Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy slapped down New York's recently implemented "congestion pricing" tax scheme Wednesday afternoon, informing New York Governor Kathy Hochul the program is no longer valid.
“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” Duffy released in a statement. “Commuters using the highway system to enter New York City have already financed the construction and improvement of these highways through the payment of gas taxes and other taxes. But now the toll program leaves drivers without any free highway alternative, and instead, takes more money from working people to pay for a transit system and not highways. It’s backwards and unfair. The program also hurts small businesses in New York that rely on customers from New Jersey and Connecticut. Finally, it impedes the flow of commerce into New York by increasing costs for trucks, which in turn could make goods more expensive for consumer. Every American should be able to access New York City regardless of their economic means. It shouldn’t be reserved for an elite few.”
New York is already responding with a lawsuit.
“Today, the MTA [Metro Transit Authority] filed papers in federal court to ensure that the highly successful program—which has already dramatically reduced congestion, bringing reduced traffic and faster travel times, while increasing speeds for buses and emergency vehicles—will continue notwithstanding this baseless effort to snatch those benefits away from the millions of mass transit users, pedestrians and, especially, the drivers who come to the Manhattan Central Business District," MTA released in a statement. "It’s mystifying that after four years and 4,000 pages of federally-supervised environmental review—and barely three months after giving final approval to the Congestion Relief Program—USDOT would seek to totally reverse course.”
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We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king. pic.twitter.com/PikwB5OwnM
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) February 19, 2025
In January, Hochul touted the program as "affordable."
Kathy Hochul claimed she put money back in people’s pockets because NY was originally going to charge $15 for congestion pricing and instead only charged $9.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 19, 2025
Trump just killed it.
NY’ers will now be charged 0. Ultimate savings! pic.twitter.com/2HbJiv5D8r
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