The Congestion Pricing Scam: How New York Is Robbing Working People to Pay Wall Street
It’s not about clean air, traffic relief, or transit upgrades — it’s about money, politics, and control.
This piece was originally submitted to Allegro for their April issue but was pulled after I was told “the issue got completely full with late-breaking news.” I decided to withdraw it entirely. As someone who’s heard endless calls for "diversity, equity, and inclusion," I’ve come to realize that what’s often missing is diversity of thought. Challenging the status quo, especially when it involves state-sanctioned taxes wrapped in performative progressivism, doesn't seem welcome—particularly if you're calling out the bureaucratic rot at the core of it all.
Here’s the hard truth: despite all the noise, delays, and legal tug-of-war from the confused, chaotic, and chronically unserious Trump administration, this congestion pricing scheme is here to stay. Governor Kathy Hochul and her tax-happy band of political grifters are hell-bent on squeezing every last dollar from working New Yorkers. The message is loud and clear: if you're not wealthy, debt-free, and pulling in at least a high-six-figure income, this city is no longer built for you.
My daughter, who just moved to NYC after culinary school full of hope and ambition, already sees the writing on the wall. After six brutal months here, she’s packing up and heading back to Nantucket—where the rent is cheaper, the work pays better, and you're not punished just for existing. And you know what? I’m helping her leave. I get it. Why stay in a place where everything costs more, but you're getting less?
This is what happens when a city sells its future to Wall Street, with the MTA now gambling on $15 billion in debt backed by tolls from working people. They’re locking us into a long-term financial trap that—like my daughter wisely realized—only gets deeper the longer you stay. It’s not about cleaner air. It’s not about transit upgrades. It’s not about equity. It’s about plugging budget holes with your money while giving nothing back. And like the MTA’s debt bomb, if you stick around too long, you’re the one stuck paying for the explosion.
The Congestion Pricing Con: A Rebuttal to Dominic Fallacaro’s Misguided Defense of a Broken Policy
By Clayton Craddock, Broadway Drumming 101
Despite what you may read or hear, musicians are not always in lockstep. No matter how many emails and slogans insist otherwise, we don't all think alike. When one narrative is pushed relentlessly, alternative voices become essential. If diversity is truly valued, that must include diversity of thought.
And yet, in the conversation about congestion pricing, dissenting opinions are drowned out by a chorus of praise, as though no reasonable person could question this policy. But let's take a step back and examine it honestly. Is this really about reducing traffic and funding transit improvements? Or is it just another government cash grab disguised as progress?
Dominic Fallacaro's enthusiastic support for congestion pricing is a clear example of how out of touch some advocates can be with the realities faced by working musicians, small business owners, and everyday New Yorkers. Many of these individuals do not have the luxury of remote work, a quick subway ride, or the financial means to absorb yet another tax. Fallacaro's essay overlooks the serious flaws in this policy and fails to address its potential consequences.
Congestion pricing is not designed to reduce traffic, improve the environment, enhance accessibility for artists, or improve public transportation. Its true purpose is to generate revenue—essentially a way to fill budget gaps caused by decades of mismanagement, waste, and corruption at the MTA.
Hochul's Flip-Flop: Politics Over People
New York State Governor Kathy Hochul's initial rationale for her announcement of an indefinite pause on congestion pricing in June 2024, just weeks before its scheduled implementation, was:
"We cannot implement a policy that might suck the vitality out of this city when we're still fighting for our comeback." She also said, "Let's be real: a $15 charge may not mean a lot to someone who has the means, but it can break the budget of a working- or middle-class household." "It puts the squeeze on the very people who make this city go." (June 2024)
That was before the presidential election. But Hochul reversed herself once that was over and political risks had passed. In November 2024, she suddenly brought the plan back—at a reduced rate, of course, to make it look more "affordable."
"By reducing the base toll by 40%, we are making it more affordable for hardworking New Yorkers while still achieving our goals of reducing congestion and funding vital transit improvements" (November 2024)
So, which is it? A tax that hurts working New Yorkers or a "necessary improvement" that just happened to become viable right after the election? The timing isn't a coincidence—it's political maneuvering.
