“This is real life for New Yorkers.” Governor Hochul and transit leaders oppose Washington’s decision to kill congestion pricing.
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell.
A fuming Gov. Kathy Hochul slammed President Trump’s gambit to kill congestion pricing on Wednesday as a direct federal “attack on New York sovereignty” by a self-proclaimed “king.”
The remarks came in response to Trump’s U.S. Department of Transportation, directed by Transportation Secretary San Duffy, moving on Feb. 19 to end the Manhattan toll program, which aims to reduce traffic congestion and improve transit efficiency in the city, just six weeks after the program started.
Hochul, during a press conference at Grand Central Station Wednesday afternoon, took exception to Trump bragging about the move on Truth social, in which he claimed to have “saved New York” from congestion pricing, adding “LONG LIVE THE KING,” in an apparent reference to himself.
“I’m here to say, New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years, and we sure as hell are not going to start now,” the governor said. “The streets of the city where battles were fought, we stood up to a king, and we won then. In case you don’t know New Yorkers, when we’re in a fight, we do not back down — not now, not ever.”
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber stands by the effectiveness of New York’s recently imposed traffic toll.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell.
Hochul claims New York is “under siege” by Washington and that “it feels like the commuters of our city and our region are now the road killed on Donald Trump’s revenge tour against New York,” Hochul said.
The governor emphasized the urgency of the situation, indicating that state agencies were prepared for a fight with Trump’s government. Immediately after the Trump administration’s announced Wednesday, the MTA filed a lawsuit to stop the gambit to kill congestion pricing.
Hochul is confident the lawsuit will be successful, adding that “the cameras are staying on.” She signaled that the toll program at the heart of congestion pricing would continue despite the legal battle ahead.
“We’re in fight mode within seconds of us getting this notification. Our MTA was prepared; we knew this could come,” Hochul said.
Transit leaders, including MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, joined Hochul in calling out the move to reverse congestion pricing. Lieber and others assert that congestion pricing has already proven to have positive effects. Recent reports indicate that traffic levels in the city have seen occasional decreases since the reimplementation of tolling in January.
“New York ain’t going back,” Lieber said. “We tried gridlock for 60 years. It didn’t work. It cost our economy billions, but you know what’s helping our economy? What’s making New York a better place is congestion pricing.”
As the legal battle looms, MTA officials expressed their confidence in the program’s legal standing.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell.
“We’ve been sued in every court east of the Mississippi and we won every time. This is gonna be another one,” Lieber added.
In addressing a question about the nature of discussions with the federal government, Hochul avoided specifics but maintained that her priority is securing necessary federal funding for New York’s infrastructure.
“I have to make people in Washington understand that if this city is crippled because we do not make the investments,” she said. “The ripple effect is powerful.”
When asked about her approach to future interactions with the Trump administration, Hochul pointed out that while she is open to collaboration, she will firmly defend New York’s interests.
“I’m governing the great state of New York. I don’t need to be play-wack-a-mole every time something crazy comes out of Washington,” she said. “But you came after New Yorkers, and now I have to step up on this issue.”
Hochul also held up a photo of Trump — a doctored image of the elected president styled like a cover of Time magazine, while wearing a crown with the words “Long Live the King” tweeted by the White House Wednesday afternoon” — and told New Yorkers to blame him for any transportation troubles if his bid to kill congestion pricing is successful.
“We are not subservient to a king or anyone else out of Washington,” she added.
