George Pataki praises Trump for killing congestion pricing and calls for an NY version of DOGE

Former Gov.George Pataki praised President Trump for moving to kill congestion pricing — and said New York needs its own cost-slashing version of DOGE.Pataki, a Republican, said Gov.

Kathy Hochul “wanted the money” from the $9 toll to enter Manhattan to fund the cash-strapped Metropolitan Transportation Authority.“New York State gets enough money — too much money — from the taxpayers,” Pataki said on WABC 770s AM’s “The Cats Roundtable.” “They don’t need more,” Pataki said.

“New York is too expensive.The government costs too much.

We could use a little DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] in Albany and City Hall instead of raising taxes.”He noted that the MTA is asking for billions more in capital funding from Albany — well beyond the revenues generated from the congestion toll.“It never ends,” Pataki said of the proposed $65 billion, five-year plan.“It’s unsustainable.”The MTA has sued to block the Trump administration from rescinding the toll and congestion pricing remains in effect for the time being.Although New York’s last Republican governor had praise for Trump, he said he was baffled by the commander-in-chief’s handling of the negotiations to end Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine.Pataki said Trump appeared to be harder on Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky than on Russia and its leader Vladimir Putin, who invaded Ukraine three years ago, on Feb. 24, 2022.Pataki has visited Ukraine numerous times as part of relief efforts through his charitable group.“President Trump‘s positioning on Ukraine so far has been completely wrong,” Pataki told host John Catsimatidis.

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