Rockland Executive Ed Day attacks Hochul for backing ‘daily tax’ congestion pricing toll

Rockland County Executive Ed Day lashed out at Gov. Kathy Hochul Monday for championing a $9 toll on drivers who enter Manhattan’s business district while short-changing the public transportation needs of Rockland commuters.

Day, a Republican, said the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s congestion pricing plan, slated to begin Jan. 5, is masquerading as a way to reduce traffic and increase funding for MTA upgrades like new subway and rail cars.

“In reality, it is no more than a $15 daily tax on people who simply want to get to work and provide for their families,” Day said at a press conference in New City. “That’s what this is all about. It is even more shameful to see Gov. Hochul try to play constituents as utter fools by touting that we should be thankful she’s saving us money … In her mind, somehow she’s saving us money by taking less but eventually getting to more. Only in government.”

The $9 toll will increase to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031 for passenger vehicles with E-ZPass.

Hochul: Hochul travels to rival’s turf and attacks critics of MTA’s congestion pricing plan

Ed Day writes that MTA does little for Rockland

In a letter sent to Hochul Monday, Day catalogued several initiatives to expand public transportation options for Rockland residents that have failed to gain traction at the MTA. He repeated longstanding frustrations with a so-called $40 million value gap between what Rockland residents pay into the MTA and what they receive in return.

“The last significant investment MTA made in Rockland County was the purchase of new rail cars for West of Hudson which went into service 22 years ago in 2002,” Day wrote.

The county has pressed the MTA to support capital projects that would create a one-seat ride for Rockland residents who commute into Manhattan by train. Under existing service, commuters typically travel to New Jersey to make connections for Manhattan-bound trains.

Day’s comments came three days after Hochul, at a press conference aboard a Metro-North train car in Putnam County, accused congestion pricing critics of being out of touch with constituents in the Lower Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island who depend on public transportation.

Hochul says commuters want public transit improvements toll will finance

“That region cannot function at the level it should if we do not have a high functioning, well financed, supported infrastructure system for public transportation,” said Hochul, a Democrat. “That is what I am committing to with this and those who do not support this and want everybody just to drive cars in, they don’t even know their own numbers.”

Rockland County is petitioning a federal judge to pause the Jan. 5 start of congestion pricing. A decision on the county’s request for a temporary injunction is due in the coming days.

Toll: Congestion pricing: MTA board backs Kathy Hochul’s $9 toll, clearing way for January start

On Friday, MTA lawyers attacked Rockland’s attempts idea to “derail” the idea.

“…The reality is that the Program is the result of an extensive, multi-year state and federal effort to study and craft the most effective tolling program to reduce congestion in the CBD and generate funding to support the MTA’s capital needs,” MTA lawyers wrote Friday.

Thomas C. Zambito covers energy, transportation and economic growth for the USA Today Network’s New York State team. He’s won dozens of state and national writing awards from the Associated Press, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Deadline Club and others during a decades-long career that’s included stops at the New York Daily News, The Star-Ledger of Newark and The Record of Hackensack. He can be reached at tzambito@lohud.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NYC congestion pricing, Hochul, blasted by Rockland Executive Ed Day

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