Former Governor Andrew Cuomo brought the Congestion Pricing scheme to New York pushing it through the legislature in 2019 and is now opposed to the plan.
It was intended to raise revenue from commuters and visitors driving into portions of Manhattan to fund MTA maintenance and upgrades. Governor Kathy Hochul put the tax into place beginning January 5th, 2025.
Now Cuomo is knocking the incredibly unpopular Congestion tax as he looks to make a political comeback and run for Mayor of New York City. Now that it suits his political path,
Cuomo recently said in an OpEd column that appeared in the NY Post, “The people of New York know this is not the time to implement congestion pricing,” saying between rising violent subway crimes and a difficult economy now was not the time for such a tax on people who live, work and visit New York City.
He’s right, of course, and perhaps he has looked at the facts on the ground and changed his mind. Maybe he changed his position for political expediency. And, maybe a little of both.
Richard Azzopardi, Cuomo's spokesman, came out strong saying on X, “Hey, the $15 congestion fee was passed by the MTA Board under Governor Kathy Hochul’s watch. Your ridiculous 40% ‘savings’ argument fools no one.”
“It is undeniable that New York is in a dramatically different place today than it was in 2019, and without a study forecasting [the toll’s] consequences based on facts, not politics, it could do more harm than good to New York City’s recovery,” Azzopardi said.
Melissa DeRosa, Cuomo’s former chief aide said, “Nothing that Governor Hochul loves more than gaslighting — ask them the one about how much safer the MTA is under their watch.”
Cuomo’s change of heart has not gone unnoticed.
“It’s nice to see that now Cuomo recognizes what a bad idea congestion pricing is, but we won’t forget that he was the one who signed it into law just like the bail reform and sanctuary state policies that have made us less safe,” said. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island).
Malliotakis added, “Maybe he should have listened to Republicans before championing these disastrous policies who also challenged Hochul to ride the subway without her state police security detail.”
New York Conservative Party Chairman, Gerry Kassar, said when asked if he was surprised Cuomo came out so hard against a proposal that he fought so hard to pass, “Well, I think it's reflective of his chameleon-type style that always has at its end action which he thinks is politically beneficial to him.”
“As he looks to run for mayor, I guarantee he could not come up with too many things more popular than opposing congestion pricing in New York City. It is immensely unpopular. But, like so many of Andrew Cuomo's ideas and thought processes and conversations what you see is not what you get,” Kassar added.
Robert Holden said on X, “Cuomo is the reason we’re in this mess: bail reform, discovery changes, sanctuary state, congestion pricing, legal pot without stopping illegal shops, and more. Now he’s using subterfuge in a desperate attempt to reinvent himself. Are voters really that stupid? I hope not!”