August 6th 2024.
During a recent press conference on August 5th, Senate Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries offered his support for New York Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to put a temporary pause on a controversial congestion pricing program. This decision, according to reports from Gothamist, has caused the Manhattan Transit Authority a whopping $15 billion. But despite the financial impact, Rep. Jeffries sees it as a necessary move in the current moment.
At the press conference, which also marked the start of a new project to add elevators to the city's Clausson Avenue station, Rep. Jeffries stated, "I think that Gov. Hochul was wise to address the concerns of cost-of-living for everyday New Yorkers when it comes to congestion pricing. As for myself, I have remained neutral throughout the entire process, but I do support the pause as a reasonable step to take at this time."
Rep. Jeffries has been in favor of the pause since Gov. Hochul first announced it on June 5th. His office quickly approved a temporary pause in order to further assess the financial impact that congestion pricing would have on working-class New Yorkers. This decision was met with approval from many transit advocates, including Danny Pearlstein, a spokesperson for Riders Alliance, a non-profit organization that advocates for better transit in New York.
Despite Gov. Hochul's previous support for the program, she ultimately decided to pause it after speaking with everyday New Yorkers. The proposed congestion pricing would have increased the daily fee for drivers entering designated zones in Manhattan to $15, a significant jump from the current price. Transit advocates like Riders Alliance accused Gov. Hochul of making a political move, but both she and Rep. Jeffries have denied any collusion. According to Rep. Jeffries, "We did not discuss any negative impact on the House of Representatives in relation to congestion pricing."
As reported by the New York Times, congestion pricing has been shown to be effective in reducing pollution, although it was met with controversy when first implemented in London. Even London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, faced protests and criticism from both his own party and his opposition when he announced plans to expand the city's congestion pricing program in 2023. However, he ultimately won the election despite these plans.
Recent data shows that a majority of London drivers have already met the threshold to avoid the $16 fee, but the program still brought in over $130 million for the city. It is projected that by 2026, all cars will comply and the city will no longer collect fees.
Meanwhile, Gov. Hochul is facing two lawsuits from environmental groups, including one from the Sierra Club and the Riders Alliance. The New York City Environmental Justice Alliance alleges that her blockage of the program goes against the state Constitution's promise of clean air and water for its citizens. According to Dror Landin, a lawyer for Earthjustice's northeast regional office and lead attorney on the lawsuit against Gov. Hochul, "The governor's decision to block congestion pricing is a clear violation of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. It takes us further away from our emissions goals."
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