In order to avoid the cancellation of the congestion pricing plan after Donald Trump takes office on January 20 next year, New York Governor Hochul announced that the congestion pricing will be officially implemented at a reduced rate starting January 5 next year. Republican congress members in New York are currently considering legislative actions in case Trump is unable to act in time, to repeal the congestion pricing through congressional means.
Trump had vowed to end the congestion pricing within the first week of taking office. He criticized Hochul’s decision to restart the congestion pricing plan on November 14, claiming it would severely impact working families.
A coalition of Republican congress members from New York, including Mike Lawler, Nicole Malliotakis, and Andrew Garbarino, wrote to Trump on November 12 urging him to issue an executive order to revoke federal approval for the congestion pricing plan upon taking office. Lawler stated that if Trump fails to repeal the plan through an executive order, Congress will take legislative action as the Republicans hold the majority in both the House and Senate.
According to Gothamist, as early as the 1970s, New York congress members had legislated to prevent tolls on bridges in New York City, such as the East River bridges.
Last year, Lawler and New Jersey Democratic congress member Josh Gottheimer introduced the “Anti-Congestion Tax Act,” which prohibits federal funding for major construction projects by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) if congestion pricing is implemented. Malliotakis also introduced a separate bill requiring a more thorough environmental review for the congestion pricing, potentially delaying its implementation.
The congestion pricing plan remains a controversial issue, with not all Democratic congress members from New York in favor of it. Laura Gillen, newly elected congress member from Long Island, wrote to Hochul on November 14 urging her to consider alternative ways to fund MTA.
Former New York City Transportation Commissioner Sam Schwartz, who supports congestion pricing, stated that with Trump taking office next year and the Republican control of Congress, any action could be taken to block the congestion pricing. There is a possibility that Trump could even withhold federal funds allocated to New York, hence the state and city should be prepared for any potential outcomes.