Summary
Trump revoked federal approval for New York City’s congestion pricing plan, which aimed to reduce traffic and fund public transit.
Trump celebrated on social media, declaring, “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD… LONG LIVE THE KING!” In response, Governor Kathy Hochul stated, “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king,” and confirmed the MTA is pursuing legal action.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claimed the tolls harmed working-class Americans. The $9 fee had improved traffic flow, but enforcement will now be halted.
So far he has shown little to no actual means to enforce the majority of these orders. Unless he sends in the military for paper straws and congestion pricing, what can he realistically do?
Be petty and withhold sending federal funds which Congress already allocated for this very thing. Republicans in Congress have already shown they’re his bitch, and won’t do anything about him taking away their power of the purse.
The infrastructure is already built. What funding is needed? It’s just revenue collection at this point.
I’d imagine he’d withhold all federal highway funds for NYS as long as the congestion pricing is in place.
This kinda shit is going to be what ultimately collapses the United States. Once funding starts getting withheld to blue states, they’re going to start wondering why they’re paying the feds so much money.
This could all play out in a few ways. I wonder if blue states will finally reach a point where they instruct their citizens and registered corporations to stop payment of federal income tax, sparking a civil war.
The states can’t protect you from the feds, all they can do is not help the feds.
If you don’t pay your taxes, they can still come after you.
They can come after you. It will be much harder to come after 20 million of us
That’s definitely true, but do you wanna risk being one of the 10s or 100s of thousands they do make an example of? They would definitely go after people for this. It wouldn’t play out like weed did.
Edit: Also knowing the current admin, they’d probably take the opportunity the go after people they specifically don’t want, so that could really change the odds of being targeted.
I have my doubts that money would continue to flow anyway.
Especially considering they’ve already pulled money back illegally.
NY sends more money to the federal government than they receive. If they stop sending those funds, it’s a net positive for the State, currently.
We do have a huge federal deficit: everyone gets more than they sent these days. Only five fiscally responsible states left (and they’re not red).
The article has a line item for transit. While it’s not the highest, there’s a good chance of it being higher than anywhere else. Depending on what you’re counting there are huge investments unblocking the tracks into and out of nyc - especially beneficial to us Acela riders
I’m not sure if that’s true anymore: https://www.osc.ny.gov/press/releases/2024/04/ny-received-more-washington-it-sent-due-federal-relief
I guess it depends on what has changed in those last 3 years. I’m willing to bet there’s a decent chunk related to things like COVID.
There’s always a tunnel in progress somewhere that needs federal funding …. There’s huge Amtrak improvements going on that will help the entire northeast
Sounds like a win win.
He’s that shitty kid at the playground that makes shit up mid-game. “Nuh uh, I have a mirror vest that makes me immune to lasers!”
I dare this fat fuck to stick his head out in public again. Ideally he will and it will be the last time I ever have to see his stupid face intact.
He’ll send Elon with his dogs to investigate for efficiency issues, and withdraw funds, or send his DOJ after anyone who stands up to him.
That was the whole point of this past month of news blast after news blast of the damage they are willing to do.
He is cowing everyone into submission and its being very effective.