The Siena College survey finds that 63% of voters throughout the Empire State oppose the toll, while only 25% support the pricing scheme promoted by Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA to curb congestion and generate nearly $1 billion a year to fund mass transit.
In New York City, 64% of voters are against the first-in-the-nation congestion pricing plan to enter the Manhattan business district south of 60th Street compared to just 33% who back it.
An even higher 72% of voters who reside in the suburbs surrounding the Big Apple — more likely to drive than take mass transit into Manhattan — oppose the controversial toll that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority could implement as early as June.
Opposition to the toll is one of the few issues that unifies all cross-segments of New York voters.
The new toll is opposed by 72% of blacks, 62% of Latinos, 62% of union households, 75% of Republicans, 69% of independent or unaffiliated voters and, 75% of Republicans and even a majority 54% of Democrats.
Congestion pricing is being implemented because of a state law championed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Democratic-controlled legislature in 2019 — yet only 34% of Democrats support it.
Hochul, Cuomo’s successor, has defended congestion pricing as a good thing amid a plethora of lawsuits to block it.
“A majority of Democrats, two-thirds of independents and three-quarters of Republicans oppose the soon-expected congestion pricing toll plan, as do approximately two-thirds of downstaters and a majority of upstaters,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.
One in seven voters — 14% of respondents — said they would travel less to Manhattan to avoid the toll, while 17% said they would find another way to get to Midtown that could include mass transit.
Another 14% of respondents said the toll would have no effect on their travel patterns while 44% said they don’t go to Manhattan. The poll queried upstaters who rarely venture into the Big Apple.
Congestion pricing imposes a $15 toll on cars traveling anywhere below 60th Street between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.
Overnight, the toll drops to $3.25.
“Nearly one-third of New Yorkers say they will either travel less to Manhattan or find ways otherthan driving to get there. It will be interesting to see if those positions hold steady once the toll is implemented,” Siena’s Greenberg said.
Overnight, the toll drops to $3.25.
On other matters:
— 67% of voters support a ban on transgender athletes competing against girls.
Voters were asked if high school athletes should only compete with “others of the same sex that they were assigned at birth.”
Again, there was across-the-board support for the transgender ban — with 64% of New York City voters overall, including 52% of Democrats.
Voters are unhappy with the state of the nation and state under Democratic rule.
— 64% of voters said the U.S. is heading in the wrong direction, while 53% believe the state is on the wrong track.
— President Biden is underwater with voters in Democratic leaning New York, with a 55% job disapproval rating.