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Comment by sesuximo | Hacker News Reader

Why are they considering exemptions for low income or day visitors? day visitors in particular seems like exactly the kind of people who should pay. If you’re low income perhaps you could consider not driving?

I kind of understand an exemption for taxis especially at 60th street.

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Because many Americans simultaneously believe in paying your own way and egalitarianism. Direct cash transfers as an anti-poverty measure are unpopular. In kind transfers and low income discounts appeal to egalitarianism. We Americans also treat driving as a de facto right. Driving is considered something that must be provided and the cost figured out later (a dignity not a price).

I think this “driving is a right” is true of America in general but not as much in NYC

It's not exemptions, it's discounts. And not day visitors, but overnight visitors.

> while discounts for low-income drivers and overnight visitors are also reportedly in the cards.

They are considered because of politics. New Jersey politicians have zero to gain, and their constituents have something to lose. New York may decide to give zero damns and risk litigation (who knows, maybe there's an interstate commerce angle?). Or they might throw them a symbolic bone.

Good correction. I hope we ignore NJ. Maybe we can make an exception for buses or a subsidy for the path train. Driving from NJ is such a mess

Driving from NJ is very easy if you do it after 9 am.

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