NYC’s devastating congestion pricing plan will kill New Yorkers — literally

 

New York City, already short on cops, could soon face another deadly public worker shortage: paramedics and EMTs. 

That’s thanks to the MTA’s insane congestion pricing plan, the most aggressive phase to date of the Empire State’s war on drivers with a planned rollout date possibly as early as the coming year.

Recall that some of the busiest emergency service stations in town, accounting for some 400 EMT workers, sit within the Manhattan zone that drivers will be required to pay $15 to enter. 

In other words, these essential workers are going to have to pay for the privilege of saving New Yorkers’ lives. 

EMT and medic salaries are not sky-high, maxing out at $59,534 for the former and $75,872 for the latter. 

So the charge will take a bite as it piles up to nearly $4,000 annually.

In fact, newbie EMTs earn $39,386, which means the projected annual cost from congestion pricing will amount to above 10% of their overall compensation. 

Driving is essential for huge swaths of these workers: Their low pay means they can’t afford to live in the city and must commute (thanks to insane progressive policy on housing). 

Good luck hiring under those circumstances — or even keeping employees long-term.

An EMT shortage would mean higher response times.

And New Yorkers will die in those critical lost seconds and minutes.

These workers make up just one of numerous groups of drivers with legitimate concerns about the plan.

The worst part?

By the MTA’s admission, the plan will not actually cut traffic.  

The agency’s 2045 outlook shows an increase in traffic in the city overall and no meaningful reduction in the plan’s Manhattan core. 

And don’t forget that the fees raised by the tolls may turn out to be much less than projected; London’s congestion pricing scheme generates only about $400 million per year. 

The answer, of course, is not a special carveout for EMTs and paramedics.

Or for any other group with enough political muscle to obtain one. 

No, the whole rotten plan must be scrapped — before it chokes off any hope for a safe, civil and prosperous city future.