Malliotakis applauds Trump’s move to kill congestion pricing

U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis applauded President Donald Trump for keeping his word on ending congestion pricing.

The president’s administration instructed the city to end the program by March 21. It started on Jan. 5.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the department terminated approval of the program and will work with the state on an orderly termination of the tolls. 

“President Trump is a New Yorker who understands the negative impact this additional toll had on my constituents, local businesses and our city’s economy,” Malliotakis said in a statement. “Since I began speaking about the congestion tax with the president last May, he repeatedly reiterated his commitment to halt this cash grab upon taking office and we’re pleased that he has found a legal avenue to follow through.”

Under the program, drivers of most passenger cars pay $9 to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street on weekdays between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. and on weekends between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. During off hours, the toll is $2.25 for most vehicles.

“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” Duffy wrote. “Commuters using the highway system to enter New York City have already financed the construction and improvement of these highways through the payment of gas taxes and other taxes. But now the toll program leaves drivers without any free highway alternative, and instead, takes more money from working people to pay for a transit system and not highways. It’s backwards and unfair.”

“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED.”

“LONG LIVE THE KING!,” he added. 

Shortly after the announcement, the MTA filed a lawsuit in federal court to keep congestion pricing. Gov. Kathy Hochul said the tolls will remain in effect. Despite the president’s deadline, both Hochul and the MTA said the program won’t stop until the courts decide.

“The cash grab is over,”  Malliotakis said of the deadline. “Governor Hochul needs to follow the law and turn the congestion pricing cameras off. She and the MTA knew they were skirting federal law in cahoots with the Biden Administration when the Federal Highway Administration rubber-stamped this congestion pricing scheme without a full and thorough environmental impact study, as required under the National Environmental Policy Act.

“Now that President Trump’s administration rescinded the approval, there is no question that these cameras are operating in violation of the law. Turn them off!”

Malliotakis and fellow GOP congressmembers met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in January. She later told the New York Post that the president said he would do what he could to fight the controversial program.