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Is it just me or is it incredibly odd and unexpected for a decision like this to come so late in the game? Why wait to delay until after so much time and effort

Is it just me or is it incredibly odd and unexpected for a decision like this to come so late in the game? Why wait to delay until after so much time and effort has gone into making it happen?

_3u10 2y ago
Not really, it's unpopular, and therefore a bad idea to have pending before an election if you want to get re-elected. Politicians typically are smart enough to do unpopular things at the beginning of a term.
- addicted 2y ago
  It’s not unpopular. Its quite popular within the city. The problem is that it’s unpopular with a tiny minority of suburban drivers but those suburban districts will be key swing districts during the upcoming election. Essentially it’s the risk of swinging a few thousand votes that led to this being paused. If it was actually unpopular it wouldn’t have survived 5 years of planning and wouldn’t have been voted in as law in the first place.
  - HDThoreaun 2y ago
    72% of suburban new yorkers opposed the congestion tax. There are 11 million such people so 72% is 8 million people opposed to this plan. Unfortunately thats as many people as live in the city itself, this was never going to be easy politically. Statewide polls show the tax is underwater
  - _3u10 2y ago
    If it was popular it wouldn't have taken 5 years of planning. Things that are popular and increase revenue for the govt get immediately passed before anyone changes their mind.
lxgr 2y ago
The article calls out the real reason: Because doing so polls well with critical swing voters for the upcoming election. What a shame.