Malliotakis Statement on Revival of New York City's Congestion Pricing Scheme

(NEW YORK, NY) - Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis today released the following statement regarding Governor Kathy Hochul's decision to revive New York City's Congestion Pricing scheme that will charge commuters $9 to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street.

"The city’s Congestion Pricing plan did not receive the scrutiny and environmental review required under federal NEPA law. With Governor Hochul now changing the terms of this cash grab, the MTA’s Traffic Mobility Review Board must allow a new public comment period and the Federal Highway Administration should require the MTA to complete an Environmental Impact Statement to determine this new proposal’s impact on traffic, pollution and the economy. In the meantime, Borough President Fossella and I still have pending litigation challenging Congestion Pricing, which we hope will prevail in federal court. We also continue to reiterate our concerns to the incoming Trump Administration and have confidence that he will terminate this burdensome tax on commuters once he assumes office."

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Sam Graves said, “President-elect Trump has made it clear that he does not support this congestion pricing scheme, and the rush to institute it before he can take office is a blatantly political move. Just before it was scheduled to begin this summer, and prior to the election, the governor acted unilaterally to ‘indefinitely pause’ the congestion pricing proposal because of its unpopularity. Now it’s conveniently being resurrected barely a week after the polls closed. Americans across the country, from New York and New Jersey, to Missouri and every other state, are feeling the pain of higher costs, and the results from the recent election show that they are ready for relief. This calculated decision flies in the face of the message Americans just sent, and my committee will consider all options to conduct the necessary oversight of this issue as we move forward.”

Malliotakis is a founding member of the bipartisan Anti-Congestion Tax Caucus that has introduced several pieces of legislation to stop congestion pricing. This week she joined a bipartisan group of local elected officials in urging Governor Hochul to scrap Congestion Pricing all together, and Congressional colleagues in writing to the incoming Trump Administration requesting he terminate the plan upon assuming office.