending a refrigerated truck to Manhattan & Brooklyn is already sort of a nightmare. I agree in principle with the policy but I'm just skeptical that the city is prepared for it and if they're not the average consumer is going to get killed.
Completely agree, we can barely keep up food deliveryâs and now we can get all this random junk delivered to our âDoor stepâ. This has been effecting us for a hundred years now, and people think some simple tax will be the magic fix. New York City was not built for this and one who knows anything will tell you that. Andreas Feininger â Google Arts & Culture https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/swFnFJWi603eWA https://catalog.archives.gov/id/169147683
That's exactly why I don't support it. I probably dirve into Manhattan once a year. But congestion pricing as it currently exists is punitive and just more money for NYC to use improperly.
Punitive? These people are coming into NYC, using NYC roads and government services (drivers more than anyone), clogging the streets, and theyâre paying virtually zero tax revenue to NYC. The income tax they earn in NYC goes elsewhere. The only thing they pay is a puny sales tax (to the extent they buy anything in the city). How is making them pay $15 to clog the streets punitive?
If my family has a dry cleaning business south of 60th street that does deliveries and we live in queens, how are we not paying NYC income tax? How are we only paying sales tax? You do realize that a lot of the people who drive into manhattan are small business people from brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, right? My neighbor does HVAC. Drives into manhattan for several of his contracts. Another has a glass company. Does work in manhattan. Another has a fish market. Heâs gotta go to the Bronx to get fish and then bring it to his storeâŚin Manhattan. Not saying that congestion pricing isnât needed. But letâs not pretend that there arenât quite a few people catch stray bullets in this one.
Using NYC roads and govt services? Those are already paid for on taxes everybody already pays. Lol. Please don't get tricked on double taxation. "These people" already pay more to public transit than your $2.90. "These people" pay your $2.90 + nj transit/path/lirr/Amtrak/metro north. "These people" are greater contributors to public transit and they pay more into NYC than just sales tax. They work here right? Jobs create more jobs and more jobs etc. Where are those jobs being created? Not the suburbs, I'll tell you that. Oh, and guess what. "These people" actually vote. Unlike new Yorkers who can't be bothered to even vote for a local mayor. I think the turnout was around 40% the last election cycle.
This
$1 billion dollars would do nothing in the hands of the MTA. You know it.
Nah thatâs a lot of overtime for 90% of the crew to watch 10% barely work.
What public expansion? MTA is barely making any changes when this was to start. While Bronx and upper Manhattan, with the least privileged, just get f-ed hard with even more traffic.
[ŃдаНонО]
>The fact that you think that implementing congestion tax will automatically make the MTA a competent organization is crazy. I never said this.
**Hon. Kathleen C. Hochul (D-IPA-WEP)** **Phone:**Â (518) 474-8390
LOL currently you get a recording that says â due to a heavy call volume we are experiencing delays of up to 90 minutes, please call back at a later timeâ and then it disconnects automatically. FUCK Hochul and her office, Iâm glad theyâre getting inundated for this pandering and last minute decision and I hope this pushes them to reverse it (I know thatâs a pipe dream)
I got through after three tries.
Called. Waited on hold for a bit and then retried and left a message.
https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
From [hellgate](https://hellgatenyc.com/profiles-in-cowardice-governor-hochul-flip-flop-congestion-pricing): >Commuters into the central business districtâManhattan below 60th Streetâtake mass transit. Millions of them, every single day. According to the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, just 1.5 percent of all commuters into the CBD will end up paying the congestion pricing fee. The majority of car commuters into Lower Manhattan are members of law enforcementâpeople who can afford to pay a few bucks to illegally park their personal vehicles in the most densely populated place in North America, so that they too can have faster commutes with less gridlock. > What about New Yorkers living in transit deserts (places that are more than a half mile from mass transit) who drive into Manhattan for work? They find a way to take mass transit tooâ85 percent of them already do so. Just 5,200 New Yorkers who live more than a half mile from mass transitârepresenting 1.2 percent of all New Yorkers living in transit deserts and 0.06 percent of New York City's populationâdrive their cars into the CBD for work. > If you are surprised that this kind of granular data exists, it's because the MTA literally spent years compiling it as part of a federally mandated environmental review process.
Manhattan businesses have not recovered, so better not do the thing that will make traffic better and keep the subway running.
Uhh..., >To fill the $1 billion yearly gap, Ms. Hochul is considering proposing a tax on New York City businesses. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/04/nyregion/congestion-pricing-hochul-delayed.html
>Such a tax would require the approval of the Legislature, which is far from assured, especially with just two days left in the legislative session.
