Gov. Hochul’s latest big congestion-toll lie shows she KNOWS it’s a disaster
Gov. Kathy Hochul has gone full rabbit hole on her congestion pricing tolls.
After a New Jersey federal judge issued a ruling Monday that she and the MTA say leaves them free for a Jan. 5 go-ahead to start the gouging, the gov smirked: “This is a massive win for commuters in both New York and New Jersey.”
A win for commuters? It’s the exact opposite.
On the Gothamite side of the question, the $9 toll (already set to rise to $12 and then $15 over the next six years) for drivers heading south of 60th Street in Manhattan will slam less-affluent outer-borough residents the hardest — among them cops, teachers, firefighters and other providers of essential services.
Worse, by the MTA’s own analyses, the plan will most likely increase traffic in the Bronx and Staten Island (in other words, relocate the logjams outside of wealthier Manhattan).
For Garden Staters, the toll won’t just slam commuters, but also discourage casual visitors from coming into the city at all, which means they won’t be spending their money here at restaurants, shops and theaters.
And this comes against a backdrop of absolute fiscal irresponsibility from the MTA.
Some $252 million for subway intercoms that turned out to be basically useless.
A roughly 4% fare hike in 2025 and another hike in 2027.
A demand for $1.27 billion for 435 new subway cars (at nearly double the per-car price of what Chicago paid for 400 new cars).
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli just weighed in with a blistering report on how bad the agency is with cash.
And if this toll is so great for commuters, Gov, why did you “pause” it back in June — and then, when you re-lowered the boom after Election Day, lower it (for now) to $9?
Look, Hochul’s no dummy: She knows people hate congestion pricing and that it serves no real purpose beyond funneling cash to a bleeding MTA.
But modern Democrats don’t deal with massive mistakes by reversing course.
Instead, they offer desperate inversions of reality: “Win for commuters” is her version of “The border is under control.”
It’s slimy and pathetic — and once again, the people bearing the brunt will be the average New Yorkers she claims to serve.