Isn't Congestion Pricing a handout of public streets to the wealthy?
(Because the wealthy can easily afford the extra cost, but non-wealthy cannot, making travel on public streets more convenient for the wealthy, while denying public streets to others?)
I'd want to explore options that are more fair, but that the wealthy wouldn't like, because it doesn't give them preferential treatment.
For example, start with only public mass transit, emergency vehicles, delivery vehicles, workers needing to transport equipment, and walking. And then figure out what else needs to be added in, and how you prevent it just being gamed. (Nope, the public streets don't necessarily owe ride-hailing apps, taxis, and limos use of the public streets; nor is anyone necessarily entitled to use of a non-mass-transit vehicle on public streets when in Congestion Mode, no matter how wealthy or royal they are.)
Free streets are a handout to suburbanites that drive in and don't have to deal with constant congestion, pollution, noise, and collisions that people living in the congestion zone have to deal with.
People taking the bus and other mass transit will benefit even more when everyone has to take it, including the wealthy, and therefore there is more pressure to improve it.
I suspect I'd rather do the no-op -- make the wealthy continue to suffer congestion just like everyone else -- than to further increase inequality with this Congestion Pricing.
The trickle-down we've been seeing is the wealthy urinating upon everyone else from a great height.
(Because the wealthy can easily afford the extra cost, but non-wealthy cannot, making travel on public streets more convenient for the wealthy, while denying public streets to others?)
I'd want to explore options that are more fair, but that the wealthy wouldn't like, because it doesn't give them preferential treatment.
For example, start with only public mass transit, emergency vehicles, delivery vehicles, workers needing to transport equipment, and walking. And then figure out what else needs to be added in, and how you prevent it just being gamed. (Nope, the public streets don't necessarily owe ride-hailing apps, taxis, and limos use of the public streets; nor is anyone necessarily entitled to use of a non-mass-transit vehicle on public streets when in Congestion Mode, no matter how wealthy or royal they are.)