Governor makes 'stunning' last-minute move to block NYC congestion pricing

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered a last-minute reversal on plans to implement congestion pricing in New York City in a move that the New York Times describes as a "stunning 11th-hour shift."

Congestion pricing, in which drivers are charged a fee if they drive into certain central zones of a city, are intended to reduce traffic and encourage public transportation, and they have been successfully implemented for years in major metropolises such as London.

However, the Times reports that Hochul justified her decision to stop the scheme from being implemented later this month on the grounds that it would hit working-class families hard.

“Let’s be real: A $15 charge may not seem like a lot to someone who has the means but it can break the budget of a hard-working or middle-class household,” said the governor.

The plan, which was to have gone into effect on June 30th, was to have charged EZ Pass drivers as much as $15 for entering certain zones of the city.