A day after NYC issued its first air quality alert of the year, and less than a year after apocalyptic orange skies blanketed our city as we endured the hottest year on record, I am shocked and dismayed that the governor is turning her back on congestion pricing. We cannot drive our way out of the climate crisis – and we shouldn’t let a small number of drivers who refuse to take mass transit in the most transit-rich region of the country dictate transportation policy. Congestion pricing is the signal that people need to get out of their cars and onto our region’s trains, subways and buses.
The governor has long said she will do the hard things to benefit the people of New York. Congestion pricing is one of those things. It will cut traffic and invest $15 billion in capital and service improvements the MTA so desperately needs and riders deserve. She has called the MTA the lifeblood of NYC and touted how congestion pricing would “provide critical resources to the MTA.” The time is now, Governor. Show New Yorkers you have the courage to stand up and do the hard thing that will have the best result for the most people.