In mid June, Fat Finger polled on three urban initiatives, including New York City’s proposed congestion pricing plan requiring drivers to pay $15 to enter Manhattan south of 60th St. during daytime hours. The project would have been the first of its kind in the US, but was put on hold in late June by Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul just before it was to go into effect.

It is widely believed that Hochul, who had previously been a vocal proponent, nixed implementation because she did not want to risk losing votes in an election year. There is some polling data to back her up: the plan was unpopular among New York State residents, with 63% in opposition, and congestion pricing in general is supported by only 38% nationally. This confirms what we already knew — people oppose new taxes (unless it’s on rich people, big business, or tobacco).

Congestion pricing has been implemented in five major metropolitan areas around the globe, including Singapore (1975), Rome (2001), London (2003), Stockholm (2006), and Milan (2008), and several smaller cities like Oslo (1990) and Gothenburg (2012).

In cities for which public opinion data is available, public support has been universally negative prior to implementation, but risen after. In the largest of those for which there is data, Stockholm and London, support went from negative to positive -- 30% to 52%, and 40% to 59% respectively.

Support for congestion pricing improves after implementation because the plans reduce traffic, improve air quality, and raise money for public transit alternatives. Stockholm and London both saw traffic reductions by more than 20%, and 3-5% drops in emissions. In London traffic has returned to previous levels, but the population has grown 20% since the implementation 20 yrs ago, and the city now has 150% more bikeways, and better funded subways.

It is estimated that NYC’s congestion pricing would cut traffic by 17% and raise about $1bb annually for the cash-strapped MTA, operator of the city’s subways and commuter trains. Putting off this plan not only hurt people who live and work in NYC, it likely hurt Hochul, who has likewise delayed her own political benefit had she shown the leadership to buck public opinion.