Jersey City Ward E council candidate Alexander Hamilton is criticizing a “nightmare trifecta” of fare hikes and congestion pricing that will hit downtown commuters next month. The Port Authority plans to increase PATH fares to $3 starting January 12th, while NYC’s congestion pricing plan slaps drivers with up to $22 daily fees to enter Manhattan.
These policies are expected to disproportionately affect working families and low-income residents who already struggle to make ends meet in an expensive region. A daily PATH rider will now spend $1,500 annually on fares alone, not including rising costs of rent, groceries, and other essentials.
Hamilton, a former board of education trustee, says that the combined costs will further strain public transit for Jersey City residents, who rely heavily on the PATH for jobs, schools, and essential services. He is calling for affordable transportation options that work, rather than endless fare hikes and empty promises.
The closure of the Hoboken PATH station in February will also make public transit even more difficult, while congestion pricing will make driving more unaffordable. Hamilton’s opponent, Council President Joyce Watterman, has already spoken out against congestion pricing, calling it a “tax on working people disguised as progress”.
Source: https://hudsoncountyview.com/hamilton-downtown-jersey-city-residents-are-being-squeezed-like-never-before