Prof. Aseem Prakash and colleague Prof. Nives Dolšak contemplate why New York Governor Kathy Hochul put a hold on congestion pricing for vehicles entering New York City.
New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul has “indefinitely paused” congestion pricing in Manhattan. The climate community is outraged by this last-minute reversal. Might there be more to this story? For example, could this reversal be justified if it helps Democrats win the House in the 2024 elections, and eventually support a more aggressive federal-level climate policy?
But Why Pause It Now?
It is politically difficult to enact policies that benefit everyone but impose costs on specific communities and sectors. This is why European farmers are angry at climate policies and the Brussels establishment that enacted them. French President Emmanuel Macron wants a “regulatory pause” in climate laws. The Canadian government has temporarily halted the home heating oil levy in Atlantic Canada. About one-fourth of U.S. counties restrict renewable energy facilities which local residents view as spoiling rural landscapes...Arguably, New York’s congestion pricing saga reflects the growing opposition to climate policies.
Enter Federal Politics
...congestion pricing might have enhanced the perception that Democrats are ignoring pocket-book issues affecting the working class and middle class when enacting climate policies.
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