Gov. Hochul’s Congestion Pricing Payments Revealed

ALBANY – Governor Cathy Hochul’s office disclosed on Wednesday how much it has been contributing to New York City’s congestion pricing after inquiries from the Post regarding its agreement with the MTA.

According to an announcement from her office, the state police collected about $1,019 in congestion fees for trips below 60th Street in Manhattan last year.

Although state vehicles—like those used for official government business—are not subject to congestion charges, MTA communications director Tim Minton noted last year that Hochul had agreed to compensate the agency $9 for each entry into a city toll area.

When MTA CEO Jano Lieber was questioned about the details of this agreement during a budget hearing on Tuesday, he couldn’t confirm how much the agency would receive in 2025, which is when the toll was set to start taking effect.

In response to repeated inquiries, a spokesperson for Lieber, Sean Butler, stated, “Governor Hochul is keeping his word.”

Butler went on to clarify that Hochul had not only ensured complete funding for the MTA’s capital initiatives last year but also sent $1,019 to the agency as part of the congestion charge assessments to aid necessary updates to the transit system.

This amount reflects the total from several journeys made by a security officer assigned to Hochul as they enter or exit congestion pricing zones, translating to $9 during peak hours and $2.25 during off-peak times.

That indicates Hochul’s vehicle likely entered the zone over 113 times last year, averaging about two trips each week.

During the hearing, Lieber seemed perturbed when challenged by Long Island state representative Ed La (R-Nassau) regarding whether Hochul had adhered to the agreement.

He mentioned, “I have to contact them. I haven’t confirmed it yet,” adding that some payments were being handled through his police detail.

Later, Rahr expressed his disappointment that the MTA chairman couldn’t answer whether the governor fulfilled her commitment regarding congestion pricing.

He suggested that an independent review of the MTA’s finances might clarify this and other crucial financial matters.