New York goes to war with Trump: "No toll plan? See you in court, Mr. President"

The urban toll plan has been under discussion in New York for about twenty years. It would require motorists, in order to drive into Manhattan, to pay a fee of 9 dollars.

However, on the 19th of February, the Trump administration ordered the city to terminate its urban toll plan, which had just come into effect in early January, intending to fund the subway and, more importantly, to reduce pollution. According to the American president, the plan would harm the "working class".

In a letter addressed to the Governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul, who supported the plan, Sean Duffy, the Secretary of Transportation, stated: “I share the president's concerns about the impact on working-class Americans who now have to bear an additional financial burden in their daily lives.” He added that “the New York State toll plan is a slap in the face to the American working class and small business owners”, noting that his administration would revoke the federal approval for this "pilot plan," reports Le Figaro.

Heading to Court

This turnaround is bound to lead to a legal battle. Indeed, many supporters of the initiative, including the New York City Transit Authority (MTA), may not be able to benefit from the toll revenues as expected. “Today, the MTA has filed documents with a federal court to ensure that the plan (...) continues despite this baseless attack”, said the CEO of the MTA, Janno Lieber, who intends to legally challenge the Trump administration's decision. “It's perplexing that after four years and 4000 pages of environmental assessment supervised by the federal government - and barely three months after giving its final approval to the congestion reduction programme - the government would execute a 180-degree turn,” he highlighted.

Meanwhile, New York democratic congressman Jerrold Nadler assured that the matter would continue in court. “Mr. President, we will see you in court,” he promised, arguing that the American president has “no legal basis to unilaterally stop this plan”.

(MH with Manon Pierre - Source: Le Figaro - Illustration: ©Unsplash)