Hochul did the right thing by pausing NYC congestion pricing. Middle class families win

Wherever I go across the Hudson Valley, the number one challenge I hear from people is the tremendous financial pressure they are under right now. Elected officials at all levels need to do everything they can to lower costs across the board — from housing to groceries to transportation. That’s why, since day one, I’ve fought against the congestion pricing tax, which would have added even more financial pressure — up to $5,000 per year, per family — to tens of thousands of hard-working Hudson Valley families. 

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s decision to pause the implementation of congestion pricing was a bold and necessary move for working people across the region. 

For decades, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has systematically failed the Hudson Valley, ignoring our interests while gladly taking our tax dollars. The proposed congestion pricing plan was nothing more than an extension of this troubling pattern; it may have made sense for Manhattan, but it made zero sense for families in Kingston, Port Jervis, Middletown or Poughkeepsie.   

With its $15 daily toll for standard cars, the plan would have been paid for on the backs of my constituents. In a time when every dollar counts, taxing New Yorkers simply for showing up to work is unacceptable. 

What’s more, as I said repeatedly, the entire congestion plan was completely detached from the reality of what life is like outside the five boroughs, and especially from what the reality is west of the Hudson.  

What does the MTA do for Orange, Ulster and Dutchess counties?

In Orange, Ulster and Dutchess Counties, the communities that make up my district, the MTA simply does not provide viable alternatives to driving. There’s not a single MTA station in Ulster, there’s still no one-seat service in Orange, and there’s limited service in Dutchess. It’s not rocket science. Because public transportation is not an option, my constituents, including health care professionals, teachers, and NYPD and FDNY officers, have no choice but to rely on their cars to get to work.  

The proposed toll would have been a crushing financial blow to these essential workers who make our communities thrive and keep New York City safe. 

I understand that the MTA introduced its congestion pricing plan to reduce traffic in Manhattan. That is a noble goal, and an end result that I wholeheartedly agree with, not in small part due to the potential environmental benefits. 

That’s why I pushed the MTA to come to the table and outline concrete investments in the Hudson Valley. I called on them to commit to adding one-seat ride in Orange County, and substantial service additions in Dutchess. I pushed for them to provide meaningful discounts for public servants, like those in the FDNY and NYPD, who may live in the Hudson Valley but travel into New York City to serve and protect it.  

They refused. It took me threatening to hold my own public hearing to get an MTA representative up to the district, and even then, she wasn’t authorized to answer any questions! 

The end result? A tax on the backs of Hudson Valley families with zero plan to use the additional revenue to actually bolster service in the Hudson Valley.  

Opinion:Killing congestion pricing was a good call for NY and NJ. We need a better plan

Tax Watch:Any NYC congestion pricing bailout must still address traffic, air quality, Stewart-Cousins says

A plan that was doomed from the start

It’s no surprise that this “plan,” so deeply unpopular outside Manhattan, was doomed to fail in its present form. Yet I see people dismissing the Governor’s decision as “politically expedient.” Understanding the real-life economic implications of congestion pricing outside the bubble of Manhattan isn’t “expediency,” it’s listening to the people you were elected to serve.  

Take for example the economic impact on regional farmers. Many farmers in the Hudson Valley transport their produce to New York City, where city residents pay a premium for fresh, locally grown goods. A $24 or $36 toll for trucks carrying these goods would have effectively cut off access to this critical market, forcing many farms out of business. Farming is a time-honored tradition in our community, and this toll structure would have jeopardized their livelihoods. 

The claim that this proposed toll is affordable for low-income drivers who have no choice but to drive to work is an affront to hardworking New Yorkers. Maybe it’s nothing in Manhattan, but in most of the state, $5,000 per year is a significant amount of money that will place considerable hardships on families.  

Hochul’s decision to halt this plan is a recognition of these realities. It’s a resounding victory for listening to and protecting the voices of all New Yorkers, not those with the loudest megaphone. 

As we move forward, I will continue to give the hardworking people in my district a voice and ensure that our concerns are heard directly. I’ll stand up to anyone who tries to rip us off. And I’ll keep fighting every day to both lower the cost of living and deliver relief.  

Rep. Pat Ryan, a Democrat, represents New York's 18th Congressional District, which includes all of Orange County and parts of Ulster and Dutchess counties.