Lawsuits challenge New York Gov. Hochul’s indefinite halt on Congestion Pricing

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — Two lawsuits have been filed against New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s indefinite pause of Congestion Pricing.

They allege the governor broke the law by halting the plan to charge a fee on cars entering the city’s Central Business District south of 60th Street.

One lawsuit claims that car fumes are “making the city’s residents sick, harming the city’s economy and quality of life, and exacerbating the climate crisis.”

“Faith in our leaders, especially our Governor, has been lost, so we are now turning to the courts,” Betsy Plum, the Executive Director of the Riders Alliance, said at a news conference Thursday. “Congestion pricing, the Green Amendment and the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act are still the law.”

The second lawsuit claims the governor violated the Traffic Mobility Act, which was passed to implement Congestion Pricing.

“Gov. Hochul cannot defy the law; she is bound by it. Governor Hochul cannot ignore the will of the legislature; she must respect it,” Andrew Celli, an attorney for the urban development group City Club of New York, said.

A spokesperson for Hochul issued a statement in response, saying:

“Get in line. There are now 11 separate congestion pricing lawsuits filed by groups trying to weaponize the judicial system to score political points. Still, Gov. Hochul remains focused on what matters: funding transit, reducing congestion, and protecting working New Yorkers.”

However, City Comptroller Brad Lander said Hochul “single-handedly deprived millions of subway riders of that $15 billion of investment in trains that run on time, inaccessible stations, in less congestion, in cleaner air.”

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