Hochul defies Trump’s deadline to end congestion toll, risking NY funding cuts



New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) is risking losing federal government funding after she refused to comply with President Donald Trump’s demand to shut down Manhattan’s congestion toll.

The Trump administration’s Department of Transportation gave Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority until Sunday to shut down its $9 congestion toll, but the governor and MTA officials refused.

'The federal government sends billions to New York — but we won’t foot the bill if the state continues to implement an illegal toll to backfill the budget of New York’s failing transit system.'

In February, the MTA filed a lawsuit against the White House, seeking to block it from ending the toll program. The state’s Department of Transportation and New York City joined the complaint against the administration last week.

“The President is not a king, and Defendants have no right to demand compliance with the Administration’s unlawful directives,” the lawsuit read. “Plaintiffs will continue to operate the Program as required by New York law unless and until Plaintiffs are directed to stop by a court order.”

Despite the court filing, Trump’s DOT stated that it still expected New York to comply with its deadline on April 20.

“USDOT will continue to fight for working-class Americans whose tax dollars have already funded and paid for these roads,” the department stated.

On Saturday, U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) told the New York Post that the White House “needs to come up with some type of penalization for not complying.”

“Maybe they want to look at withholding certain federal funds, for projects within Manhattan, within the congestion zone. Maybe the Second Avenue subway [expansion project], for example,” she stated.

The Trump administration appeared to take Malliotakis’ advice after Hochul declared, “The cameras are staying on.”

MTA chief of policy and external relations John McCarthy told the Post, “In case there were any doubts, MTA, State, and City reaffirmed in a court filing that congestion pricing is here to stay and that the arguments [USDOT] Secretary [Sean] Duffy made trying to stop it have zero merit.”

After New York breezed past the Sunday deadline, Duffy sent a letter to Hochul warning of “serious consequences” for continuing to impose the tolls.

Duffy gave the state’s DOT until May 21 to either stop the congestion fines or demonstrate how it did not violate the law. He noted that if the Federal Highway Administration finds that the state has broken the law or fails to respond, the federal government could pull funding for state road projects beginning on May 28.

He stated in a post on X, “The federal government sends billions to New York — but we won’t foot the bill if the state continues to implement an illegal toll to backfill the budget of New York’s failing transit system.”

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Clean up crime-ridden transit or lose federal funds: Trump's DOT warns cities



Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy demanded that cities clean up their crime-ridden public transit systems if they want to continue receiving taxpayer funds from the federal government.

Duffy's threats to withhold funding stemmed from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's failure to keep New York City's subway system safe for riders. In a Tuesday letter to the MTA, Duffy requested that the agency turn over data on subway crime as well as its plans to address those issues.

'It's not just New York; it'll be Chicago, it'll be Washington, D.C.'

"The trend of violent crime, homelessness, and other threats to public safety on one of our nation's most prominent metro systems is unacceptable. After years of soft-on-crime policies, our Department is stepping in to restore order," Duffy wrote. "Commuters are sick and tired of feeling like they have to jeopardize their safety to get to work, go to school, or to travel around the city. We will continue to fight to ensure their federal tax dollars are going towards a crime-free commute."

MTA Chief of Policy and External Relations John J. McCarthy released a statement following Duffy's letter, claiming the agency would be "happy to discuss" its efforts with the DOT.

MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber claimed that the agency has "done so much to improve subway safety."

"Right now, crime in the subway is down 45% versus the period right before [the] pandemic," he said. "They asked us for very detailed information, and we're going to prepare a letter in response."

"We have, actually, the lowest number of daily crimes in the subway system than we have ever had in recorded history in the first part of this year," Lieber remarked.

Duffy disputed the MTA's claims during an interview with Fox News, stating that assaults are up 56% in New York subways since 2019.

"It's dangerous, it's dirty, and the city has spent billions of dollars on migrants — whether housing and feeding them — and they can't spend millions of dollars to clean up their subway," Duffy told the news outlet. "We give millions of dollars a year to the New York subway, and part of the requirement is they keep it safe."

