The governor is touting the success of the plan and is trying to convince the president to change his mind about his objections to it.
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Friday, January 31, 2025 11:38PM
N.J. Burkett reports on the one-on-one conversation between Gov. Hochul and President Trump about congestion pricing.
NEW YORK (WABC) — Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke on Friday about the one-on-one conversation she had with President Donald Trump about congestion pricing — which will remain in place for now.
After nearly a month, the impact of congestion pricing tolls is undeniable. With dramatically shorter commute times, less-congested streets and increased ridership on mass transit. But for how long?
President Trump has been critical of the plan-but hasn’t tried to pull the plug. Governor Kathy Hochul has been urging him not to.
She refused to disclose details of the private conversations she had with Trump about congestion pricing.
She admitted that Trump and “people around him have said they are not supportive” of congestion pricing, but she will attempt to change their minds.
“There’s going to be a follow-up conversation on this next week,” she said. “So I don’t know what the outcome will be. All I know is, I’ll always go into the arena and fight.”
Hochul sounded tentative Friday, perhaps because the stakes are enormous. It cost half a billion dollars just to install the tolling system. And the MTA is depending on the new tolls to raise $15 billion to maintain and upgrade the transit system.
And there are added concerns that the Trump Administration may withhold federal transit funding if the state does not assist in mass deportations.
On Friday, MTA Chairman Janno Lieber sounded upbeat-to a point.
“We’re very optimistic that on the law, this program is very solid,” Lieber said. “But obviously, we’re interested in the evolving views of the new federal administration. And that’s an important variable. And we’re watching it closely and thrilled that the governor has gotten into you know, a very professional dialogue with the president about it.”
The president and Hochul will talk again about it next week.
“Time will certainly tell,” she said.
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The governor is touting the success of the plan and is trying to convince the president to change his mind about his objections to it.
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