The future of congestion pricing in New York City should be decided by voters, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s attorneys argued in a recent legal filing.
In a memorandum filed Friday, Hochul’s legal team wrote that the “proper forum to debate Congestion Pricing is the political realm — including, ultimately, ‘at the voting machine’ — not the courts.”
The filing, which was first reported on by Gothamist, came in response to two lawsuits challenging the governor’s decision to indefinitely pause the rollout of congestion pricing.
One of the suits, filed by the Riders Alliance, the Sierra Club and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, claims Hochul violated state law by halting the program, which was slated to start June 30.
The other suit, filed by the City Club of New York and two New York City residents, maintains Hochul does not have the authority to decide when congestion pricing should start.
Both lawsuits are set to be heard in court on Sept. 27.