Long Island politicians vow to fight Gov. Kathy Hochul's revised congestion pricing plan
CARLE PLACE, Long Island (WABC) -- New York Governor Kathy Hochul's revived plan for congestion pricing hasn't even been on the table for a full day, but politicians outside Manhattan are already fighting it with a wall of opposition.
For those who spend most of their week commuting to New York City in their cars, congestion pricing just adds insult to injury.
In a letter to Donald Trump, Don Clavin, the supervisor of America's largest township, called congestion pricing an "unconstitutional tax grab." So does Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
From the local level on up, politicians outside Manhattan are already pushing hard to stop it.
"I was on the phone this morning with our attorneys to see if there's any temporary injunction we could see relief in federal court, to stop this," said Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin.
Meanwhile, in Congress, outgoing Rep. Anthony D'Esposito vows to use his last legislative breath to oppose congestion pricing.
"I'm going utilize my position on the Transportation Infrastructure Committee, to make sure that no federal funds are used to implement congestion pricing," he said.
From Staten Island, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis vows to stymy it in the Department of Transportation.
"The MTA did not conduct a full and thorough environmental impact statement as required by federal law," she said.
It also wouldn't be shocking to see President-elect Trump turn to his soon-to-be Director of the Environmental Protection Agency Lee Zeldin for policy change.
"Lee Zeldin, another suburban former congressman, could not possibly find a way to want to support congestion pricing," said Larry Levy of the National Center for Suburban Studies.
This leaves many political experts wondering if Gov. Hochul has taken too great a political risk with suburban voters. She says quite the opposite.
"People live in Suffolk County, Nassau County, Orange County, Westchester County, I have a responsibility to them to make sure this system is working," she said.
It's a plan that could run out of gas before it even starts and face political pitfalls down the road.
"This can't help her with the suburbs, where even if it's the greatest policy since sliced bread, it's not very popular," Levy said.
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