Copyright Benzinga
President Donald Trump has reignited his push to abolish the New York City vehicle congestion fee, which was previously blocked by a federal judge. Trump Calls Manhattan ‘Ghost Town’ The president announced via Truth Social on Monday that he would urge Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to reconsider scrapping the New York City vehicle congestion fee. This move comes after a federal judge temporarily halted a previous attempt to end the charge more than five months ago. Trump criticized the congestion pricing, stating that it is detrimental to New York City. He also highlighted the adverse impact on the city’s traffic and economy. “New York City is getting KILLED by her ridiculous CONGESTION PRICING, where people have to pay a fortune to come into Manhattan,” Trump said, taking on Gov. Kathy Hochul. “The place is a ghost town,” he added. NYC Congestion Toll Sparks Debate The congestion pricing scheme, which was implemented to reduce traffic and fund mass transit, has been a contentious issue. The toll system, which began on Jan. 5, charges most vehicles $9 to enter Manhattan’s core, south of Central Park. Rideshare companies like Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) and LYFT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYFT) supported the congestion tolls and stood to gain from the new fees. However, Duffy described the toll as a financial burden on working-class Americans and small business owners. In April, he had earlier cautioned New York Gov. Hochul that the Transportation Department might delay environmental approvals or halt project funding unless the state abandoned its congestion pricing plan. Despite the criticism, Gov. Hochul, in July, praised the success of the congestion pricing scheme. She highlighted a decrease in traffic, an increase in business, and significant investments in transit improvement after six months of its implementation. See Also: XRP Plunges 5% — A Break Below $2.38 Could Unleash A 25% Crash Trump Threatens NYC Funding Cut Trump’s renewed push to end the congestion fee comes just as he endorsed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for mayor, warning of a “total economic and social disaster” if Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani wins. He also threatened not to contribute federal funds to the city other than the “very minimum” requisite amid such an outcome. In early October, the Trump administration froze $18 billion in federal funding for New York City's key infrastructure projects—the Second Avenue subway expansion and new Hudson River rail tunnels—in a move seen as pressure on Democrats to cooperate on reopening the government. READ NEXT: Zohran Mamdani Slams Elon Musk After Tesla CEO Endorses Andrew Cuomo For New York Mayor: ‘Only Cost $959 Million In Tax Breaks’ Image via Shutterstock
