The Issue: Gov. Hochul’s eleventh-hour halt on congestion pricing, which was set to take effect in June.
Regarding Gov. Hochul’s reversal on congestion pricing: Any issue like this that affects everyone’s everyday lives needs to be put up in a referendum for consideration by the voters, and should not be enacted by fiat (“Kill It Forever, Gov,” Editorial, June 6).
Good for the governor for coming to her senses, even if it did occur at the last second. The only people that wanted this money-grabbing scheme were the car-haters and the bloated MTA that overpays for everything while at the same time inexplicably lacks the will to stop rampant fare beating.
My suggestion: Take those ugly, overpriced cameras and license plate readers installed for this scheme, reconfigure and reprogram them and put them above subway turnstiles and fare boxes on buses.
Implement facial- recognition tech to catch and prosecute the farebeaters who cost the MTA about $700 million a year.
Richard Rafal
Manhattan
As a yellow-cab driver for well over a decade, I was delighted to find out that Hochul put the kibosh of what could have been the final nail in my beleaguered industry’s coffin.
If the city and state are serious about nixing this, there has to be an assurance that congestion pricing won’t be brought up again. In addition, it’s time to reconfigure the streets and flow of traffic to actually move everyone more quickly and efficiently.
All of this can be done if the political will is there. People like me who are overworked, overtaxed, overcharged, overstressed and overdue for a break are glad that this fiasco is finally over, for now.
Pat Johnson
West Caldwell, NJ
The “indefinite” reversal of congestion pricing for New York City should come as no surprise. After meeting in Washington with Democratic politicians — including President Biden and House Minority Leader Hakim Jefferies — Gov. Hochul suddenly halted the implementation of congestion pricing.
Do these politicians think we can’t see through this attempt to buy votes? Once the election is over, Hochul can greenlight the plan.
Brian Sahd, Brooklyn
Hopefully, the drunken sailors at the MTA will sober up, cut out their waste, actually collect fares and stop relying on the oppressed NYC taxpayers to finance all their boondoggles.
Demetrius Kalamaras
Staten Island
It is laughable that Gov. Hochul is being criticized for her halt of congestion pricing. Everyone is talking about the money it would have generated, and it seems no one is mentioning its original supposed purpose — namely, reducing traffic in Manhattan.
In fact, a money-raising scheme is all it ever was.
Sidney Baumgarten
Brunswick, NJ
Those people who are crying over congestion pricing because of the need to improve subway stations and cars should take their complaints to the MTA.
How about the MTA chases after lost revenue by going after turnstile jumpers?
That money might be able to help with the desired upgrades, instead of making everyone else who doesn’t ride the subway pay for it.
Rob Cerone
Manhattan
A delay is a good thing. But to reverse this assault on the middle class, voters have to make it clear to Hochul that her party will pay a real price when it caters to interest groups at the expense of the general public.
With former President Donald Trump down by only single digits in New York, the governor is getting nervous — and she should be.
Gary Mottola, Brooklyn
Frankly, the $15 fee was too high. No one wanted an extra tax to begin with.
Perhaps charging a toll on the Queensboro bridge would be a more reasonable option.
I am well aware of the cost of operations to keep the city running. However, to burden workers with just another tax, especially one that appeared to be not fully thought out, was delusional.
Michael C. Lefkowitz
East Meadow
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