6 months ago
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WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump celebrated the Department of Transportation's determination to propulsion support for New York City's arguable congestion pricing toll program connected Wednesday, taking to his societal media level Truth Social to state himself "the king."
"CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and each of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!" Trump said successful the post.
The White House societal media relationship besides posted the president's connection and added an AI representation of a fake Time Magazine screen with Trump wearing a crown with Manhattan successful the background.
New York started charging drivers a $9 toll for entering engaged parts of Manhattan. The extremity was to chopped down connected postulation successful the area.
Officials successful New Jersey, led by Governor Murphy, had been warring the congestion pricing.
However, a fired-up Gov. Hochul pushed backmost against the DOT's determination and the president's remarks during a briefing connected Wednesday alongside MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber.
"New York hasn't labored nether a king successful implicit 250 years, and we definite arsenic hellhole are not going to commencement now," she said to applause portion holding up the aforesaid representation of Trump.
Hochul called the DOT's effort to artifact the programme an onslaught connected the state's independency from Washington.
"It feels similar the commuters of our metropolis and our portion are present the roadkill connected Donald Trump's revenge circuit against New York," Hochul said.
The politician vowed to combat back, invoking the tone of New Yorkers successful her ngo to defy the actions of the Trump administration.
"In lawsuit you don't cognize New Yorkers, erstwhile we're successful a fight, we bash not backmost down -- not now, not ever," she said, adding that the authorities has "a batch of ineligible reasons wherefore we cognize we're going to beryllium victorious."
Hochul confirmed that the authorities has already taken ineligible action.
"Within minutes of receiving that letter, our MTA filed a lawsuit," she said. "And fto maine beryllium clear-the cameras are staying on. The tolls are staying on."
President Trump wasn't the lone recipient of the governor's fiery message. Hochul's cross-state neighbor, Gov. Murphy, besides recovered himself successful the crosshairs aft helium asked the president and his medication connected Trump's archetypal time successful bureau to "reexamine" the highly debated congestion pricing program and its interaction connected the Garden State.
"They really cited the volition of New Jersey. Since erstwhile does New Jersey get to dictate what happens successful New York?" Gov. Hochul said.
In effect to Murphy's missive to Trump, Hochul told reporters past period that if the congestion pricing program is yet killed, "that comes with $15 cardinal more" the national authorities volition request to springiness to New York.
Hochul touted the occurrence of the programme connected Wednesday, saying that congestion has "dropped dramatically" since the congestion pricing went into effect past month.
Lieber echoed Hochul's stance, highlighting the program's aboriginal success.
"Traffic was down 9% successful January, with 1.2 cardinal less vehicles entering the cardinal concern district," helium said. "Bus speeds are up, crashes are down, and pedestrian postulation successful concern areas has surged. This is working."
Lieber besides pushed backmost connected claims that congestion pricing would wounded businesses.
"Restaurant reservations are up 7%, Broadway grosses are up 25%, and commercialized bureau leasing jumped 61% successful January compared to past year," helium said. "People privation to beryllium successful New York."
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