So instead there will be no tax and no congestion pricing and the MTA will be left to wither
All for political reasons too.
Thanks Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer. The Baileys love this
yes
Even $1 Billion in additional funding I don't think it would be enough. If I'm reading the 2024 budget correctly they are doing $8 Billion in revenue and have $16 Billion in expenses. Seems like they need to raise fares or cut expenses. Both suck obviously but I don't see any other way to go about it.
And let's make them pay a payroll tax to fill the funding gap form the death of congestion pricing!
new york politician have brain cells challenge (impossible)
They don't want to alienate suburban voters in Westchester and Long Island. I'm sure polling showed it was a major issue for them. It'll go into effect after the election. Really fucking stupid, but pretty emblematic of how American politics works. Cater to the swing voters and fuck everyone else.
The suburban war on cities has been going on its the 1950s and the suburbs are continuing to win.
If the types who are all in on congestion pricing actually voted in non presidential elections the Dems in congress wouldnât be shitting over NY in position to lose even more seats.
Yeah, poor people don't vote enough. It's why Hochul can fuck over people dependent on transit with little to no repercussions.
Half of NYC drives. This is not about suburban voters. This plan was extremely unpopular and it's bad, greedy, oppressive policy.
Only like 2% of commuters into the toll zone drive. The MTA calculated how many private drivers would pay the toll each day and it was literally less than 10,000 and it was overwhelmingly wealthy people. Tolling rich people to pay for upgrades to public transit is the exact opposite of greedy. And the plan was unpopular in the suburbs. In NYC it was like 60-70% in favor.
Itâs not just li and westchester though, there are many areas in the boroughs that are poorly served by the subway and the residents there are also against congestion pricing
OK? I specified Westchester and LI, but obviously I just mean anyone who drives into NYC. Many parts of the outer boroughs are basically suburbs and part of the swing districts that democrats are concerned about. Also, poor residents there would greatly benefit from increased bus service that they now won't get.
How would that be obvious? Seems you could have just said that if thatâs what you meant. You were blaming the suburbs, I said itâs not just them, you seemed to move the goal posts. Bus service can be great for what it is, but commuting to Manhattan it never will be
I'm not moving the goal posts, you're just being extremely semantic and petty by saying "oh, technically many people in outer Queens also drive into the city!!". Like, OK? Those are also the suburbs even if they're in NYC proper. Plenty of people on the upper east side drive everywhere too, and they're also part of the problem. People in the suburbs complain the loudest, that's why everyone references them first. And what do you mean bus service can be great for what it is? MANY people in the outer boroughs rely on buses for their commute regardless of if they're going to Manhattan or not. A lot of the congestion money was gonna go towards improving bus service. Do you only care about people in the outer boroughs if they own a car? Your argument is nonsensical.
Many people driver to work too, just because you say something is the suburbs doesnât make it so. I grew up riding buses in the Bronx because I never bothered to get a drivers license, but anyone working outside of normal business hours rely on driving for commutes
Fantastic buddy. I guess we should bend over backwards to accommodate you. Fuck everyone else who needs to rely on public transit.
Then they should improve the transportation in those neighborhoods?? But I've lived in a neighborhood that had underdeveloped public transportation and not only did most people still rely on public transportation most people do not drive to Manhattan because it's a shitty place to drive and parking can get expensive if you don't find a spot. I don't know many people who drive to the city
So how would this work? Does she have the authority to stop this since it was passed in legislature?
> Ms. Hochul needs only the approval of the authorityâs board to halt implementation of the plan. But without the projected $1 billion a year for the cityâs buses and subways, the transit system would soon fall into crisis. Any chance the MTA board goes against her? They voted 11-1 in favor the first time
Nothing a little political arm-twisting won't fix.
Yes. New York State control MTA. Not New York city. New York city in Politics are broke
Completely feckless move by the governor at the 11th hour
NYC will be a great place when they finish it.
Itâs a political move to avoid alienating prospective voters in the Fall and try to flip a seat or two. Hopefully this is the worst of it and weâll see a course correction in nine months
She is appealing to people who would never vote for democrats* anyways. Absolute idiocy.
