A majority of voters living outside New York City support Gov. Kathy Hockle’s surprise, last-minute decision to indefinitely suspend congestion pricing, according to a new poll.
A statewide Siena College poll conducted last week also showed Haukl’s approval rating hovering at its lowest level in a year, with just 38 percent of respondents approving of him.
Nearly half, 49%, disapproved of her, tying the second-lowest approval rating ever recorded in April.
Forty-five percent of respondents statewide said they support Governor Hawkle’s decision to suspend the $15 daily toll on drivers who enter Manhattan below 60th Street.
Suburban voters continue to be most vehemently opposed to tolling, with 56% backing Hokell’s moratorium. These voters span Long Island, as well as Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties.
The poll was conducted last week, just days after lawmakers wrapped up their annual session in Albany after voting against Hokele’s last-minute attempt to raise taxes to supplement the revenue the MTA expected to get from congestion pricing.
The decision sparked a fierce backlash against Haukl from left-wing politicians.
City Comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander is leading a group that is suing to force Hoekl and the MTA to move forward with the plan.
Despite the protests, only 23% of respondents in Siena said they were against the pause.
A poll earlier this year found even more respondents opposed to tolls, with 63% saying they were either opposed or somewhat opposed to congestion pricing.
Suburban residents may welcome Governor Hockle’s moratorium on congestion pricing, but they don’t have a nearly as favorable view of the governor, with 52% of suburbanites holding an unfavorable opinion of him — the same percentage as the rest of the state except for New York City.
“Despite strong support for Governor Hokull’s decision to hold off on congestion pricing, as well as strong support for the social media bill she pushed, voters are rating Governor Hokull at the lowest level of favorability and approval in nearly three years as governor,” said Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg.
Hokel’s approval rating falls behind that of President Joe Biden, who received the support of 42% of those polled.
The survey was answered by 805 people across the state via landline, mobile phone and online panels. The survey has a margin of error of 4.1 percentage points.