Duffy stated that the Trump administration is prepared to pull funding if cities cannot keep their subway systems safe.

"And it's not just New York; it'll be Chicago, it'll be Washington, D.C.," he added. "If they don't get on board to change their ways, we're pulling cash."

"We're not going to fund dirty, disgusting homeless shelters that mirror as subway stations," Duffy told Fox News.

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Trump Saves New Yorkers From Themselves

'Hochul’s assertion makes sense, until you think about it even a little bit.'

Union boss torches Governor Hochul for 'atrocious' NYC congestion toll amid surging subway crime



A union boss slammed New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) for her "atrocious, disgusting" decision to implement a congestion toll amid surging subway crime.

Phil Valenti of the Transport Workers Union Local 106 told the New York Post this week that New Yorkers are being forced to choose between paying costly tolls or traveling in the city's crime-ridden subway system.

'We now have the mentality ill from all over the world, who are homeless, walking our streets, taking our subways and killing people randomly.'

With the congestion toll slated to take effect on Sunday, Valenti told the news outlet, "New Yorkers have been forced into a terrible and unfair position."

"To put congestion pricing in now is atrocious, disgusting — a real slap in the face," he remarked. "The subway system is unsafe right now. Give me a break."

"You can pay $9 to enter the congestion pricing zone or take the subway, where violent crime is soaring. At least some drivers will be afraid to take the subway, undermining the entire purpose of congestion pricing. MTA Chairman Janno Lieber and Gov. Kathy Hochul are to blame for this absolute mess," Valenti explained.

Hochul previously halted a proposed $15 toll in June following a wave of public and legal pushback. However, after the November election, she revived the plan at a lower price.

Passenger vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street will be forced to pay a $9 toll, small trucks $14.40, large trucks $21.60, motorcycles $4.50, taxis $0.75, and Uber and Lyft drivers $1.50.

"It was $15 before; now it is $9. That is a 40% reduction," Hochul stated in November. "This lower toll will save daily commuters nearly $1,500 annually, and that kind of money makes a big difference for our families. And there'll be further discounts for low-income New Yorkers. Car owners who make less than $50,000 a year will get a 50% discount on every toll after their 10th toll of the month. In addition, after 9 p.m., the toll is discounted even further."

Valenti told the Post that solving the MTA's $700 million yearly losses from subway and bus fare cheaters should be prioritized over implementing a congestion toll.

"With Gov. Hochul's policies of New York state being a wide-open sanctuary state, we now have the mentality ill from all over the world, who are homeless, walking our streets, taking our subways and killing people randomly," Valenti said. "Riders and workers are not safe."

The city's unsafe conditions prompted the Guardian Angels, a volunteer crime-prevention group, to begin patrolling the subway system.

Curtis Sliwa, the Guardian Angels' founder, told the Post, "We're covering the actual trains from front to back, walking through the trains and making sure that everything is okay."

MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan told the news outlet that crime on the subway was "down 5.4%" in 2024.

MTA chief security officer Michael Kemper said, "Thousands of NYPD Transit officers are working every hour of the day and night to make the subway safe, and the record reflects they are making an impact."

"I know firsthand that to suggest otherwise disrespects the commitment to transit workers and riders, and real results delivered by those officers," Kemper remarked.

A spokesperson for Hochul's office told the Post, "Governor Hochul cut the congestion pricing toll by 40%, squashed a potential 25% surge fee, and is fighting every single day to make the subways safer for commuters and transit workers."

"The governor deployed an additional 1,250 uniformed law enforcement personnel to support NYPD's efforts to protect subway passengers, and she'll continue working to fight crime and improve public safety," the spokesperson added.

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Deadly arson attack prompts Guardian Angels to patrol New York City subway



The Guardian Angels, a volunteer safety group, pledged Sunday to patrol the New York City subway system following the horrific death of an unidentified woman.

