The Funniest, Most Notable Reactions to Congestion Pricing
New York City’s heavily debated congestion pricing plan finally, officially went into effect early Sunday morning after a rollout plagued by years of legal challenges and delays. Reaction to the program, which will levy a $9 base toll against most drivers traveling at or below 60th Street in Manhattan, has naturally varied wildly, with some singing and others rejecting it as an unfair tax on commuters.
Outlets across the city have been collecting reactions from New Yorkers and their neighbors as congestion pricing debuts. Here are some of the joyful, angry, and mixed reactions from those affected:
amNew York Metro spoke to one man, John Saffir, who was strongly against the new toll. “It really pisses me off,” he told the paper. “It’s a scam. I’m not against it for passenger vehicles during rush hour, you know, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. or something like that. But this is such bullshit.”
One New Jersey woman told FOX5 that she supports Governor Phil Murphy, who has mounted legal challenges against the toll program in an effort to stop its implementation. “We hope it gets appealed. A lot of people who work and go into New York for things — doctors, work — can’t afford another $9,” she said.
City Councilmember Vickie Paladino has been a consistent opponent of congestion pricing, and maintained her stance, writing on social media on Thursday, “Nobody outside of a very slim minority of deeply misanthropic transit activists actually want this.”
On the eve of the program’s start, the Queens........
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