Hochul's Failure of Leadership, and Work to Do
The last-minute "indefinite delay" of congestion pricing explained—and actions to take today, tomorrow, and this weekend.
We are stuck in gridlock, and it is deeply demoralizing.
Governor Hochul announced yesterday that she’s kicking the can on congestion pricing, just weeks before it was set to start—and five years after the legislature passed it. This is bad news for New York’s future.
Why did she do it? The governor says the delay—which it appears will get a vote from the MTA Board—is due to potential adverse economic impacts. However, the move is widely interpreted as being a response to political pressure from the suburbs and fears from Democratic leaders that it could be a losing issue in swing US House districts.
Let’s be clear: Republicans like Donald Trump celebrating this announcement doesn’t mean Democrats are going to earn more votes in November. More than that: if this delay actually occurs, there’s no guarantee congestion pricing ever will.
Why does it matter? The pulled plug is devastating for 3.2 million New Yorkers who take subways every day, with $15 billion for improvements set to come from the program. The governor is now pursuing alternative funding for the MTA, focused on raising payroll taxes—hardly a way to avoid economic hardship.
But it’s not just about funding for subway capital improvements. Stalling congestion pricing is bad for the 1.4 million daily riders on the slowest buses in the country crawling down ultra-clogged streets. It’s bad for anyone who needs a firetruck or ambulance, both slowed by traffic. And it’s bad for everyone stuck behind the wheel who could be enjoying faster, time-and-money saving trips on clearer roadways.
Nor is it just about transit. Delaying congestion pricing harms everyone breathing exhaust-filled air and navigating dangerous streets. And it undermines New York’s status as a climate leader taking serious action to reduce our state’s emissions.
The fallout. We’re not the only ones who are unhappy. Hochul’s move has drawn ire from editorial boards from the Times to the Daily News to Long Island’s own Newsday. Transit, public space, and climate activists are livid, as are representatives of low-income and non-white New Yorkers—but so are business leaders and fiscal responsibility and good government watchdogs.
No matter how you feel about the streetscape and transit, this simply isn’t how a state of 20 million people should be governed. (And if Hochul’s calculus is about politics, 11th-hour waffling can’t be great for instilling confidence in her.)
What can you do about it? It appears the governor will be asking the legislature to pass an alternative tax. That means there are many ways to fight back:
Call your state senator and assembly member. Tell them you want congestion pricing to start as scheduled—and don’t want alternative taxes. (You can see comments your reps have made here.)
Call the governor at 518-474-8390 and tell her to scrap this misguided delay. If you have extra time, call Speaker Carl Heastie (518-455-3791 or 718-654-6539) and Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (518-455-2585 or 212-298-5585).
Join a Riders Alliance lobby day in Albany tomorrow or rally in NYC on Sunday.
The big picture. Congestion pricing was a rare, long-fought win for those of us who believe New York can undergo big change for the better. It’s frustrating that our side seems to have so much less political power than those who prefer the status quo.
It’s apropos that the governor’s announcement came right on the heels of our announcement of Abundance New York: this work is vital and urgent. We must make ourselves visible as a political power center to demand different—to demand more.
Otherwise, we’ll be stuck in gridlock forever.
Ryder