Gov. Hochul vows to fight Trump’s March deadline to end congestion pricing

3 hrs ago

Listen

Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)

The Trump administration ordered the MTA to terminate congestion pricing by March 21. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the MTA are pushing back.
Hochul said Thursday, “It ain’t over,” referring to efforts to keep the tolling program.
The Democratic governor met with President Donald Trump last week, where she said she tried to appeal to him as a “New Yorker.”

Full Story

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, D, is continuing to push back on President Donald Trump’s move to block congestion pricing. The governor said, “It ain’t over,” during a discussion on MSNBC Thursday, Feb. 27.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

Her response comes as the Trump administration gives New York until March 21 to comply with its order to end the $9 tolling program on vehicles entering Manhattan.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

A letter from the U.S. Transportation Department’s Federal Highway Administration was made public Wednesday, Feb. 26, after it was sent to the city on Feb. 20, the day after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced he rescinded federal approval of the toll. He called the toll a “slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners.”

Immediately following that, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) filed a lawsuit challenging the move, and city officials are now vowing to continue the program.

What was said at Hochul’s meeting with Trump?

During the MSNBC interview, Gov. Hochul discussed her meeting with Trump, saying that she tried to appeal to the president as a “New Yorker.”

“I’m trying to find a common ground here,” Hochul said. “This is a city that he cares about, and he understands it more than any president since FDR.”

Hochul didn’t elaborate on anything Trump said during their meeting, but added she hopes he’ll give New York another chance to prove the effectiveness of congestion pricing.

She echoed the same statement Wednesday while speaking at a board meeting with the MTA, promising “orderly resistance” to the Trump administration’s order.

“We must stand up, and we will stand up,” Hochul said. “We will not be steamrolled.”

How has congestion pricing impacted the city?

The MTA said that since congestion pricing began on Jan. 5, traffic and commute times have reduced on some of the most crowded roads in New York City.

The plan is also reportedly on track to hit its goal of raising $15 billion in funding for transit repairs and improvements.

Nearly $49 million was billed to vehicles entering the zone in January, according to the latest public data from the authority.

Tags: congestion, congestion pricing, Department of Transportation, Donald Trump, Kathy Hochul, MTA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, New York, New York City, Public Transportation, Sean Duffy, toll

[New York Gov. Kathy Hochul]

“So you know what It ain’t over.”

[Craig Nigrelli]

NEW YORK GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL … PUSHES BACK ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S MOVE TO BLOCK CONGESTION PRICING.

THE GOVERNOR’S RESPONSE COMES AS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION GIVES NEW YORK UNTIL MARCH 21ST TO COMPLY WITH ITS ORDER TO END THE 9 DOLLAR TOLLING PROGRAM ON VEHICLES ENTERING MANHATTAN.

A LETTER FROM THE U-S TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT’S FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION WAS MADE PUBLIC WEDNESDAY … AFTER IT WAS SENT TO THE CITY FEBRUARY 20TH … THE DAY AFTER TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY ANNOUNCED HE RESCINDED FEDERAL APPROVAL OF THE TOLL CALLING IT “SLAP IN THE FACE TO WORKING CLASS AMERICANS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.”

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THAT, THE METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY FILED A LAWSUIT CHALLENGING THE MOVE AND CITY OFFICIALS ARE NOW VOWING TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM.

GOVERNOR HOCHUL … WHO MET WITH TRUMP LAST WEEK, DISCUSSED THURSDAY MORNING ON M-S-N-B-C … HER ATTEMPT TO TRY AND APPEAL TO THE PRESIDENT AS A “NEW YORKER” … REMAINING COMMITTED TO DEFENDING THE PLAN.

I’m trying to find a common ground here. This is a city that he cares about .. and he understands it more than any president since FDR we haven’t had a new york president. But more than anyone he has property here he understands we want to make sure the city keeps moving.

HOCHUL DIDN’T ELABORATE ON ANYTHING TRUMP SAID DURING THEIR MEETING – BUT ADDED SHE HOPES HE’LL GIVE NEW YORK ANOTHER CHANCE TO PROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONGESTION PRICING.

SHE ECHOED THIS STATEMENT WEDNESDAY WHILE SPEAKING AT A BOARD MEETING WITH THE M-T-A… PROMISING “ORDERLY RESISTANCE” TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ORDER.

we must stand up … and we will stand up … we will not be steamrolled.

THE M-T-A SAYS SINCE CONGESTION PRICING BEGAN ON JANUARY 5TH, TRAFFIC AND COMMUTE TIMES HAVE REDUCED ON SOME OF THE MOST CROWDED ROADS IN NEW YORK CITY.

THE PLAN IS ALSO ON TRACK TO HIT ITS GOAL OF RAISING 15 BILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR TRANSIT REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS.

NEARLY 49 MILLION DOLLARS WAS BILLED TO VEHICLES ENTERING THE ZONE IN JANUARY, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST PUBLIC DATA FROM THE AUTHORITY.

FOR SAN, I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.

FOR ALL YOUR LATEST NEWS HEADLINES – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.