3 ms·
If I’m wealthy and want my SUV motorcade to drive through NYC all day I can trivially afford it, even if my need asymptotically approaches zero. If I’m a desper
by scottie_m 8y ago
If I’m wealthy and want my SUV motorcade to drive through NYC all day I can trivially afford it, even if my need asymptotically approaches zero. If I’m a desperate person working three jobs to support my family, I have a great need, and yet the tax is a hardship.
- Declanomous 8y agoThe fact that you'd need to even own a car to get to your job is a massive barrier for people with low incomes. The fact that we are spending money building roads that we could be spending on other social programs is way more harmful to the poor than any congestion tax could be. If this congestion charge reduces traffic and makes buses run faster, it's possible that it would actually massively benefit poorer individuals.
- p_roz 8y agoI think that the cost to the wealthy person is understated because of the opportunity cost of their time/resources. The fact that wealthy people don’t do this now without congestion pricing makes it unlikely that they would do so with an additional cost applied.
- CalRobert 8y agoIndeed - but as noted in the article, you'd likely be exempted in that situation, and having less congested streets on which to walk, cycle, take the bus, or drive would be a great benefit.
- bobthepanda 8y agoPoor people in NYC do not even really own cars, and if they do they certainly don’t drive in Manhattan, where the cost of a parking spot is horrendous.