Amid an ongoing discussion about future tariffs on Canada and Mexico, President Donald Trump has expressed his desire to junk New York City’s controversial policy on vehicle use – congestion pricing. In a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul, President Trump, through newly appointed transportation secretary Sean Duffy, has listed his objections to the program. The letter, first obtained by The New York Times, also stated that the federal government will be in contact with the state to “discuss the orderly cessation” of the policy.
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New York City’s congestion charge took effect on January 5, 2025. It was initially axed before even taking effect last year, but was later reintroduced in November. The policy charges vehicles entering New York’s Central Business District in Lower Manhattan, below 60th Street. The fee is $9 for a passenger vehicle like a Toyota Corolla, while small trucks pay $14.40. Large trucks and sightseeing buses are charged $21.50.
Meant To Repair NYC’s Mass Transit System
The policy, officially known as the Value Pricing Pilot Program (VPPP), was enacted to solve road congestion in the busiest sections of NYC. It also wants to clear pollution in the city, while aiding the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in raising $15 billion, meant to be used to repair the city’s mass transit system. According to reports, the congestion charge saw a substantial effect in its first week, with 43,800 fewer vehicles entering the busy zones per day compared to the numbers in the same period last year.
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President Trump’s objection to the VPPP is hardly a surprise. Even before being elected, he expressed his opposing views on the policy during his campaign, saying that he would end the tolling program if elected. President Trump has taken his feelings about the program to Truth Social, with the White House mirroring his thoughts in a Facebook post.
Legal Experts Side With NYC
New York City’s congestion program has been challenged by the opposition since last year, including Gov. Philip D. Murphy of New Jersey. The state of New Jersey filed a suit against it, but Judge Leo M. Gordon of the US District Court in New Jersey ruled in favor of the program’s supporters. Gov. Murphy then wrote a letter to President Trump in January to urge him to stop the tolls from taking effect.
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Despite President Trump’s public proclamation of successfully halting the VPPP, state officials aren’t giving in and have expressed no intentions of stopping the program. In a separate The New York Times report, David A. Super, a law professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, said that there isn’t anything in the statute that gives federal officials the authority to cancel. He added that the proper way to affect change in the program is to go through congress.
Source: The New York Times
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