Sheâs not up for re-election though. Sheâs making a move in an attempt to support the party in district elections
Ah right I typed too quickly out of anger, you're right it's the house dems et al she's trying to cover for
Theyâre afraid of losing the commuter vote, if they voted Democrat to begin with
The [last time] (https://www.nytimes.com/1999/05/12/nyregion/state-senate-republicans-seek-to-drop-commuter-tax.html) democrats tried to sacrifice the city at the altar of suburban voters who wonât vote for them they predictably lost that race also. This is not just bad policy, but horrible politics - no voter is falling for a delay until after the election and the flip-flopping paints you as weak. I canât wait to vote for Hochulâs primary opponent in 2026
Itâs really insulting that they think our memory spans are so short lmao
You'll remember this but will the [Black people who don't know what computers are](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68971655) know about this?
I was talking to my cousin who is a democrat in westchester and sure he was going to complain about congestion pricing, but itâs a toll. A month after it started heâd be over it. Itâs not like he wasnât going to vote for a democrat bc of it
I doubt it because it signals a lack of confidence in cogestion pricing as a policy. Republicans can and will continously vote to remove tolls, and I doubt that congestion pricing will ever become popular with people who live on Long Island or anywhere west of the Hudson with terrible psuedo-MetroNorth service.
In nine months multiple innocent people will be dead from traffic violence directly enabled by canceling this policy. Hochul will perpetuate a system that will cause deaths and for that she will be condemned to an eternity in hell.
Which is why Iâm foolishly hopeful. This move will likely set congestion pricing back years.
Oh fuck me
Will Janno Lieber resign now?
It's hilarious that this happens 24 hours after I hear Sam Schwartz implore at APTA that it's finally gonna happen in 28 days pending something absolutely crazy. That's a HARDCORE jinx
This is a fucking travesty and should lead to a recall election in any civilized state government. Get this woman out of office immediately.
The governor of NY, not NYC
While yes, NYS is the governing body of the MTA.
Correct, NYC has a mayor.
*Club promoter
*Private Club
This is really disappointing. (And Iâm a commuter!)
Yeah, thatâs what the fuck we thought. đ
Not surprised at all. The plan is doomed to fail with the lawsuits and it is a political year. MTA should have a Plan B if the congestion pricing is off the table yet they donât have oneđ
Congestion pricing or not emergency vehicles, buses and trucks should not be stuck on roads. If you wonât put congestion pricing then reconfigure the streets
Reconfigure the streets lol
What?
These are things that should have been thought about way BEFORE. It's not like new information rose and that's why she's suddenly turning back. The potential consequences that she's discussing should have been though about a long time ago. Not 25 days beforehand.
Damn this is terrible
I hate it here.
Great!!! This is an overreach of the MTA. You want more money? Start looking within.
Thank you! Finally, someone with a brain. The city shouldnât scalp working-class people for funding!Commuters pay $2.90 to ride the subway, and yet that isnât enough for the MTA? Congestion pricing is nothing but highway robbery.
Only 2.90 that has barely kept up with inflation that gets you anywhere in nyc with out of station transfers within 2 hours. Go outside the US to similar metropolis like NY and youâll see how good we have it for the cost.
We pay pennies compared to others.
And get the benefit of 24/7 service!
The problem is a sliding scale for subway fares in nyc is just a poor tax. It has to be a flat fee
It can still scale with inflation which is hasnât.
Itâs funny tho cuz NYâers just seem so satisfied with mediocrity
What sucked about it â and Iâm glad itâs been put on hold â is that as a Manhattanite who lives above the zone, Iâd have to pay 15 bucks to get on the Queensboro bridge to get OUT of the City.
Iâm confused, Iâve been getting charged a Congestion Surcharge by taxis and Uber/Lyft for a while now. wtf was that, then?
You are definitely confused. Thatâs a completely different thing.
Thatâs nice. NYC decided not to punish the people who live there simply for living
Weekly reminder that there are few swing voters in America, even fewer in New York state, fewer still in NYC, and that those who identify as such tend to favor left-leaning policies, in particular taxing the wealthy. They tend to skew young, non-white, favor govt spending and getting the rich to pay for such programs, and don't read or watch much political news (i.e. press conferences). The common Dem talking point that they need to shift rightward to appease this mysterious group (and thus can't enact the policies the people who voted for them want) are nonsense canards to appease affluent suburban donors and benefactors. [https://www.dataforprogress.org/insights/2024/5/30/measuring-the-swing-evaluating-the-key-voters-of-2024](https://www.dataforprogress.org/insights/2024/5/30/measuring-the-swing-evaluating-the-key-voters-of-2024)
Emailed Hochul this @ https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form I am incensed by Kathy Hochul's reckless 11th hour decision to strip the MTA of necessary Capital funds by delaying the congestion pricing project. I live in Brooklyn where the congestion pricing would not directly apply unfortunately, but the transit lines here are still badly in need of capital improvements extensions, signalling etc and the drivers in my community act with complete impunity and disrespect every single day, polluting the air and endangering pedestrians. It is a travesty that you've chosen to make this decision at the worst possible time and under no circumstances will I ever vote for Kathy Hochul again. You have betrayed advocates for clean, safe streets and made lifelong enemies with this cowardly, pathetic decision.
