Kathy Hochul: ‘We’re Saving You 40%’ by Going from $0 to $9 Congestion Pricing Toll Instead of $15

RUSH TRANSCRIPT New York ░░░░░░░░ thank our deputy mayor ░░░░░░░░ joining us here today ░░░░░░░░ well and New York ░░░░░░░░ commissioner as well Welcome ░░░░░░░░ all of them and ░░░░░░░░ all of our staunch ░░░░░░░░ partners on the ground ░░░░░░░░ were supportive during this ░░░░░░░░ From day one I ░░░░░░░░ made affordability for New ░░░░░░░░ families a top priority ░░░░░░░░ have always have and ░░░░░░░░ always will fight to ░░░░░░░░ more money in the ░░░░░░░░ of every day New ░░░░░░░░ That s why back ░░░░░░░░ June I stood up ░░░░░░░░ behalf of hard working ░░░░░░░░ and simply said no ░░░░░░░░ to a new 15 ░░░░░░░░ toll that at that ░░░░░░░░ was just too much ░░░░░░░░ many people were worried ░░░░░░░░ high costs groceries rent ░░░░░░░░ These are real challenges ░░░░░░░░ our families Launching a ░░░░░░░░ that high really would ░░░░░░░░ hurt working mom or ░░░░░░░░ dad trying to make ░░░░░░░░ meet especially someone driving ░░░░░░░░ a transportation desert or ░░░░░░░░ from outside the center ░░░░░░░░ the city As governor ░░░░░░░░ is my job to ░░░░░░░░ decisions that take into ░░░░░░░░ the needs of all ░░░░░░░░ New Yorkers So I ░░░░░░░░ the decision to put ░░░░░░░░ pricing program on pause ░░░░░░░░ we devise a different ░░░░░░░░ forward State law requires ░░░░░░░░ congestion pricing simultaneously raise ░░░░░░░░ for mta and drive ░░░░░░░░ traffic congestion These are ░░░░░░░░ priorities But I believe ░░░░░░░░ no New Yorker should ░░░░░░░░ to pay a penny ░░░░░░░░ than absolutely necessary to ░░░░░░░░ these goals 15 was ░░░░░░░░ much I am proud ░░░░░░░░ announce we have found ░░░░░░░░ path to fund mta ░░░░░░░░ congestion and keep millions ░░░░░░░░ dollars in the pockets ░░░░░░░░ our commuters Under this ░░░░░░░░ mta will implement a ░░░░░░░░ pricing plan with reduced ░░░░░░░░ toll of 9 beginning ░░░░░░░░ January You heard that ░░░░░░░░ It was 15 before ░░░░░░░░ it is 9 that ░░░░░░░░ a 40 reduction This ░░░░░░░░ toll will save daily ░░░░░░░░ nearly 1 500 annually ░░░░░░░░ kind of money makes ░░░░░░░░ big difference for our ░░░░░░░░ And there will be ░░░░░░░░ discounts for low income ░░░░░░░░ Yorkers car owners who ░░░░░░░░ less than 50 000 ░░░░░░░░ year will get a ░░░░░░░░ discount on every toll ░░░░░░░░ their tenth toll on ░░░░░░░░ month In addition after ░░░░░░░░ 00 P M the ░░░░░░░░ is discounted even further ░░░░░░░░ is to encourage nighttime ░░░░░░░░ in particular and help ░░░░░░░░ congestion during the daytime ░░░░░░░░ Here is the most ░░░░░░░░ part This 9 daytime ░░░░░░░░ is enough to secure ░░░░░░░░ 15 billion in mta ░░░░░░░░ that congestion pricing was ░░░░░░░░ to support We re ░░░░░░░░ getting the 15 billion ░░░░░░░░ fund mta and drivers ░░░░░░░░ paying 6 less This ░░░░░░░░ toll will allow us ░░░░░░░░ accomplish all and I ░░░░░░░░ all of the goals ░░░░░░░░ congestion pricing New modern ░░░░░░░░ long awaited second avenue ░░░░░░░░ new electric buses elevators ░░░░░░░░ this will generate major ░░░░░░░░ for suburban commuters as ░░░░░░░░ on top of the ░░░░░░░░ million we have already ░░░░░░░░ to boost l I ░░░░░░░░ r service by 40 ░░░░░░░░ work metro north is ░░░░░░░░ across westchester dutchess putnam ░░░░░░░░ We ll also begin ░░░░░░░░ drive down gridlock and ░░░░░░░░ as intended We ll ░░░░░░░░ major environmental improvements for ░░░░░░░░ like The Bronx so ░░░░░░░░ lower income communities will ░░░░░░░░ only benefit from improved ░░░░░░░░ transit service but also ░░░░░░░░ air And today I ░░░░░░░░ directing mta to make ░░░░░░░░ service enhancements to at ░░░░░░░░ 23 bus routes in ░░░░░░░░ outer boroughs This would ░░░░░░░░ running buses more frequently ░░░░░░░░ those routes. Now, this