The White House gave Governor Kathy Hochul until March 21 to end her Congestion Pricing tax scheme.
Trump said at the time on “X/Twitter, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!”
At the 11th hour, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy gave NY a 30-day reprieve as talks continue.
Duffy directed a comment on X/Twitter at Hochul saying, “The federal government and @POTUS are putting New York on notice. Your refusal to end (congestion) pricing and your open disrespect towards the federal government is unacceptable. Just as your high tolls and no free road option are a slap in the face to hard working Americans, your refusal to approve two vital pipelines that will lower fuel costs by 50% are against the public’s best interests.”
“Your unlawful pricing scheme charges working-class citizens to use roads their federal tax dollars already paid to build. We will provide New York with a 30-day extension as discussions continue. Know that the billions of dollars the federal government sends to New York are not a blank check. Continued noncompliance will not be taken lightly,” continued Duffy.
Despite meeting face to face in Washington DC twice, Hochul has not been able to broker a deal changing Trump’s mind on Congestion pricing. Hochul stands firm that she is keeping the $9 tax for cars entering Manhattan south of 60th Street. The tax is intended to raise millions in revenue for much-needed maintenance, repair, and upgrades to New York City’s MTA transit system.
Hochul claims that in the months since congestion pricing took effect, traffic is down and business is up — as the program delivers benefits for commuters from across the New York metro area and for businesses and offices in Manhattan’s Central Business District.
Hochul’s spokesperson shot back at Duffy saying, “We’ve seen Secretary Duffy’s tweet, which doesn’t change what Governor Hochul has been saying all along: the cameras are staying on.”
New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerry Kassar said, “The President had strong reasons based on data, firm opposition and his own personal knowledge of Manhattan to want to see congestion pricing come to an end. Nothing has changed except the final date.”
“Since congestion pricing took effect over two months ago, traffic is down and business is up – and that’s the kind of progress we’re going to keep delivering for New Yorkers,” Governor Hochul said. “Every day, more New Yorkers are seeing and hearing the benefits for our commutes, quality of life and economy – and we’re not going back.”
Hochul says that transit ridership in January and February 2025 has grown significantly compared to the same time last year.