New York’s “Congestion Toll” Is a Beta Test for Carbon Taxation and 15 Minute Cities

by Tyler Durden | Zero Hedge

Trump’s recent announcement that he will be rescinding federal government approval of the NYC congestion toll program has Democrats up in arms.  NY Governor Kathy Hochul has vowed to go to war with Trump in the courts in order to keep the program in place.  She claims that federal law prevents the White House from unilaterally halting the program and that the toll is necessary to maintain infrastructure in Manhattan while making residents safer.

Congestion pricing was enacted in January and charges drivers $9 each time they enter the Central Business District below 60th Street in Manhattan. It has three stated goals: to reduce traffic, lower carbon emissions and raise revenue for mass transit.

However, congestion pricing is actually rooted in an issue which Governor Hochul tends to gloss over:  Carbon taxation.  Road pricing is a key element of the notorious 15 Minute City concept often put forward by the World Economic Forum (of which Kathy Hochul is an adherent), and it is specifically justified by proponents as a method for reducing carbon emissions.  In other words, road pricing or the “congestion toll” is a way to apply direct carbon taxation on the general public.

The 15 Minute City concept is built around the fallacy that travel reduction is necessary to “save the planet” from global warming.  The idea is relatively simple – Create artificial obstacles through law to reduce or remove individual travel.  The WEF refers to this as “sustainable and inclusive mobility”.  The Davos crowd presents sustainable mobility as a quest for “convenience” to encourage people to stop using private transportation, but nothing is as convenient as having your own vehicle. Read Full Article >