Exclusive | House GOP asks Trump to kill hated NYC congestion toll as Kathy Hochuls post-election surprise: Oppressive taxation
New York’s House Republicans are begging President-elect Donald Trump to kill the controversial Manhattan congestion when he takes office in January after a post-election push to resurrect the plan.Gov.
Kathy Hochul in June “paused” the plan to squeeze drivers for $15 to drive into lower Manhattan but is considering resurrecting it after the Nov.5 election, with a slightly smaller $9 toll.“We request your commitment to ending this absurd congestion pricing cash grab once and for all,” the letter, a letter sent to Trump Tuesday by Rep.
Mike Lawler and co-signed by Reps.Nicole Malliotakis and Andrew Garbarino.
The toll would be for drivers entering Manhattan’s business district south of 60th Street — which includes Trump Tower.Opponents long suspected that Hochul temporarily suspended the program to avoid a backlash against Democratic candidates during last week’s elections, and would resinstitute it post-election to help fund mass transit with the stated goal of curbing traffic and pollution.The GOP lawmakers told Trump that congestion pricing is a symbol of Hochul and other Empire State politicians’ “overreach in every aspect of government” and backing “oppressive taxation.”“Congestion pricing, the latest in a long string of tyrannical taxes, has been pressed forward through consistent opposition about the burden on New York families and workers, the timing of the effort, areas lacking adequate transit, the fiscal responsibility of the move, the negative impact that congestion pricing will have on residents of some of the lowest-income neighborhoods in New York City, and more,” the letter stated.“Governor Hochul recently announced that she would pursue an almost immediate implementation of the congestion pricing cash grab, despite cynically `pausing’ it earlier this year in an effort to win back the House,” the letter went on.“Now that her efforts have failed, she is planning to fast track this cash grab which will onl...