Part 4/8:
Duffy has described the congestion pricing initiative as “a slap in the face” to everyday citizens, arguing that the tolling measures leave drivers with no alternative routes and unfairly tax them to fund public transit systems that overlook the needs of highway infrastructure. This sentiment echoes a broader criticism that the initiative is less about urban convenience and more about financial exploitation.
Interestingly, the Trump administration discovered a legal loophole to launch this opposition, focusing on the nature of federal funding for infrastructure projects. The administration's legal argument hinges on the assertion that tolling cannot occur if federal funds were involved in the road's construction, a situation true for much of New York City's infrastructure.