Every day, when the bell rings at her middle school in Queens, young Tendas packs her school bag and heads to her dance studio to pursue her New York Dream. For up to 15 hours a week, Tendas – or “Das” as her parents affectionately call her per the Tibetan custom of combining the first and last name – hones her dance skills with 49 other girls in her competitive group. She’s hard to motivate but energetic – her mother, Jean Hahn, says she bounces off walls during vacations. Dance is her outlet: She loves to compete with her groups, which have won awards at competitions. She hopes to attend a performing arts high school, and she receives English tutoring on the side to improve her grades.

But thanks to Kathy Hochul’s newly implemented congestion tax, Tendas’ family may no longer be able to afford her dancing aspirations.

New York City residents like the Hahn family already endure living in one of the most expensive cities in the world. They have also weathered draconian COVID lockdowns that forced other middle-class families to flee the city. Now, Tendas’ father – a technician at a hospital in lower Manhattan – is being charged $9 a day for commuting on one of America’s most unkempt streets. Due to his work schedule, public transportation is not an option.

“It’s grueling, easily doubling the commute time when you’re doing an off-hour shift and coming home at midnight,” Mrs. Hahn said. “There’s a reason why he drives – his job is physically taxing. So when he’s on his feet all day – to add this additional time until he gets home, he misses out on sleep, which he needs for his job to perform.”