By Hank Russell
With Governor Kathy Hochul recently announcing the newest iteration of her signature congestion pricing plan, Nassau County’s three town supervisors — Hempstead’s Don Clavin, Joseph Saladino of Oyster Bay and Jennifer DeSena of North Hempstead — recently held a press conference to denounce and decry this egregious tax on Long Island commuters. After successfully staving off Hochul’s previous congestion pricing plan, the trio – representing more than a million residents of Long Island – urged President-elect Donald J. Trump to abolish Hochul’s planned tax on commuting New Yorkers.
The team of town supervisors held this announcement alongside a state parkway where thousands of commuters whizzed by, heading westbound towards New York City.
“Once again, we have Governor Hochul proposing an out-of-touch tax on hardworking Long Islanders,” said Clavin. “This is nothing short of an egregious cash grab, and I will vehemently fight against this unjust tax by taking this matter to the highest level of government possible.”
Hochul announced her intention to return congestion pricing earlier last week, proposing a $9 charge on car drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street. Trucks, motorcycles, taxis, and ride-share vehicles will also be charged with varying prices, with $9 as the lowest peak price. There is no exemption planned for any commuter, not even teachers, firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians, or union workers.
The group alledged that the governor is seeking to fast-track the new plan, as it is set to go before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) board for approval this week, with hopes to implement the plan before January. The increased effort to set the plan in motion is due to Trump’s known opposition to the plan. The trio of officials together urged the President-elect to follow through on his vocalized opposition to the plan, with Clavin even penning a letter to him.
Saladino exclaimed, “Stop congestion pricing now! While addressing traffic congestion and promoting environmental sustainability are goals we all support, this commuter tax places an unfair burden on hardworking residents and small businesses that rely on affordable, reliable access to Manhattan. For countless Long Islanders who live outside of Manhattan, driving into the city is essential for jobs, medical appointments, and educational opportunities. Adding a $9 toll would only increase the financial strain on working families already dealing with rising costs of living, high taxes, and inflation.”
The original congestion pricing plan proposed by Hochul in May included a $15 charge to commuters. After the Town of Hempstead filed a lawsuit against the MTA and the Federal Highway Administration regarding this congestion pricing plan, Clavin led a unified charge against the egregious tax on New York commuters. As the plan grew increasingly unpopular, the governor placed a temporary pause on the congestion pricing plan. Now, coincidentally after election season, the Governor reintroduced her plan with efforts to implement it as soon as possible.
“The congestion pricing plan is another cash grab from Governor Hochul that further squeezes the wallets of suburban taxpayers,” said DeSena. “I proudly stand with my colleagues to tell our residents that we share their outrage and won’t stop fighting to strike this down.”
In May, Clavin and the Town Board spearheaded a bipartisan effort against the plan, including submitting a legal challenge against the proposal, with Supervisor Don Clavin and the Town of Hempstead listed as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. The lawsuit filed by the Town of Hempstead against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Federal Highway Administration regarding congestion pricing remains pending.
“Rising costs are out of control. We cannot add another tax onto Long Islanders who commute to the city in order to make a living,” said Clavin. “I urge President-elect Donald J. Trump to do the right thing for New Yorkers and permanently abolish congestion pricing.”
During a recent press conference, MTA Chairman/CEO Janno Lieber emphasized that two of the Long Island representatives on the MTA board voted in favor of congestion pricing. “Hey, listen, there’s no question that some people see political advantage in this, but I would remind all of us that less than 1% of the population of the region – and that includes on Long Island – is actually going to pay the congestion pricing toll,” he said, adding that 80% of Suffolk County residents take mass transit into the city as opposed to driving in. “So, I believe we overemphasize the drivers who are relatively small in number .”
But it wasn’t just town officials weighing in. U.S. Congressman Anthony D’Esposito (R-Garden City) sent his supporters a letter obtained by Long Island Life & Politics in which he blasted the reintroduction of the congestion pricing plan as a political ploy. “Right after the election, she’s reviving her disastrous Congestion Pricing plan — a total scam to punish hardworking families and commuters who vote Republican,” he said. “It’s a disgrace. Hochul promised to protect us, but like all radical Democrats, she’s breaking her word the second she thinks no one’s watching. This isn’t just another tax—it’s an attack on YOU, the people who keep Long Island running, and they think they can get away with it.“