Studies repeatedly show that congestion pricing's popularity is lowest *right before it gets implemented,* recovering and quickly becoming popular once citizens start to see the benefits of it, so of course NY Dems are committed to staying in that "almost implemented" period as long as possible
Same instincts that lead to many of Obamacare's benefits not kicking in until 2-4 years after it passed leaving Dems stuck defending a law voters saw as massively disruptive and risky without delivering any benefits to them in the meantime.
Obamacare is my go-to comparison for conversations like this. Controversial when proposed, most opposed immediately before opposition, and now something most people can't ever imagine didn't exist before. See also: Citi Bike, Times Square pedestrianization, car-free parks, etc.
I remember when the smoking ban was going to put every bar and restaurant in the city out of business.
And then almost immediately after it went into effect everyone recognized it was a massive improvement and good for business
I think the pedestrianization of Broadway in Times Square is another where they did stuff fast and everyone instantly recognized it was better, even though they were mocked and ridiculed widely.
It’s kind of wild that no one in city government is pushing to expand an obviously successful thing