Curtis Sliwa, the Guardian Angels' founder, stated that the group will once again return to the subway to protect straphangers amid an increase in violent crime.

'It was an example of people just not getting involved.'

The squad got its start in 1979 patrolling the transit system. He pledged that the group would increase its presence and training, as it did decades earlier.

"We went from 13 to 1,000 [members] back then within a period of a year," Sliwa told the New York Post. "Because the need was there. The need is here now once again. We're going to step up. We're going to make sure we have a visual presence, just like we had in the '70s, '80s, and '90s."

"We're covering the actual trains from front to back, walking through the trains and making sure that everything is okay," he said. "We're doing this constantly now. Starting today, that's going to be our complete focus because the subways are out of control."

Sliwa told the Post that the Guardian Angels will conduct wellness checks on homeless people and provide them with water. He noted that any observed issues will be reported to the New York Police Department.

He explained that "hundreds of citizens" have requested the Guardian Angels' help on the subway system after an illegal immigrant from Guatemala, 33-year-old Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, allegedly set a woman on fire while riding the subway. The deadly attack reportedly appeared to be unprovoked. Zapeta-Calil was previously deported in 2018 but re-entered the country at an unknown later date.

"There's so many trains that come in and out of here," Sliwa stated. "It's the perfect place because it reminds people that nobody did anything a week ago. Nobody intervened. Nobody pointed to the cops and said, 'This is the guy.' Even the cops didn't do anything."

"It was an example of people just not getting involved," he continued. "And we're here to say, 'You see something, you say something.' You gotta do something."

Despite the apparent increase in violent crime in the city and particularly in the subway system, local leaders continue to claim that they have made headway in making public transit safer.

The same day the woman was brutally attacked, New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) issued a tone-deaf statement on X, reading, "In March, I took action to make our subways safer for the millions of people who take the trains each day."

"Since deploying the @NationalGuardNY to support @NYPDnews and @MTA safety efforts and adding cameras to all subway cars, crime is going down, and ridership is going up," she claimed.

Sliwa told the Post that crime is a problem in the city's subway system partly because law enforcement officers are not actively patrolling the trains.

"We're now back to where we were when I started the group in 1979 on the subways. It's gone full-circle. I've never seen it this bad. Never," he remarked.

A Metropolitan Transportation Authority worker similarly noted the lack of police presence.

"It won't get fixed overnight, but, yeah, it sounds good," the worker told the Post, referring to the Guardian Angels' plan. "I think it'll help. I don't think the cops downstairs are going to like it, but yeah. I don't know if you've noticed, but there are no cops up here."

New York City Democrat Mayor Eric Adams' office called the Guardian Angels' announcement a "meaningless stunt."

Kayla Mamalek, a representative for Adams, told the Post, "Mayor Adams is committed to improving the lives of New Yorkers, which is why he frequently rides the subway to speak directly with everyday riders about how we can make it safer."

"The mayor surged 1,000 police officers per day into the subways, has brought down overall crime and transit crime, delivering real action — not theatrics — but he knows there's still more work to be done," she said.

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MTA approves Gov. Hochul's plan to pause NYC congestion toll, pulling $16.5 billion from agency's budget



The Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted on Wednesday to support New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's (D) plan to pause the Manhattan congestion toll indefinitely, the New York Post reported.

Earlier this month, Hochul pumped the brakes on the MTA's congestion pricing plan, arguing it would put "undue strain on already stressed New Yorkers."

'It would be fundamentally unfair to the outer boroughs.'

If implemented, to drive on 60th Street and below, most passenger vehicles would be charged $15, motorcyclists $7.50, small trucks and charter buses $24, and large trucks and tour buses $36. The cameras are already installed and the city would use the state's existing E-ZPass system to collect most tolls. Those without a pass would be charged higher fees for their commute.

The plan to implement a congestion toll and the MTA's pricing structure have faced several legal challenges.

