By Hank Russell
Posing in front of a sign reading “Congestion pricing is out of gas,” North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin, and Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino declared victory over the state’s controversial congestion pricing program, as President Trump and the Federal Highway Administration moved to shut down the toll. A termination letter issued by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy referenced the Town of Hempstead’s lawsuit against congestion pricing, which DeSena and Saladino publicly supported last fall.
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, the Town of Hempstead filed a lawsuit against the Metropolitan Transit Authority over the Central Business District Tolling program, in which vehicles traveling into Manhattan below 60th Street would have to pay a toll. Governor Kathy Hochul put a temporary stop to the plan before revsersing course and allowing it to resume. She also changes her mind on the pricing, suggesting a $15 fee before reducing it to $9.
“At a time when middle-class families are struggling, Kathy Hochul intends to burden us even more, which is why we must continue this fight,” DeSena said. “In that light, I thank my fellow Supervisor Don Clavin and all the elected officials who are standing up for the suburbs today, because our residents deserve the truth. They deserve better than this.”
Duffy issued the termination letter on February 19, and referred to the toll’s financial burden as “a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners” in his announcement. The letter outlines the issues surrounding congestion pricing, with one of the main arguments aligning with the Town of Hempstead’s legal challenge that the state’s implementation of congestion pricing exceeds the authority of the vague “Value Pricing Pilot Program” (VPPP).
“This is a massive win for working-class commuters and for Long Island as a whole,” Clavin said. “We have stood firmly against this money grab every step of the way, and this support from the federal government is a good sign for things to come.”
“While reducing traffic congestion and promoting environmental sustainability are important goals, this commuter tax placed an undue strain on working families already facing high costs and record inflation,” Saladino added.
The termination letter reiterates its agreement with Hempstead’s legal challenge, stating: “Indeed, the Town of Hempstead and its supervisor have sued FHWA [the Federal Highway Administration], TBTA [MTA Bridges and Tunnels], and NYSDOT [New York State Department of Transportation] making this argument, and I believe that FHWA faces a significant risk of loss in that litigation.” Clavin said the Hempstead Town lawsuit against congestion pricing will continue until the tolling cameras are taken down.
“Whether it’s congestion pricing, fare hikes, service cuts, or even a commuter tax, it’s always the same old story. In the end, it’s always Long Island to the rescue of Albany’s bureaucrats,” DeSena said. “It’s time to draw the line. Cutting congestion pricing protects our commuters, protects our suburbs, and protects Long Island living in general. We won’t stop until congestion pricing does.”