Kevin C. Downs for The New York Post
The Issue: Congestion pricing’s impact on New York citizens and businesses after going into effect on Jan. 5.
It is clear that mass transit is vital to New York City and must be adequately funded (“Congestion con,” Jan. 5).
The concept of congestion pricing is fine, but not the way it has been implemented.
At the current time, there is a valid perception that the subways are dangerous. So when people are given the choice of paying to drive into Manhattan or taking the subway, they aren’t going to do either.
Businesses in Manhattan are going to close or relocate, either to other boroughs or out of the city all together.
It is time congestion pricing is suspended and a better plan for funding mass transit is created — one that does not hurt businesses and pit citizens against citizens.
Alan Podhaizer
Brooklyn
MTA chief Janno Lieber was joined by supporters and politicians as he held a cheery ceremony unveiling the new $9 Congestion Relief Zone toll sign, shortly before it took effect. Celebrating this cash grab is totally out-of-touch with the people.
New Yorkers who must commute to work every day will suffer greatly financially, as will businesses in Manhattan.
The only place I want to see “Congestion Relief Zone” signs are in the colds and flu aisle of my pharmacy.
Maureen Beyer
Woodmere
New York City, in its never-ending quest to cripple small business, is hitting us below the belt again with its congestion-pricing scheme.
Disguised as a toll to “help everyone,” this tax is going to bring up costs for both businesses and customers alike.
For example: Consider our store, Park Deli in Crown Heights. We sell flowers there and we drive into Manhattan to buy supplies at the Flower Market roughly 180 times a year. At $9 a trip, congestion pricing will add over $1,600 to our supply costs.
Florists and other small businesses who purchase flowers or other supplies for resale in the congestion zone should be exempt from congestion pricing, so they are not forced to raise prices.
It’s high time we ask: When was the last time New York enacted legislation that actually helped its small businesses?
Michael Sclafani
Brooklyn
I am opposed to congestion pricing altogether, but the present proposal is not fair to residents in the zone.
The fine print says we will get a “tax exemption.” Basically, we will have to pay the toll and wait until tax time to recoup the money.
Many in the zone who have low incomes and do not have to pay income tax or file a return may now have to hire a tax accountant and prepare a return.
In addition, the latest information I see is that those seeking any discount must apply for an E-ZPass that charges a monthly fee. These issues should have been fully addressed before the tolls took effect.
In a recent statement, London academic Tony Travers indicated that traffic there did not decrease after the tolls were imposed. I don’t expect any better results in our Lower Manhattan neighborhood.
John Ost
Manhattan
At a time when violence on the subways is getting even worse, the ruling class is doing its best to force more and more of us onto mass transit, whether we want to use it or not.
With their soft-on-crime policies and congestion-pricing money grab, the Democrats continue to show complete contempt for the people of New York. It’s clear who they care about, and who they couldn’t care less about.
Gary Mottola
Brooklyn
Has it dawned on anyone that much of our traffic congestion is artificially created?
If we got rid of pedestrian plazas, Citi Bike stations, bike lanes on side streets and re-synchronized traffic lights, vehicular traffic would flow more quickly and smoothly.
All these debacles came to us courtesy of Mike Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio, two Boston-bred mayors. Newsflash, guys: New York City is not a bike town.
Ilene Heller
Manhattan
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