New Jersey filed a lawsuit in April, claiming it would put an economic strain on its residents, Blaze News previously reported. The complaint argued that the city "failed to adequately consider the environment impacts" and "ignored the significant financial burden being placed on New Jerseyans and New Jersey's transportation system."

The Trucking Association of New York also filed a lawsuit stating that the MTA's pricing framework "disproportionately targets" truckers and logistics companies, which would be fined at a higher rate than passenger vehicles.

Amid the pushback, Hochul announced that she would temporarily pause the congestion toll, which was previously slated for June 30.

"Let's be real: a $15 charge may not mean a lot to someone who has the means, but it can break the budget of a working- or middle-class household," she stated. "It puts the squeeze on the very people who make this city go."

On Wednesday, the MTA board voted 10-1 to pause the implementation of the toll despite noting that it would effectively reduce its budget by $16.5 billion. The funds were slated to go toward public transit improvements.

More than 100 New York residents attended the recent board meeting; most expressed support for the toll. Some carried signs reading, "Gov, Stop Jamming Up Good Law," "Congestion Pricing = Faster Commutes," and "Fix the Subway!"

Janno Lieber, the MTA CEO, said, "We will be ready to put Humpty Dumpty back together as quickly as possible."

"We can keep the machinery of congestion pricing in operating order so it's ready when the temporary pause is in fact lifted," he added.

Assembly member Michael Tannousis (R) stated that he opposes the toll.

"I am a major opponent of congestion pricing because I believe, and evidence has shown, it would be fundamentally unfair to the outer boroughs, especially Staten Island and especially Bay Ridge," Tannousis said. "Don't get me wrong, I am a user of mass transit. I use the Express bus and I also use the subway. However, this plan would have been to the benefit of a few and the detriment of many."

In a statement released after the MTA board's vote, Hochul promised to find "new revenue sources."

"While the timing of the next budget may necessitate temporary adjustments to the timeline of certain contracts, there is no reason for New Yorkers to be concerned that any planned projects will not be delivered," she remarked.

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Truckers sue New York over congestion toll pricing: ‘Charged far higher rates than passenger vehicles’



The Trucking Association of New York filed a lawsuit Thursday against New York over its plan to implement a congestion toll for Manhattan commuters. TANY argued that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's pricing framework “disproportionately targets” truckers.

“The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York this morning, argues that the congestion pricing policy unfairly targets trucking and logistics companies, which are charged far higher rates than passenger vehicles,” TANY wrote in a post on X Friday.

'TANY has advocated for an exemption of the supply chain industries.'

The association noted that it is “not fundamentally opposed to congestion pricing” but is “fighting to overturn the current version of this plan.”

The MTA, Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, and New York Attorney General Letitia James are listed as defendants in the suit.

The complaint read, “Several vehicle classes are fully exempt from the Tolling Program. Most notably, New York City Taxis and For-Hire Vehicles (such as Uber and Lyft), despite making up more than half of all vehicle traffic in the Zone, will pay nothing for entering.”

“The only vehicle classes with no full or partial exemptions are commercial trucks and vans,” it continued, noting that such vehicles only make up 4% of all traffic in the congestion toll zone.

“To make the unfairness of this tolling structure even worse, TANY trucks are unable to take advantage of subways and buses to complete their necessary deliveries, so they have no choice but to enter and re-enter the Zone as many times per day as required to meet their customers’ needs,” the lawsuit stated.

The association also noted that it will not benefit from the estimated $1 billion per year the tolls are expected to generate, as those funds are slated to go toward the city’s subways, buses, and railroads.

TANY called for the implementation of the congestion toll to be halted.

Depending on the size, trucks could be charged $24 or $36 to drive on 60th Street and below. Most passenger vehicles will be charged $15, and motorcyclists $7.50.

City officials predict that the congestion toll plan will reduce traffic in the area by 17%.

“TANY has advocated for an exemption of the supply chain industries from the Tolling Program; pricing parity between trucks and passenger vehicles; or at the very least a once-per-day charge to trucks entering the Central Business District, similar to that afforded to passenger vehicles or any combination of these alternatives,” the association’s complaint read.

