Wednesday's Energy Absurdity: Hochul Invokes 'indefinite delay' in Congestion Fee , By DAVID BLACKMON

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, whose party’s Green New Deal policies have caused an explosive run-up in energy costs in recent years, finally found a cost-increasing hill she is unwilling to climb

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Wednesday's Energy Absurdity: Hochul Invokes 'indefinite delay' in Congestion Fee

DAVID BLACKMON

JUN 5

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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, whose party’s Green New Deal policies have caused an explosive run-up in energy costs in recent years, finally found a cost-increasing hill she is unwilling to climb. On Wednesday, Hochul let it be known she is postponing implementation of a controversial congestion fee that was the brainchild of her predecessor in office, Andrew Cuomo.

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Spectrum News reports Hochul is delaying the fee “indefinitely,” in response to push back from citizens already burdened by the rising costs of the Democrat party’s radical energy and climate policies and leaders in her own party.

Here’s an excerpt from the Spectrum News story:

The New York Times reported that Hochul has been "quietly maneuvering" a delay not because of environmental concerns but because she thinks the Central Business District in Manhattan is still trying to recover from the work-from-home shock that followed the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Hochul has not responded to a request for comment. 

Politico reported that Hochul is also responding to concerns raised by Democrat Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, who is trying to win back a majority in the House this year. Democrats’ losses two years ago in New York helped shift the balance of power in the House to Republicans. 

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Despite the concerns expressed by Jeffries, neo-communist Manhattan Rep. Jerry Nadler tweeted out his outrage at the delay, because commies always want to double-down and triple-down on failed policies that make life harder for the masses.

Here is Nadler’s statement:

Sold to the public as a way to relieve congestion in Manhattan’s central business district during peak hours of the day, the congestion fee of $15 per car would be imposed on autos entering the Island anywhere south of 60th street. The fee was put to a ballot referendum during the Cuomo years, and was soundly rejected. But that voice of the people via the small-d democratic process hasn’t deterred Hochul and her Democrats, who love to talk about “saving our democracy” at every conceivable opportunity, from trying to shove the thing down the people’s throats via more authoritarian processes.

Though the rank hypocrisy is no doubt lost on Hochul, she does obviously understand how damaging invoking the fee now would be to Democrat candidates in the November elections.

So, she is backing off for now, but you can be sure this oppressive fee will be quickly resuscitated once November 4 is safely in the rearview mirror.

That is all.