Every day, from the Bronx to Queens, from Staten Island to Brooklyn, New Yorkers are weighed down by the skyrocketing cost of living. It’s not just a Bronx issue; it’s a burden shared citywide. Gov. Hochul’s decision to pause congestion pricing is more than a reprieve — it’s a stroke of necessary justice for working families across our city.
A recent Siena College survey underscores this sentiment, revealing that 64% of New Yorkers oppose the proposed $15 toll to drive below 60th St. in Manhattan. This significant majority reflects a broad consensus that the timing and impact of such a policy could deepen the divide between those who can afford the city and those pushed to its margins.
Driving in our city isn’t a luxury; it’s a lifeline. Especially in communities like my district in the South Bronx, poorly served by public transit, imposing a daily toll isn’t just inconvenient — it’s prohibitive. It cuts off access to Manhattan’s vibrant job market and essential services, casting a long shadow on our nascent economic recovery.
The Bronx’s saga of suffering under poor urban planning, particularly from the era of Robert Moses, who in the 1950s slashed through our borough with his expressways, is a stark reminder of historical wrongs that need righting. The “Toxic Triangle” of highways — Cross Bronx, Bruckner, and Bronx River — has notoriously choked us with the city’s worst air quality and highest asthma rates.
The chilling fact that, according to the MTA’s environmental assessment, more than 27,000 trucks rumble through the Cross Bronx corridor daily only amplifies this assault on our health — an assault echoed in other boroughs shadowed by similar highways.
This isn’t just an environmental issue; it’s an existential one for many of our communities. The proposal of congestion pricing threatened to intensify these challenges, shifting heavier emissions burden onto neighborhoods already grappling with pollution and health disparities.
Moreover, the structural neglect that has led to transit deserts throughout our city places an unreasonable burden on residents. In neighborhoods like mine, where the nearest subway station can be a 40-minute walk, daily commuting becomes a significant ordeal.
Expecting New Yorkers with disabilities, nurses, first responders, and service workers with non-traditional hours, as well as single mothers who must commute to work and manage child care logistics, to pay a congestion fee is not just tone-deaf; it’s downright oppressive.
Why should these New Yorkers be forced to pay a tax simply because they haven’t been provided with adequate public transportation options?
This is a pre-pandemic policy that is unfit for a post-pandemic world. It misses the mark on what our city needs now — recovery that lifts all boats, not just the yachts.
While I acknowledge the fiscal challenges posed by halting congestion pricing, I remain committed to securing the necessary $1 billion annual funding for the MTA Capital Plan through fairer means. However, at this moment, as the Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady to combat inflation and rising costs, our leaders are called to show similar resolve.
Postponing congestion pricing represents a needed step towards addressing the real economic pressures that New Yorkers face daily. This decision showcases the necessary courage to confront the affordability crisis without placing additional burdens on the shoulders of working families.
When do we stop relying on the wallets of our most vulnerable workers to patch up financial issues? True leadership involves crafting innovative and equitable solutions that enhance our community’s economic health while prioritizing the well-being of our residents.
By focusing on policies that lift rather than levy, we can shape a more inclusive and prosperous future with economic policies that empower our community, driving progress instead of holding it back. Thankfully, the governor’s pause on this policy gives us a much-needed moment to review, refine, and recalibrate for our current fiscal situation.
We can now look for transportation and economic solutions that are fair, just, and forward-thinking. I am determined to work tirelessly with the governor and other leaders to find these solutions.
As we pivot towards these discussions, I am committed to championing policies that don’t just patch up the past but pave a way for a fairer future. Together, with the governor and my colleagues, we will work to ensure that our city’s recovery is inclusive, just, and comprehensive. Let’s make New York not only the city that never sleeps but also the city that always cares.
Burgos is an assemblyman from the Bronx.