Hochul Fires Back after “King” Trump Tries to End Congestion Pricing with Edict

It is all out war over congestion pricing after President Donald Trump’s Department of Transportation issued an edict to try to end the $9 toll in lower Manhattan and an infuriated Gov. Kathy Hochul fired back.

“I don’t care if you love congestion pricing or hate it,” said Hochul during a hastily called Feb. 19 press conference. “This is an attack on our sovereign identity, our independence from Washington.”

Trump, after making the announcement that he had killed the toll on his Truth Social platform added, “It is nice to be king” with an image of him on a fake cover of Time wearing a golden crown and in the coner of the fake magazine cover the words, “Long Live the King.”

“New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years,” Hochul fumed. “We sure as hell are not going to start now.”

In reality, the letter from Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said it was withdrawing federal approval and that federal officials would be in contact with Hochul to “discuss the orderly cessation of toll operations.”

But as with many things in Trump world, the proclamations don’t translate into action. For the moment, the tolls remain operational, and the letter is likely just the opening salvo in a long legal battle that will last months, if not years.

The controversial congestion pricing plan is intended to cut traffic on busy Manhattan streets below 60th St. and generate at least $600 million a year, enabling the MTA to borrow $15-$16 billion for badly needed infrastructure projects and new train cars. But the plan had drawn fire from first responders, the United Federation of Teachers, car owners within the zone who get no discount and others outside the zone who need to drive personal cars into the zone for work.

But so far, it appears to be meeting one of its primary aims of reducing auto traffic. In the first month, Lieber said there were 1.2 million less vehicles in the zone below 60th St. compared to the same period a year ago. It cut commute times and in an unanticipated bonus, many residents inside the zone say street parking spaces are a easier to find now that some out-of-towners are leaving their cars home.

Manhattan borough president Mark Levine, a supporter of congestion pricing, also fired back at Trump.

“Here’s a question: is ‘his majesty’ going to fill the $15B hole he just blew in the MTA’s capital plan?,” asked Levine. “Just weeks since its implementation, congestion pricing has already shown positive results. Less traffic, less pollution—and higher public transportation usage. This move from the Trump administration is just another petty way to throw our city into chaos as part of his revenge tour.”

The press conference, attended by Janno Lieber, Chairman and CEO of the MTA, NY State Senator Brad Holyman-Sigal, NYC council members Gail Brewer, Keith Powers, Eric Botcher, and others was held to discuss an email sent early that afternoon by Secretary of Transportation Duffy.

The Congestion Pricing program was approved by the Biden Administration and started collecting tolls on Jan. 5, generally $9 for cars with E-Z Pass during the peak hours between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., dropping to $2.25 for cars with E-Z Pass in the off hours.

An infuriated Hochul continued, “We are a nation of states. This is what we fought for. This is what people like Alexander Hamilton and others fought for: To set up a system where we are not subservient to a king or anyone else out of Washington.”

Less than an hour after Secretary Duffy’s email at 1:01 p.m., at 1:58 p.m., President Donald Trump tweeted on Truth Social the “Long live the king.”

A visibly angered Hochul, speaking to reporters gathered in the subway entrance at One Vanderbilt Plaza, retorted: “In the streets of this city, where battles were fought; we stood up to a king. And we won then. And in case you don’t know New Yorkers, when we’re in a fight, we do not back down. Not now, not ever. We are not going to bow to the King.”

She then noted that commuters are roadkill in the current Administration’s revenge tour against New York. “We are in a fight mode, and we filed a lawsuit against the cessation of the Congestion Pricing program within minutes.”

Hochul also shot back at Trump’s DOT head. “It’s not the real world, Sean. It’s real life for New Yorkers. And don’t you forget that. Our MTA was prepared. We knew this could come and filed a lawsuit within minutes. I’m very confident we will be successful. “

MTA Chairman and CEO Lieber was asked about a Plan B, in case Congestion Pricing was halted. “We have no contingency plan,” he said. “We know that our lawsuit will stand up in court.”

“You need to respect State Boundaries” the Governor added as a postscript, suggesting the basis of Duffy’s email was touting what the State of New Jersey demanded of NYS, which she insists is a violation of State sovereignty.

Hochul concluded, “And I also want to say, until ruled otherwise, the Congestion Pricing cameras are staying on. We are keeping the cameras on. Lights, cameras, action. They’re staying on!”