Very few poor people drive into lower Manhattan. And people whose work requires them to drive in that area (delivery drivers, plumbers, etc.) come out ahead. One of the first NYT stories after congestion pricing was rolled out had multiple quotes from tradesmen reporting that they're saving an hour or more a day and prefer the new system.

The question becomes how critical is X and is there a close alternative. In this case I'd say for 95% of people yes driving is easily substituted by NYC's public transit options.

Even without congestion pricing, the poor are the least likely to drive. Spending public money to subsidize driving (which we’re still doing on balance, even in Manhattan) disproportionately helps the wealthy.

working class people are predominantly using public transit to get around nyc

this claim has been debunked many times and anyone with eyes can see who the private drivers in NYC are

Driving (and more importantly, parking) in NYC was never that much of a poor person thing.

You think it was primarily poor people who were driving their cars into Midtown?

That’s two new accounts claiming to be worried about the poor. We could use congestion pricing in these kinds of threads.

OR it encourages people to walk to transit which ALSO has positive side health benefits.

Pigovian taxes WORK, and are in many cases desirable, something lolberts just seem unable to get their heads around.