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As New York’s “congestion pricing” inner-city tolling plan takes impact Sunday, one in every of its main proponents is questioning whether or not the timing is true for a coverage meant to drive folks to an more and more harmful mass transit system.
By a spokesman, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed that he nonetheless backs the system that now tolls drivers $9 to cross beneath Central Park or enter Decrease Manhattan from Brooklyn and New Jersey – however questioned whether or not now could be greatest to implement it.
“Governor Cuomo believes congestion pricing is in the end the correct coverage, which is why he fought and succeeded in passing it after greater than a decade of failed makes an attempt,” longtime spokesman Wealthy Azzopardi informed Fox Information Digital on Friday.
Azzopardi mentioned that Cuomo’s unique plan, which discovered settlement from then-Mayor Invoice de Blasio, was based mostly on a “secure and dependable subway system” and a thriving metropolis core. Prior Mayor Michael Bloomberg had proposed an analogous plan in 2007, however it died in Albany.
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“[G]iven the plain insecurity the general public presently has within the subway system – mixed with the tenuous state of New York Metropolis post-COVID, [Cuomo] known as for a data-driven research on the affect of congestion pricing to tell the timing of such a serious coverage change and to make sure New York was not creating further obstacles to its comeback.”
Cuomo beforehand wrote in a March op-ed that congestion pricing’s success hinges on confidence within the MTA and mass transit, which he famous has additionally statistically nonetheless not recovered from COVID ranges.
He famous how congestion pricing is supposed to “incentivize” subway use – however that that’s onerous to do when persons are getting brutally attacked underground – and famous that it was his father, Gov. Mario Cuomo, who first beefed-up police presence after the “unhealthy previous days.”
On the time of a previous column within the Submit, Cuomo cited a conductor with 24 years of service to the MTA vowing by no means to return underground after he was slashed within the neck and required 34 stitches whereas working an A prepare in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
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MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and Gov. Hochul (Getty)
Extra not too long ago, an Ocean County, N.J., lady was burned alive in Coney Island, and there have been a number of near-fatal instances of individuals being randomly shoved in entrance of trains, occurring from Morningside Heights to TriBeCa, since Christmas.
“It’s simple that New York is in a dramatically completely different place at this time than it was in 2019, and and not using a research forecasting its penalties based mostly on information, not politics, it may do extra hurt than good to New York Metropolis’s restoration,” Cuomo’s spokesman mentioned Friday.
However Cuomo’s onetime deputy, Gov. Kathy Hochul, appeared full-steam-ahead in enacting the coverage, which is meant to drive commuters and residents to think about mass transit to move to work or play in Midtown.
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In a latest assertion lauding her present plan, Hochul’s workplace mentioned the discount of the congestion toll from its unique $15 will save drivers $1,500 per 12 months, and that commuters will see “new and improved subway companies.”
“By getting congestion pricing underway and absolutely supporting the MTA capital plan, we’ll unclog our streets, scale back air pollution and ship higher public transit for tens of millions of New Yorkers,” Hochul mentioned.
MTA Chairman Janno Lieber, who oversees the state-run metro subway, bus and rail community, mentioned that Hochul is “stepping up” for individuals who need cleaner air, safer streets and fewer gridlock.
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The FDR Drive on Manhattan’s East Facet; one in every of few roadways exempt from tolling. (Getty)
He additionally famous that upgrades have already taken place on the 7 subway from Occasions Sq. to Flushing, Queens, and the L prepare from Union Sq. to Canarsie.
Nevertheless, Cuomo’s camp maintains that it was he who envisioned and oversaw the upgrades to New York’s transit community with out the added tolls in impact – and ripped Hochul and Lieber for claiming that he had gotten chilly toes.
When the New York Submit requested Hochul for touch upon Cuomo suggesting she “hit the brakes” on congestion pricing, the governor directed remark to a Lieber spokesman, who blasted Cuomo for “flip-flopping.”
“What would actually hurt New York’s persevering with restoration is ravenous subways of a desperately wanted supply of funding after many years of underinvestment,” the MTA’s Aaron Donovan mentioned.
“The $15 charge was handed by the MTA beneath Hochul’s watch, however please gaslight away,” Azzopardi informed Fox Information Digital. “New Yorkers aren’t silly.”
Cuomo beforehand informed WNYW that folks have the choice to earn a living from home, which they didn’t have when he first pushed the plan in 2019 – and that if he had been a commuter, he would possible balk on the concept of added prices at a time of “excessive crime and homelessness.”
Cuomo’s camp additionally mentioned that Hochul likes to take credit score for the achievements of his three-term administration that presaged the brand new tolls.
“The distinction right here is that Governor Cuomo constructed the [new Amtrak/MetroNorth] Moynihan Practice Corridor and the Second Avenue Subway [extension to East Harlem], in addition to fastened the L prepare and did the onerous work to get [Grand Central’s] East Facet Entry and the LIRR Third-Observe accomplished. All Hochul needed to do was lower the ribbons,” Azzopardi mentioned.
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Cuomo’s requires a pause had been joined by a number of New York Republicans, but the previous governor and potential 2025 mayoral candidate stays supportive of congestion pricing, whereas the GOP needs it nixed completely.
Commuters from New Jersey should nonetheless pay Port Authority tolls to cross the Hudson River, and outer-borough commuters the identical through the East River – albeit with a slight credit score towards their “congestion” charge.
Drivers who stay on the FDR Drive or Joe DiMaggio West Facet Freeway is not going to be charged except they flip onto floor streets.
Subway mayhem spurs Cuomo to induce halt to new NYC driving tax
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