Hochul sued over congestion pricing pause; RFK Jr. ballot trial scheduled

And New York needs more energy, the electrical grid's operator says.

Good afternoon — it’s Thursday and Wine and Cheese Day.

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2024

TODAY’S CAPCON:

• Lawsuits that seek to force the implementation of congestion pricing in New York City have finally been filed. We have details.

• Child victims’ advocates want state lawmakers to investigate New York’s insurance regulator over child sex abuse policy claims.

• New York needs a lot more energy — and fast, says the nonprofit that operates the state’s power grid.

• A trial over Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s candidacy in New York has now been scheduled, albeit later than expected.

☀️ Tonight’s Weather: Albany: Mostly clear, low 60s. New York City: Gradual clearing, high 60s. (National Weather Service)

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(Yuki Iwamura/Associated Press)

🚗 Two lawsuits challenging Hochul’s congestion pricing delay filed in Manhattan

⚖️ The complaints use very different legal strategies toward a common goal of reversing the governor’s decision.

Congestion pricing — a $15 toll to deter motorists from entering the busiest parts of Manhattan — was set to take effect at the end of June.

• Hochul has said she delayed it because the cost would be too burdensome on those who had to pay it.

The first lawsuit was filed by the Sierra Club, the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, and the Riders Alliance, a public transit advocacy group.

The other was brought by the City Club of New York, a government transparency group in New York City.

They’re both written with the same goal: to convince a judge that Hochul’s decision to delay congestion pricing wasn’t legal and should be reversed.

• But it’s important to note that a lawsuit can take a while to resolve. Even if a decision comes down quickly, the appeals process can take years.

Hochul’s office wasn’t fazed by the pair of legal challenges Thursday, quipping about the other lawsuits they face over the program.

“Get in line. There are now 11 separate congestion pricing lawsuits filed by groups trying to weaponize the judicial system to score political points,” said Hochul spokesman Anthony Hogrebe. 

“Gov. Hochul remains focused on what matters: funding transit, reducing congestion, and protecting working New Yorkers,” he said.

The difference here is that these are the first two lawsuits that seek to uphold the program and force its immediate implementation.

• The rest were filed by various entities — including the state of New Jersey — to kill the program.

Traffic entering Manhattan from Brooklyn (Mary Altaffer/Associated Press)

♻️ The first lawsuit focuses on environmental law.

The two lawsuits employ very different legal strategies to argue against Hochul’s decision.