So you think the congestion fee should be means-tested (or, more accurately, affluence-tested)?
How might such a system work? Have the DMVs from the metro area (NY, NJ, CT) link registered vehicle owners with their taxable income last year and share this info with MTA to adjudicate fees? I think that makes it too complex. You could achieve a similar equitable outcome by making the fee universal and using the revenue to improve alternative transit services (and/or lower fares) that are used more by lower income households.
I believe that's roughly how countries that do progressive fines do it. I'm very supportive of progressive fines generally, they preserve the desired deterrent effect of a fine and make sure we all have skin in the game.
It should be easy to make it income related these days. Just have the transit authority submit a list of tolls passed to the tax authorities once a year and have the tax system work it out.
How might such a system work? Have the DMVs from the metro area (NY, NJ, CT) link registered vehicle owners with their taxable income last year and share this info with MTA to adjudicate fees? I think that makes it too complex. You could achieve a similar equitable outcome by making the fee universal and using the revenue to improve alternative transit services (and/or lower fares) that are used more by lower income households.