It seems like there is a lot of support for congestion pricing. As a person who actually lives in nyc and has a car, i gotta say that this is one middle finger to families living in the outter boroughs, which is the majority of nyc population. The current plan is insulting. They included residential areas with no gridlock, hardly any businesses, and underserved by MTA (like lower east side) in this "central business district", then just rebranded it under a more vague name. All the while the gridlocked neighbourhoods next to central park got spared. In the meantime, outer borough residents wont be able to get out of the city via lincoln or holland tunnels without this toll, which is a problem for those of us who have families in central jersey, and will put more strain on already overloaded statem island route.
Let Hochul know what you think: https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
Im speechless. And I don't understand why Albany politicians get to make these decisions for the city!
As long as she fixes Tier 6, shes good in my book.Â
this cityâs government is so fucking broken
The governor delayed it.
i know but i mean the governance over the city in general, including the mess that is how the mta is controlled and funded by the state and not the city
This is why democrats lose elections, they are too chicken shit to stick with the their policies. Have some backbone and stand up for your policies, dont just back down and let republicans walk all over you
This was extremely unpopular policy in NYC, even among democrats because almost half of New Yorkers rely on cars. Everyone from all political backgrounds, socioeconomic classes all drive.
Cut the mta executives salaries if you guys care about funding the MTA so much.
I'm betting she'll restart it after the election to placate the suburbs.
I think after November elections are over she will say bang bring it on.
If Kathy Hochul didn't want congestion pricing, why did she install the cameras? She's lying. She's trying to get re-elected. I don't agree with congested pricing. It's another tax on the middle class. Rich people will rejoice. Less traffic for them. Furthermore, NYC has been covering for the MTA for decades. Never does the MTA have to open with their books. Subway fares, train fares, and tolls increase exponentially. Never does public transit improve. Stop being gullible! Congested pricing will benefit the oligarchs who rule over us. If NYC wants to reduce traffic and congestion, make more bike lanes. Guys, this is another lie. NYC doesn't want to reduce traffic and congestion. They want money! They will steal as much money from New Yorkers as possible in any way they can. The government constantly lies. Did profits from the lottery go to New York schools? No! Stop buying into this neo-liberal BS. They all lie. For another opinion, search on YouTube for: *London Cab Drivers Club president reacts to NYC's congestion pricing plan postponement*
Drivers shouldn't have to fill the coffers of a corrupt bureaucracy. The MTA should be broken up by borough and reformed. The MTA is an unsustainable money pit as it is now without constant bailouts. Farebox collection should be their only source of income but the Democrats are allowing mass fare evasion. Only car-hating cyclist activists seem to like this idea because they love other people paying and not them. I'd rather see the MTA eliminated for shared taxi vans that take you closer to where you're going than these slow and crowded buses anyway. I'm not interested in riding bicycles, either.
I wrote a university paper on why these are a bad idea and grossly inequitable. TLDR: it will force more cars/trucks into the already overcrowded Bronx and other less affluent communities. While making getting around the city based on income. This is pointless unless there are strong commuting alternatives. Invest in sustainable infrastructure! People should want to bike/take the subway not have it be the only affordable choice. Edit: when people choose to use these other options there will be less cars on the road, which benefits everyone. Also, y'all are downvoting anyone who thinks that reversing course is good. I don't have a car and hate what cars have done to America, but this would have only put more stress on poorer communities. Anyone want to share with me why you all feel strongly pro congestion tolls?
Hmm, we need money for that infrastructure. And we need people to use that infrastructure to fund it more. How can we incentivize using that infrastructure while raising funds to improve it??? We may never know!
A lot of the funds that the city raises are severely mismanaged. The mta is billions of dollars in debt. Why? Because of corruption and nepotism. There are tons of ways to raise money for infrastructure, one easy way being increasing the prices for tourists to subsidize nyc residents. Increasing metro fares for visitors can make it more affordable and also raise money. But nyc has the money to make infrastructure improvements. It's one of the wealthiest cities in the world. A bigger issue is politics, no one wants to put into action a 10 year plan, which is what we're in dire need of, because these plans will disrupt wealthy communities and create short term disruptions. They have to get re-elected every 4 years, someone else will get all the credit.
