Gov. Kathy Hochul will pull another switcheroo and raise taxes after the November elections — like she did when imposing congestion pricing after the 2024 campaigns, Republican elected officials claim.
Democrat Hochul, who is seeking re-election to a second full, 4-year term this fall, insisted she won’t buckle to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s request for Albany to raise income taxes on the rich and hike corporate taxes to help close a Big Apple budget shortfall.
But Republicans said voters can’t trust her, citing the turnabout on congestion pricing.
“Once elected Hochul did a U Turn on congestion pricing and she will do the same by raising taxes on not just millionaires but all middle class families through higher utility bills, commuter costs and hidden fees,” said GOP gubernatorial nominee Bruce Blakeman.
“Last year, Governor Hochul pulled the wool over the eyes of taxpayers by first pausing congestion pricing and then resuming it after Election Day. There is no reason to believe that she won’t do the same with raising taxes after November,” said Assemblyman Michael Tannousis, also the Staten Island Republican Party chairman.
“Voters beware.”
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority was scheduled to implement congestion pricing in June 2024. But Hochul, with much fanfare, issued a “pause” or suspension of the program amid a backlash, including from parts of the city that have no subways and rely more on driving to get around the city.
Published reports at the time said Democrats — including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries eyeing to become the next speaker — urged Hochul to back off implementing the new toll to protect the party’s candidates in congressional races.
She resurrected congestion pricing — albeit a lower $9 fee to enter Midtown south of 60th Street — in November 2024, following the elections, and the tolls took effect the following January.
“Fool me once, shame on you Fool me twice, shame on me,” said Queens GOP Councilwoman Joann Ariola.
“Hochul did it with congestion pricing. She’ll do it with taxes.”
GOP Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis said Hochul should sign a “no tax pledge” but “even then, I’d be skeptical.”
“She stopped the congestion tax two years ago because it was a third rail for Democrats, then brought it back immediately after the election. When it comes to taking money from New Yorkers, Kathy Hochul just can’t be trusted,” said Malliotakis, who represents Staten Island and southern Brooklyn.
State Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-SI) chimed in,”Her track record would certainly portend that action.”
“The single greatest factor and cause of New York’s unaffordability problem: Democrat and socialist taxes and policies,” he said.
A Hochul spokesperson said Thursday that “the governor has been clear she won’t raise taxes for the sake of raising taxes.”
“New Yorkers can trust that Governor Hochul will continue delivering on her affordability agenda that includes a substantial child tax credit, no tax on tips and a record middle class tax cut that will deliver nearly $1 billion in tax relief to millions of New Yorkers beginning this year,” the spokesperson said.