Summary
Trump revoked federal approval for New York City’s congestion pricing plan, which aimed to reduce traffic and fund public transit.
Trump celebrated on social media, declaring, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD… LONG LIVE THE KING!” In response, Governor Kathy Hochul stated, “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king,” and confirmed the MTA is pursuing legal action.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claimed the tolls harmed working-class Americans. The $9 fee had improved traffic flow, but enforcement will now be halted.
So far he has shown little to no actual means to enforce the majority of these orders. Unless he sends in the military for paper straws and congestion pricing, what can he realistically do?
Be petty and withhold sending federal funds which Congress already allocated for this very thing. Republicans in Congress have already shown they’re his bitch, and won’t do anything about him taking away their power of the purse.
The infrastructure is already built. What funding is needed? It’s just revenue collection at this point.
I’d imagine he’d withhold all federal highway funds for NYS as long as the congestion pricing is in place.
Sounds like a win win.
I have my doubts that money would continue to flow anyway.
Especially considering they’ve already pulled money back illegally.
He’ll send Elon with his dogs to investigate for efficiency issues, and withdraw funds, or send his DOJ after anyone who stands up to him.
That was the whole point of this past month of news blast after news blast of the damage they are willing to do.
He is cowing everyone into submission and its being very effective.
I thought republicans were all for small federal government, states rights blahblahblah.
“Small government” means “one white guy we call king”.
Good. Should be able to get an injunction and keep it going no matter how long these assclowns want to try and draw things out in court.
I’ve seen a number of articles about this today, but nothing clarifying why this a federal thing. Anyone have context?
This is the full letter sent by Duffy. Basically since federal money was used to build the roads, they can’t be tolled without federal approval.
The Federal-Aid Road Act of 1916, Congress has required that roads constructed with Federal-aid highway funds be free from tolls of all kinds, subject to limited exceptions.
In 1991, Congress created a limited exception to the tolling prohibition for “congestion pricing pilot projects” implemented by States, local governments, or public authorities.
The Trump administration is arguing that the tolls are mainly there to benefit the MTA, and there wasn’t a need to controlling congestion, even though that’s what’s happening. Anyone who says there isn’t a need to control congestion has never driven in lower manhattan without a motorcade.
Sort of a tangential example to how this kind of law works
Interstate highways (the ones that start with an I in front of the number) receive federal funding for upkeep.
As part of that, they generally can’t be toll roads, and rest stops can’t be commercialized- so no stores, restaurants, or gas stations (the idea being that the highways are supposed to be for everyone to use and rest stops shouldn’t be competing with local businesses)
There are exceptions for cases like the PA turnpike (I76) which was originally built before the interstate highway act and then later integrated into the interstate system. So they’re grandfathered in so they have tolls and commercialized rest stops because they already had them. (The tolls were also supposed to be temporary until the construction was paid off but that’s neither here nor there)
If it was an act of Congress that created the exception for congestion pricing, then can’t New York just tell trump to “pound sand”? As in “come back when Congress has rejected congestion pricing”.
From what I read they filed a lawsuit within the hour of receiving the letter and will continue to collect tolls until a judge tells them not to.
Very glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing that info.
Presumably not all roads were built with federal funds, can’t they just block off those ones and continue congestion pricing for the remainder?
Although they’d need to get a mayor who can’t be blackmailed first.
I don’t know for sure, but I assume it is because the tolls would impact interstate commerce which puts it under federal jurisdiction.
HUFFINGTON POST IS LYING and this post should be removed. Congestion pricing IS NOT DEAD just because Trump falsely claims it is!
