By now it is pretty clear what the mayoral election field will look like this year. A crowded field of candidates clearly to the left of Adams, lining up – with the exception of Curtis Sliwa, who will hold down the right flank. With the exception of Andrew Cuomo, who, in a flash poll last week, apparently is at 35%, all the other candidates are currently polling in the single digits.
The race for governor might be getting clearer as we watch Hochul try to convince New Yorkers that the congestion price toll is a benefit. The MTA is taking an early victory lap & bow on the impact of Congestion Pricing in the ‘whole’ week it has been in service. If we believe their data, it seems 40,000 fewer cars were in the zone last week when compared to the same week last year, a 7% decrease in traffic. Last week, they say 530K vehicles entered the zone. So the toll has reduced the number of cars in the zone.
Is that a victory?
The MTA thinks so, but we suggest the people in NYC don’t.
How many of those cars are making that left turn on 2nd Avenue at 60th Street, going into Queens – and not really adding to the traffic in the zone? Can you wait a little while longer to tell us how great the congestion zone toll is?
We can’t escape the tactic that the Governor and the MTA are using, reminding us of the recent history in the national campaign for president. While the Harris camp was holding the juice cup to our lips, convinced that the economy was fine and crime is on the decline, the Trump camp just told the country to use the ‘eye test’ to measure the state of the economy and the state of crime. The eye test won, and it is doubtful that Hochul can do some kind of magic trick to convince the voters that congestion pricing is a worthwhile investment for the individuals paying the $9 fee. The voters will say whether it’s worth paying more for goods delivered inside the congestion-pricing zone, as suppliers pass along the cost of the toll to consumers. Hochul might just be facing the same result in her bid for reelection. While Republicans like Mike Lawler and Nicole Malliotakis say they will work with Trump to stop the toll, they might gain some ground in a popular vote for governor. We don’t see Nicole running, but Lawler seems to be delivering his opinions on a bunch of talk shows as of late and he might just be convinced he has a path to victory.
