Manhattan state judge rules against Governor’s pressure to dismiss congestion pricing lawsuits

September 27, 2024 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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NEW YORK — THE LEGAL BATTLE OVER CONGESTION PRICING gave its supporters a boost on Friday, Sept. 27, when State Supreme Court Justice Arthur F. Engoron ruled against Governor Kathy Hochul’s motion to dismiss two lawsuits that challenged her authority to pause the traffic program just weeks before it was set to begin. Lawyers for the governor and state transportation officials sought to dismiss the lawsuits, the New York Times reported in an article published earlier on Friday, before Judge Engoron handed down his ruling. One of the lawsuits, with the City Club of New York as plaintiff, argued that Governor Hochul does not have the power to void what a prior governor signed into law. A lawyer for the civic organization argued, “Can the governor effectively veto legislation that has already been passed and signed by a prior governor?”

Riders Alliance, a transit advocacy organization, and two environmental groups, the Sierra Club and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance filed the other lawsuit on the grounds that congestion pricing would help mitigate pollution and climate change, while also underwriting much-needed MTA maintenance and upgrade projects.

The first of its kind in the nation, the congestion pricing program was to have taken effect June 30, charging fees to most vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street, with some exceptions.

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