Selective Concern for Air Pollution
We're told this is about cutting emissions. But if that's true, why is congestion pricing only targeting below 60th Street? Why not include Washington Heights, Harlem, or the Bronx, which has some of the highest asthma rates in the country due to air pollution? The answer is simple: this isn't about clean air—it's about money. The "congestion relief zone" is mapped around Manhattan's wealthiest and most politically connected neighborhoods while conveniently ignoring the outer boroughs, where emissions and air quality are far worse.
The MTA's Financial Black Hole
Supporters claim congestion pricing will fund much-needed MTA repairs. That's a nice theory. But in practice? The MTA has wasted billions on vanity projects instead of fixing signals and maintaining trains. Look at the $1.4 billion Fulton Street station—an extravagant project that added zero new tracks or services.
And what's stopping them from raising the fee in the future? Nothing. By 2028, it's set to increase to $12. By 2031, $15. And beyond that? There's no cap. If history is any guide, they will keep raising the toll as long as people keep paying.
Small Businesses Left to Pay the Price
In Dominic's piece, he talked about how Broadway attendance hasn't dropped. Great—for now. But what about the people who make Broadway happen? Has anyone considered the reality of stagehands, technicians, and crew who can't just throw their gear in a backpack and hop on the subway to set up a new show? Costs are already staggering for the development of new Broadway productions, and margins are as thin as ice. Productions rely on vehicles to transport equipment, props, electronics, sets, and gear to midtown—and the costs will pile up. The same goes for every small business that needs deliveries, pickups, or on-site services.
Take small construction businesses moving supplies between job sites—they'll be charged. What about florists, caterers, and maintenance workers who rely on getting to midtown Manhattan to keep their businesses running? They are now facing these tolls. Whether transporting building materials, food supplies, or equipment or simply providing critical services, you're looking at higher costs, which get passed down to everyone.
A Hidden Tax on Workers and Everyday New Yorkers
Supporters love to claim that $9 isn't a heavy price to pay. Well, don't speak for me. That adds up quickly—especially for working musicians like myself and others who can't just "take the subway" to work. Not everyone's job is within walking distance of a train station, and not every person can haul their gear, supplies, or patients onto public transit.
For the past several years, my primary source of income has been as a drummer on Broadway. However, I'd like to share a personal experience related to my work outside of Broadway.
Recently, I played several gigs that required me to bring my drums into midtown, and I was charged $9 each time just for driving in. I even removed my E-ZPass reader from the car to figure out how this new congestion pricing system worked. Despite this, my license plate was still scanned and linked to my account, and I was charged.
In 2025, I was taxed an additional $9 for the same gig I had in 2024. I'm now losing money and figuring out how to pass this tax on to my employer.
And that's precisely what's going to happen to everyone.
Food suppliers, construction companies, and delivery services aren't going to eat the cost of congestion pricing—they're passing it straight to you. And it's not just the $9 fee for cars. Trucks pay even more—$24 to $36 per trip, depending on their size. That means higher prices on groceries, restaurant meals, and even Broadway tickets.
Retailers will raise prices on clothing and electronics. Home services like plumbing, HVAC repairs, and furniture delivery will get more expensive. Even ride-shares and taxis will pass on their increased costs through higher fares. Whether you are shopping, dining out, or getting something fixed in your home, the cost of living in New York is about to increase again. Has anyone other than me thought this through?
Flawed Projections and a Financial Gamble
Let’s talk about what’s going on here.
The MTA is planning to borrow $15 billion for transit projects by using future congestion pricing money to pay it back. That means they’re taking out loans now and betting that the tolls from drivers—about $1 billion a year—will cover it later. But here’s the problem: if that money doesn’t come in as expected, the MTA still has to pay back the loans. And when that happens, guess who ends up holding the bag? Us. Riders, drivers, workers. People who already pay too much. They’ll either raise fares again or cut service to make up the difference.
And once the MTA signs those loan agreements, congestion pricing is locked in. Even if people hate it, or it doesn’t work, they can’t back out. Why? Because Wall Street wants its money.
This isn’t just a toll. It’s a long-term financial trap dressed up to look like a transportation plan.
