Gov. Hochul’s latest congestion-pricing punt reveals New York’s real motive in pushing the program.
It has nothing to do with cutting congestion, and everything to do with “pricing” — raising more money for the state.
But higher “prices” in the form of this new tax aren’t for everyone, of course: Only the private sector must pay.
If you work for city government, at least in some jobs, you may continue to drive to Manhattan for free.
After this fall’s presidential, congressional and state-lawmaker elections, Hochul may un-pause her two-month-old “pause” on the $15 congestion toll, The Post’s Carl Campanile reported last week.
But the revamped plan, if it materializes, will likely levy a lower-than-$15 fee, and will likely exempt city workers such as firefighters and teachers.
The governor’s reversal of her earlier reversal would obliterate any rationale for congestion pricing.
More than two years ago, the state-controlled Metropolitan Transportation Authority, as part of the federal approval process for congestion pricing, studied its environmental impacts.
As part of that study, the MTA had to assess alternatives to congestion pricing that would meet the twin goals of reducing Manhattan traffic and raising money — $1 billion annually — for the MTA.
One alternative would meet the MTA’s traffic-reduction goals: Reducing the number of parking permits that the city government gives to its workers.
That’s because government workers drive to Manhattan in greater proportions than do private-sector workers — 27% compared to 14%, one study found.
Yes, that’s partly because some of them (not all) work odd hours and carry bulky equipment, but it’s also because of that free parking, saving upwards of $30 a day on garaging.
By the same logic, if you exempt city workers from the new congestion fee, they’ll continue to commute by car in these higher numbers.
In fact, more government workers will start to drive in, enjoying lower traffic as private-sector commuters avoid Manhattan.
If you feel cynical suddenly, you’re right: It’s never been about congestion.
It’s always been about that promised $1 billion, to add to the MTA’s annual $8.6 billion tax take (not including tolls and fares).
Indeed, abruptly changing congestion pricing into a radically different program likely requires a new environmental assessment.
Such a new months-long delay would be a feature, not a bug, from Hochul’s perspective.
She wants someone — anyone — to save her both from the wrath of the small group of vocal congestion-pricing advocates who keep saying mean things about her (“Gridlock Kathy”), as well as from the wrath of the broader public, which doesn’t support congestion pricing.
New delays decreed by federal environmental regulators, after five years of purposeful delay since former Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed congestion pricing into law in 2019, would serve that purpose.
Hochul’s new plan also shows that we don’t need congestion pricing to financially “save” the MTA.
Exempting many public-sector workers and cutting the price would take in substantially less money than $1 billion — but Hochul presumably, and correctly, thinks she can get lawmakers to levy another tax.
That Hochul would decree an exemption for city workers is also a handy guide to New York’s Democratic governing philosophy: The rest of us exist for the convenience of government.
Sure, there’s a case that a firefighter carrying 60 pounds of gear should get an exemption — or a police officer who drives to Manhattan because a late shift will send her home after midnight.
But there’s an equally strong case that a private-sector construction worker who must carry his tools should be exempt, or a nurse or doorman working the graveyard shift.
Even differentiating among government workers is going to be tricky: Why exempt a teacher but not a building inspector?
There’s no case, anyway, for an exemption for teachers, everyone’s favorite government workers. Teachers, like most people who work in Manhattan, carry little with them and work daytime shifts.
Sure, many teachers live on Staten Island. Many private-sector office workers live on Staten Island, too!
That’s why last year, after listening to tales of woe from people testifying for this exemption or that, a state-appointed commission decided that there would be no occupational exemptions.
If you award one, you’ve got to award them all.
Correct: If we’re going to have congestion pricing, it’s got to be pain for all drivers, or none.
It looks, increasingly, like it will be for none: Hochul has, finally, driven this thing into a dead end.
Nicole Gelinas is a contributing editor to the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal.