The congestion toll is slated to take effect on June 30. The city is currently facing several lawsuits over the plan.

The MTA decline a request for comment from Fox Business.

— (@)

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New Jersey pushes back on NYC's $15 congestion toll: 'You are not eliminating pollution; you are just displacing it'



New Jersey presented oral arguments on Wednesday in its lawsuit against New York over its $15-per-day congestion toll for Manhattan commuters. The complaint argues that the plan will place an economic strain on New Jersey residents and fail to reduce pollution, WABC-TV reported.

According to the lawsuit, the Federal Highway Administration approved New York City's toll but "failed to adequately consider the environment impacts" and "ignored the significant financial burden being placed on New Jerseyans and New Jersey's transportation system."

The complaint claims the federal government rushed through the approval without adequately reviewing the potential impacts.

Randy Mastro, a lawyer representing New Jersey in the case, called it "mind-boggling" that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority concluded the congestion toll would have "no significant impact" on traffic, the economy, or air quality in nearby areas, the New York Post reported. Mastro claimed that the FHWA's approval was "predetermined."

Mastro questioned whether the review "took a hard look into the adverse environmental impact" on the "entire region."

"They didn't consider New Jersey adequately," he stated.

As part of New York City's congestion toll plan, it set aside a $35 million mitigation commitment for the Bronx. However, it did not allocate any funds to New Jersey.

"There has been a mitigation commitment and in a dollar amount to the Bronx. Isn't that differentiated treatment, potentially rising to the level of arbitrariness?" Judge Leo Gordon asked MTA and FHWA lawyers.

Elizabeth Knauer, a lawyer representing the MTA, denied the claims of differentiated treatment.

New Jersey officials hope the legal action will force the federal government to conduct a more thorough evaluation. Governor Phil Murphy (D) contended that New York City's plan will only move pollution to surrounding areas.

"You are not eliminating pollution; you are just displacing it from Manhattan to New Jersey," Murphy stated Tuesday. "And you're charging our commuters an exorbitant fee on top of that."

Murphy has asserted that the city's plan is a "blatant cash-grab."

WABC reported that over 400,000 New Jersey residents commute into Manhattan every day. The new toll, slated to take effect in June, will require New Jersey commuters to pay millions of dollars to the MTA.

The lawsuit stated, "The end result is that New Jersey will bear much of the burden of this congestion pricing scheme — in terms of environmental, financial, and human impacts — but receive none of its benefits."

The MTA passed the controversial congestion toll in an 11-1 vote last week. Under the plan, most passenger vehicles will be charged $15 per day to drive on 60th Street and below. Small trucks and charter buses will be charged $24 per day, and large trucks and tour buses will be charged $36 per day. Motorcyclists will receive a $7.50 toll per day. The cost will drop by 75% in the evening. Commuters using taxis and black car services must pay an additional $1.25 fare, while Uber and Lyft passengers pay an extra $2.50.

New York City will use the state's existing E-ZPass system to collect most tolls. Drivers without a pass will be charged at a higher rate. For example, instead of $15 per day, passenger vehicles without an E-ZPass will be charged $22.50 per day.

Drivers making less than $50,000 per year could be eligible to receive a discount.

City officials anticipate the plan will reduce traffic by 17% and collect $1 billion annually. The funds gathered through the toll system will be used to improve public transportation.

Currently, the city is facing six lawsuits over the congestion toll plan.

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Mother of Manhattan teen who died 'subway surfing' files lawsuit, pinning blame on MTA and social media companies



The mother of a Manhattan teen who died while "surfing" a New York City subway train last year has filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, TikTok, and Instagram's parent company, Meta, suggesting they had a hand in her son's untimely demise.

"Social media and the MTA, they failed my son," Norma Nazario told WABC-TV.

