Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday the revival of a modified congestion pricing plan for Manhattan, proposing a $9 daily toll for most vehicles entering below 60th Street. The updated proposal, which comes months after Hochul paused the original $15 toll plan. “I’m proud to announce we have found a path to support the MTA, reduce congestion, and save our commuters money,” Hochul said. “Under this plan, the MTA will implement congestion pricing with a $9 toll starting in January. That’s a 40% reduction from the original $15 toll, saving daily commuters nearly $1,500 annually.” Hochul had initially paused the congestion pricing rollout, citing the economic strain it would place on middle- and working-class commuters. Critics, however, saw the delay as a strategic move to bolster support for Democrats in suburban areas where cost-of-living concerns were a major issue in recent congressional races. With the pause lifted, the program is set to begin just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed to terminate congestion pricing, takes office. New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer blasted the revived toll, particularly for its potential impact on New Jersey commuters. “In a time of inflation, New York’s attempt to whack Jersey families with another tax is utterly absurd,” Gottheimer said in a statement. “We stopped the Congestion Tax once, and we’ll stop it again.” Rep. Mike Lawler, who is reportedly weighing a run for governor, said congestion pricing would amount to a massive tax on middle-class families and workers. “Governor Hochul is trying to pick the pockets of New Yorkers to bail out the corrupt MTA’s waste, fraud, and abuse, and that’s shameful,” Lawler said. Gottheimer and Lawler previously introduced a federal bill that threatened to withhold federal funds from New York if the plan went forward. Concerned that the upcoming presidential transition might hinder the plan’s progress, Governor Hochul has reintroduced the proposal, aiming to push it through before January 20th. Gottheimer and Lawler have vowed to continue their bipartisan opposition to the measure. Meanwhile, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy strongly criticized the plan in a press release. “I am firmly opposed to any attempt to force through a congestion pricing proposal in the final months of the Biden administration,” Murphy said. “We must heed the clear message voters across America sent last Tuesday.” Advocates of congestion pricing argue that it will ease gridlock, cut pollution, and provide a much-needed funding source for public transit. They criticized Hochul’s earlier decision to delay implementation, accusing her of prioritizing political interests over transit funding. The revised toll is expected to provide about 60% of the originally projected $1 billion annual revenue, leaving the MTA with a funding gap in its capital plan. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)