Monday’s Headlines: Hochul’s No Political Veteran Edition

Yes, it’s Veteran’s Day, but we really wanted to give you a daily headlines roundup because of all the news that broke over the weekend.

It starts with Gov. Hochul’s latest bizarre behavior regarding congestion pricing.

On Friday, Politico dropped the ultimate Somos bombshell: now that the elections were over, the gridlock governor is hoping to revive congestion pricing (and thwart our incoming president) with a $9 peak toll.

First, let’s state the truth: There is nothing inherently wrong with a $9 congestion toll instead of a $15 peak toll: The governor’s MTA and Traffic Mobility Review Board previously studied a toll at that price, before concluding that $15 is better. Streetsblog has reported extensively on the notion of a $9 toll, and agrees: $15 is better for traffic reduction, for the environment, for transit revenue and for reductions in road violence.

But $9 can do the job (though the devil is in the details).

The larger question, of course, is why are we here — four-and-a-half months after congestion pricing was supposed to start? If the governor on June 5 — when she “paused” congestion pricing — truly thought $15 was “too much” of a burden on drivers, she could have started the discussion about $9 right then. But she didn’t, which is all the evidence you need that this was not about policy, but about politics.

And since it’s about politics and the election is over, why not just unpause the toll now and avoid the risk of delay with the red-circled Jan. 20 date looming?

At least the local media called her out for her repeated failures:

• Streetsblog reminded everyone that $9 isn’t good enough.
• The Times got around to that, too: “A lower toll would mean less revenue for the transit agency, and some projects might have to be set aside. It could also be less of a deterrent for drivers and, as a result, mean fewer benefits related to traffic and air quality would be produced.”
• Gothamist asked the important question: Would a new, lower toll delay implementation too long?
• NY1’s main contribution was quoting Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as saying she doesn’t really want any toll at all and quoting teachers union president Michael Mulgrew cheering Trump’s election as evidence that the nation has spoken about congestion pricing (huh?).
• Hell Gate said the quiet part out loud: “Governor Hochul, Realizing She Has Mere Days to Fix the Congestion Pricing Mess She Made: How About $9???”
• And the great Mara Gay, writing in the Times, reminded Hochul that she was “foolish” to shelve congestion pricing — and should now make its revival a symbol of how Democrats can rule effectively.

And as a reminder: Hochul’s office has not updated her public schedule for the period since April 1, which is curious because that’s when she was getting cold feet about congestion pricing. Don’t worry, press corps, we’ve already FOIL’d for it.

In other news from a busy weekend:

• Gov. Hochul and President-elect Trump traded the usual platitudes in a call. (Gothamist)
• The fires this time: Don’t blame Canada for that smoky air. It’s coming from wildfires in New Jersey … (NYDN, NY Post, Gothamist)
• … and in Prospect Park! (NYDN, NY Post, amNY) Regarding the fire, of course the Post blamed “vagrants,” while Brad Lander blamed Trump (NY Post). But amNY pointed out that the city has banned grilling until the drought subsides.
• Attorney General Tish James has declined to charge a cop who drove 60 miles per hour into pedestrian Sofia Gomez Aguilon in The Bronx in 2020. (The City)
• A plumber’s SUV exploded. Get a cargo bike next time! (NYDN, NY Post)
• They’re driving like crazy in Long Island. (Newsday)
• Speaking of which, did you hear about the reckless driver influencer who killed himself in a high-speed crash? He’s being mourned in the drag race community, but our guess is his neighbors will sleep better tonight. (NYDN)
• Frank Reig of Revel certainly thinks the city’s car electrification program is going great — but his op-ed in Crain’s clanged a bit in our ears. What else could we make of pro-car-ownership sentences like this: “There’s real opportunity for charging [station] developers and, while I won’t argue it’s as easy as owning a gas car yet, drivers can reasonably choose to go electric.” How about drivers choosing to eschew private cars entirely?
• Speaking of making it harder to drive in a city rather than accommodating drivers, Paris continues to eat our lunch. (The Times of London)
• Back when I was with the Brooklyn Paper, we tangled repeatedly with convicted felon Rep. Michael “I Was Trump Before Trump Was Trump” Grimm (R-Staten Island), but we are horrified by the injuries he sustained in a polo game. We are wishing him the best. (NY Post)
• Staten Island Ferry workers just got a new contract, which the Post thinks is too generous.
• Wow, NYU has some real egg on its face regarding its MTA assault study. (amNY)
• And, finally, former federal transit man Larry Penner offers his take on the Interborough Express. (Mass Transit)