Richard Wolff on New York City Congestion Pricing

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"So guess who gets out of paying the cost of a proper mass transportation system: corporations and the rich. And so they are behind it, they get the benefit..."

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[nthperson]

It has been years since I have driven an automobile into New York City. Professor Wolff expresses the opinion that congestion pricing adversely affects "working people" in favor of the wealthy. I wonder how many "working people" drive into Manhattan given the huge cost of parking once one gets there. The key to making congestion pricing effective as public policy is to use the generated revenue to improve public transit.

[rockstc]

The people paying the congestion charge--those affluent enough to commute into Manhattan by car--are overwhelmingly high-income.

The collected revenue will go to the transit, which is why transit workers have been it's most aggressive defenders.

Congestion pricing is effective and more equitable as it funds transit and gets traffic out of the way of buses and pedestrians.

[troywalkertheprogressivean]

privatizing profits and socializing losses. corporations pollute, and taxpayers pay to clean it up.

[ausboy]

This old guy is so out of touch, the vast majority of low and middle income commuters into Manhattan can't afford to park their car anyway. The congestion tax only affects higher income workers who can afford to commute by car.

[vg]

Maybe money collected will go to to improve public transit? Rich probably will get some special permit to drive without paying fee anyway. In many cities with congestion fee you're exempt if you live in the area.

[dijikstra]

First time I've disagreed with Richard Wolff.

[lotsageorges]

I think everyone needs to consider the feelings of the ultrarich as they struggle to maintain exclusivity in one of the most populous metro areas in the United States.
#LateStageCapitalism

[pohkhui]

Singapore has good network for mass transit train to the central district. And has delicate lane for public bus. Any car that enter the bus lane will be heavily fine.

[katieadams]

Thanks for the explanation, I thought it was a good idea at first, but it isn't

[alvaroramos]

Wow Uber getting the special treatment? Now that's socialism for the rich! Capitalism for the poor.

[ardcr]

Well ppl from NJ better start getting use to mass transit

[johnsmith]

Image this same hard-to-look-at shtick presented by a lovely chick with a beautiful voice.

[youngzo]

Im from NY and a huge fan of Richard, anyone know a way to get notified if he does a speech somewhere?

[delboyg]

I was 'lucky' enough to see this system implemented in a certain Glitzy Middle East city, the weeks after there was a minimal reduction in traffic, but within a month the traffic was back to normal and the only change was the commuters wallet was lighter.

The government, seeing how well the system worked doubled the number of billing gates a few years later 🤔