Congestion Pricing Opponents Renew Attacks as NYC Plan Returns

Transit leaders on Monday voted to approve New York City’s congestion pricing program, fueling a growing backlash against Gov. Kathy Hochul, whose decision to revive the unpopular proposal has given her critics ammunition to renew their attacks.

The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that will operate the toll program, approved the plan in a 12-to-1 vote. It is expected to start in early January.

Governor Hochul sidelined congestion pricing in June because she said she feared its economic impact on New Yorkers. But the policy also threatened to harm the political fortunes of Ms. Hochul’s fellow Democrats during congressional elections earlier this month.

Now, the re-emergence of congestion pricing, which would be the first program of its kind in the nation, has predictably angered Republicans, who are already eying the governor’s race in 2026. Among the loudest voices is Representative Mike Lawler, who represents a district in the New York suburbs and is rumored to be considering a run for governor. He released an ad in recent days targeting the toll plan and Governor Hochul.

And while many Democrats in New York City have cheered the return of congestion pricing, some suburban Democrats have shown frustration.

Ms. Hochul’s revised plan, which will charge most drivers $9 to enter the busiest parts of Manhattan, is expected to generate $15 billion to pay for essential repairs and upgrades to the city’s mass transit system. It aims to get cars off the crowded streets of Manhattan while improving traffic and air quality.