Three months after a 15-year-old boy died while unlawfully surfing on a Brooklyn train, Zackery Nazario, also 15, climbed onto a New York City subway car headed for a similar tragedy.

A low beam struck Nazario in the head while he was traversing the Williamsburg Bridge atop the train on Feb. 20, 2023. He fell onto the tracks below and was run over.

The illegal practice of subway surfing has grown in popularity among youths in recent years. Reported incidents spiked from 206 in 2021 to 928 in 2022. The trend continued last year, claiming the lives of Zackery and at least four others. WNBC-TV indicated that between January and June 2023 alone, the MTA documented over 450 instances of subway surfing.

Already in 2024, there have been multiple deaths connected to subway surfing attempts.

After a teenager died in Brooklyn last month riding outside the train, Richard Davey, president of New York City Transit, reiterated, "Subway surfing kills. Another innocent life has been lost, and it should not happen," reported the New York Times.

According to Norma Nazario's lawsuit, filed in the Manhattan Supreme Court on the anniversary of her son's death, the MTA failed to provide adequate barriers to preclude youths from climbing on its trains, "creating a serious and foreseeable risk of harm," reported the New York Post. The suit also faults the system for apparently not locking train doors.

The lawsuit further alleges that social media companies bear some responsibility for Zackery's death, having supposedly "goaded" him into attempting the stunt by recommending videos of others performing the feat.

According to the suit, TikTok and Instagram are liable under state laws prohibiting the "unreasonably dangerous" design of products, having allegedly "targeted, goaded and encouraged" Zackery to subway surf.

This enticement allegedly took the form of a video recommendation to Zackery about the "Subway Surfing Challenge" prior to his fatal subway surfing attempt.

"What happened to Zackery was neither an accident or a coincidence," Matthew Bergman, the co-founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center and legal representative for the Nazario family, told the Post. "It was a foreseeable result of social media companies' intentional decision to design their products to be addictive to young people.

So-called surfers and witnesses routinely post videos of the dangerous stunts to social media.

— (@)

After Zackery's death, Janno Lieber, chair and CEO of the MTA, indicated that his organization had previously pressured social media companies about platforming videos showcasing subway surfing but would nevertheless double down on such efforts, reported The City.

"We're going to renew it again; this is something nobody wants to see," said Lieber. "A 15-year-old kid just breaks your heart, so we've got to keep pushing."

New York City Mayor Eric Adams drew attention to Zackery's fate and the dangers of subway surfing in June 2023, stressing, "Social media must be socially responsible. Subway Surfing kills. We need everyone to be a part of ending this dangerous threat."

— (@)

City and state officials kicked off the "Subway Surfing Kills — Ride Inside, Stay Alive" campaign in September, warning minors about the hazards of flouting law and convention in pursuit of train-related thrills, posting cautionary signs throughout the transit systems and broadcasting similar warnings.

In addition to the alerts, police have reportedly stationed after-school patrols on subway lines identified as being high risks for subway surfing. The Times indicated the patrols have so far stopped roughly 11 attempts a month.

Norma Nazario, seeking unspecified damages from the MTA and the social media companies, told the Post, "They could give me a billion dollars and I'm not going to stop."

"I'm not going to stop until the MTA and these social media companies start taking responsibility and stop killing our children," added Nazario.

It appears the Nazario family and their legal representative are not displacing the entirety of the blame for the tragedy.

"Zackery has some responsibility too," Bergman told WABC. "No one is saying that there was not shared fault here, but what we are saying is that this didn't have to happen."

While the MTA did not respond to the Post's request for comment, NYC Transit President Richard Davey said in a statement, "We've said it over and over — do not climb on top of trains because that won't end well, and we implore parents to tell their children and friends to warn friends — avoid tragedy by riding inside."

WABC indicated TikTok and Instagram have reportedly not yet commented on the lawsuit.

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FACT CHECK: Twitter Post Falsely Claims Subway Sign Highlighting Bigotry Was Created By The New York MTA

The poster was created by Pride Train, not the MTA