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.