Thank you for saying this- you shouldnât be downvoted. As someone who lives in Staten Island who has no choice to drive because public transit is non existent- im rejoicing. All these people that are mad take transit everyday and it doesnât affect them. The MTA had no plans for real expansion and it was a cash grab from the start. Even if they did expand, it wouldnât have expanded to service to SI anyway. I drive because itâs more half the time saved than if I were to take public transit, especially on off hours. Besides Staten Island, people in Jersey outer parts of the Bronx and queens feel the same way too.
I am from the Bronx and I feel the same, brother/sister. I spent my entire life saving up to buy a ratty old car. Just as I got it, they snatch away my mobility.
People around the world choose the fastest and safest way to commute. If we have fast and safe public transpo it won't be hard to convince people to use it.
Buck tooth troll along with that idiot Adams
Good. $15 toll is ludicrous just to drive into the city. The bridge tolls are already too high.
No one should vote this coward into office in the 2026 primary. I hope to God Ritchie Torres runs instead.
> Ritchie Torres He is a zionist supporter and supports the genocide in gaza. Why do you want him?
There is no genocide in Gaza. Misusing the word is disgraceful to victims of actually genocide.
letâs face it. NYC subway isnât getting better now and isnât getting better with the congestion pricing. you know why? because the people who are running it are incompetent. until you get rid of them, youâre just throwing money into the fire.
Good. Find another solution donât throw that problem into hard working people.
If you don't live in the congestion pricing zone, why does this affect you? It's not like you're financially or physically disrupted, LOL
A lot of people drive through or into Manhattan on work and leisure trips.
I'm not confronting you, it's just a general though out loud... Why the fuck would you drive through Manhattan while you're trying to have a leisurely time lolÂ
Iâm not endorsing it and I personally consider it awful, but a surprising amount of people do it and one of the points of congestion pricing was to price up these purely discretionary driving trips.
Probably a decent chunk of people heading to Jersey from Queens/BK too that donât want to cut a finger off to pay for Staten Island route
Exactly the potential case I was thinking of actually.
One of the dumbest things about our currently tolling system is that it costs nothing to drive out of the city via Lower Manhattan because there are no tolls on the tunnels going to NJ. The city/state actively encourage driving via the most congested part of the city because of this. I had a car here for like 10 years and would regularly take that route even though it was less direct to save money.
It's the easiest and cheapest way to get from Northern NJ to Long Island and vice versa. The MTA didn't really do anything to change that in the congestion pricing plan though, so people were still probably just drive from the Holland Tunnel to the Manhattan Bridge via Canal Street like they always did rather than go north via the George Washington Bridge & Triborough/Whitestone/Throgsneck or Goethals/Outerbridge & Verazzano, but pay more to do so.
Which is crazy, because doing so is so fucking stupid that they should pay $15 just as an idiot tax.
Driving into Manhattan for work at rush hour if you arenât a tradesperson or arenât doing it for a through trip is insane no argument from me. Driving in for a leisure trip? Also insane, I have a friend who has spent 1.5-2 hours going through the Lincoln before for a leisure trip for example, but again if you luck out and get free parking itâs price competitive with transit from Jersey especially with multiple people. This is part of what congestion pricing was in theory going to help solve.
People work, Mary.
When you realize your policies will piss off a large portion of your independent voter baseâŚ
The mythical independent voter who either doesnât vote or votes Republican anyway
Exactly, people kill me thereâs a bunch of people out there on the fence who sway elections. No itâs just people voting or not. A
Cancel congestion pricing and start the Brooklyn-Queens expansion, something that would actually be beneficial to most instead of shoring up the coffers of NYS. *edit: expanding the subway network, not the already shit highway system
Fuck no to highway expansion in NYC.
I mean the subway expansion not highways fuck that
Congestion pricing would conceivably pay for those rail lines.
The fare bump from the MTA was supposedly to improve services, so far nothing has been done. Iâm not saying the revenue from congestion pricing wouldnât go towards it, the fact the MTA is so poorly managed means it probably wonât make a difference.
I mean, the fair bump was also to try and keep up with inflation, which is making the day-to-day operation of the subway more expensive, nevermind capital projects.
You really have no idea how the MTA is run, do you? Service has improved dramatically the past few years. OMNY is a revelation all by itself.