The original plan was based on a 2022 government report that guessed a $9 toll (which is now closer to $10 with inflation) would bring in enough cash to back the $15 billion in loans. But that guess came with a lot of “ifs.” It assumed they’d charge more during late hours and weekends, and it didn’t factor in all the discounts and exemptions people are now getting. Then Hochul decided to cut the original toll from $15 to $9 to make it seem more “affordable.” But if they’re collecting less money while still planning to spend the same amount, how does that math work? It doesn’t.
The MTA needs money now to fix things, but the toll money will come in slowly over years. If less money comes in, they still owe interest on the loans. That pushes the final cost even higher. And once again, it’s regular people who’ll pay for it.
They say this will reduce traffic too, but that depends on how many drivers just decide to pay the toll and keep driving. If too many people say “screw it” and pay the $9 anyway, traffic won’t get better, it just becomes a new tax. In fact, taxi trips into the toll zone went up almost 19% between 2024 and 2025 so far, according to the city’s own data. So how exactly is this cutting congestion?
The truth is, this whole plan is built on wishful thinking and shaky numbers.
And it’s nothing new. For decades, the people in charge—mayors, governors, and MTA officials—have been messing this up. They’ve cut the city and state’s contributions to the MTA, taken money meant for transit and used it for other things, and spent billions on flashy station makeovers while ignoring the basics like signals, tracks, and repairs. Now, more than half of the MTA’s budget for big projects comes from borrowing money. So banks and investors get paid, while the trains break down and the people riding them suffer.
That’s what this toll is really about. It’s not about clean air. It’s not about better trains. It’s about plugging financial holes with your money and hoping no one asks too many questions.
Public Support? Not Exactly
And how do New Yorkers feel about this? The latest Siena College poll found that 40% of voters want congestion pricing eliminated, while only 33% think it should remain. Support is slightly more substantial for people who live in New York City (42% to 35%). Still, in the downstate suburbs, it's underwater: Forty-eight percent of voters think congestion pricing should be eliminated compared to 30% who believe it should remain.
This policy is unpopular and based on unstable financial projections.
How Does This Plays Out In The Real World?
I spent five weeks in Midtown recently working on a new musical, The Hippest Trip – The Soul Train Musical. I was in and out of the area every day—sometimes driving, sometimes taking Metro North, and yeah, even hopping on that dreaded subway. And I paid close attention. I’ve had a car in this city for 32 years. I know what traffic looks like. Despite all the hype about congestion pricing cutting traffic, I didn’t see it. Midtown was still a mess.
During lunch and after rehearsals, I’d hop on my bike and ride through Midtown and beyond just to see for myself. Same result: streets jammed with cars, engines idling, and New Yorkers still breathing in the same garbage air. I drove up through Washington Heights and Harlem too—places with some of the worst asthma rates in the city—and guess what? Nothing changed. No magical improvement.
What I did notice? More Ubers, Lyfts, taxis, and black cars clogging up the same roads they claimed would be “less congested.” And my lungs? They didn’t feel any clearer. Traffic didn’t move any faster. Even below 60th Street, in the so-called “relief zone,” it wasn’t cleaner, quieter, or healthier. Just more of the same—except now with a toll slapped on top.
And can we stop pretending that car exhaust politely obeys boundaries like it’s paying rent? For anyone unfamiliar with how air actually works, remember when New York’s sky turned orange from Canadian wildfires a few years ago?That smoke traveled thousands of miles. But somehow Kathy Hochul wants us to believe that a toll is going to protect Midtown lungs from uptown exhaust?
That’s magical thinking.
It’s hard not to conclude that most politicians lie, most media outlets just repeat the talking points, and this whole charade will continue until enough people call it out. I don’t know who’s going to want to pay $12, then $15, and eventually $25 or more just to cross from 61st to 60th Street a decade from now—but I know it won’t be me. And it sure as hell won’t be any less crowded.
But if this scam does survive, New Yorkers should be prepared for endless price hikes, more financial burdens, and zero accountability for how the money is spent.
Congestion pricing does nothing for the arts, the environment, congestion, or improving public transportation. It only hurts the people who make New York's cultural scene thrive. If you support this policy, ask yourself: who really benefits? And who's getting screwed? Follow the money. Always follow the money.
And if you think $15 is the final number in their projected plan, I have a bridge to sell you.