It’s happening

Presented by NY Renews, a project of Tides Advocacy

Some wondered whether we’d ever see it in our lifetimes, but congestion pricing is becoming real. The federal government approved an environmental review on Friday that clears New York’s first-in-the-nation tolling system to move forward.

The approval was a vital step before the Metropolitan Transportation Authority could start charging drivers entering central Manhattan at peak times, an attempt to cut down on gridlock that has been delayed, blocked and revised for years, our Danielle Muoio Dunn wrote. The review will now be up for public appraisal for 30 days before a final federal OK.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is happy. A spokesperson for her office said she is committed to congestion pricing to support both the environment and the public transportation system. The approval is a “critical step” and Hochul will continue to work to move it forward, they said.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a fellow Democrat who was hanging out with Hochul just hours before news of the approval broke, is *not* happy (for his New Jersey commuters who will be affected). He said the approval was “unfair and ill-advised.” He also said his office is “closely assessing all legal options” because the current plan burdens commuters, state agencies and the environment.

The topic of congestion pricing notably never came up as the two, along with Connecticut’s Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont, touted their shared visions for the Northeast last week on a range of topics, including transportation, in front of a top White House adviser.

Opponents — such as suburbanites, some elected officials and taxi and ride-hail drivers — have threatened legal action if the plan moves to its final stages.

The idea, in case you’d forgotten, is to reduce traffic and pollution while raising new dollars for public transportation. So officials hope the fees discourage drivers from clogging roads in Manhattan south of 60th Street. The money would then help to pay for MTA upgrades.

MTA officials have said they would need almost a year to set up the new tolling infrastructure after it earns federal approval. So at this point, everything is still on track to meet the most recent target of launching congestion pricing in the second quarter of 2024.

IT’S MONDAY. There are 17 days left of the scheduled legislative session. Got tips, suggestions or thoughts? Let us know ... By email: [email protected] or on Twitter: @annagronewold

WHERE’S KATHY? In Buffalo making an announcement about mental health.

WHERE’S ERIC? In New York City giving an evening speech at a Queens church.

What City Hall's reading

Eric Adams attacked for subway safety approach after killing of Jordan Neely, by POLITICO’s Joe Anuta: The killing of 30-year-old Jordan Neely on the subway earlier this week, however, put the mayor in a difficult position as progressive lawmakers led a growing chorus of outrage and launched a renewed attack on Adams’ approach to public safety.

— “Thirteen people charged after Jordan Neely protesters line up on NYC subway tracks,” by Daily News’ John Annese: “The protest brought a busy Q train at the Lexington Ave. and E. 63rd St. station to a halt Saturday night, after a line of demonstrators got onto the tracks at about 6 p.m.”

— “How Two Men’s Disparate Paths Crossed in a Killing on the F Train,” by The New York Times’ Michael Wilson and Andy Newman

— “Jordan Neely Was Already Dead,” by New York Magazine’s Errol Louis: “For some New Yorkers, Jordan Neely was dead even before Marine Corps veteran Daniel Penny allegedly choked the life out of him on the floor of a subway train. Modern America, including New York, designates some categories of people as socially dead — part of an underclass that is subject to exclusion, indifference, or even outright hatred and violence. To be Black, destitute, homeless, and mentally ill in our city is to be one of those outsiders, existing in a kind of internal exile from society’s circle of care and concern.”

“Rockland County declares state of emergency as Mayor Adams plans to send migrants to Hudson Valley,” by WNYC’s Christian Santana: “Officials in the county said the state of emergency prohibits any outside municipality from bringing people to Rockland County for housing. The order prohibits hotels and motels from housing migrants without a license, and mandates that any city that sends asylum seekers to the county must ensure their care is fully paid for.”

WHAT ALBANY'S READING

New York Democrats lost the crime debate. They want a redo, by POLITICO’s Anna Gronewold: Hochul held up the state budget for nine days last year to get a handful of bail changes. But then she didn’t effectively promote the tougher laws during the campaign. She is trying not to make the same mistake twice.

“Latrice Walker: ‘Agitate, advocate, legislate — and if that doesn’t work — litigate,’” by City & State’s Shantel Destra: “Walker is gearing up to challenge the constitutionality of the recent changes to bail reform in court, citing a Supreme Court case United States v. Salerno that upheld a federal bail law. City & State caught up with the Assembly member to talk about this year’s budget process, her plans to fight against bail reform and the recent killing of Jordan Neely on the subway.”

“Gun seizures in New York are soaring a year after ‘extreme risk’ law broadened,” by Times Union’s Brendan J. Lyons: “The number of firearms being seized by police from individuals found to be “likely” at risk of harm to themselves or others has soared so much in the past year that evidence rooms in some State Police barracks have had to be reconfigured or expanded to store the weapons.”

#UpstateAmerica: Utica is “super photogenic,” according to actor Ben Stiller, who was in town recently to film the second season of “Severance.”

TRUMP'S NEW YORK

“Trump rejects last chance to testify at New York civil trial,” by The Associated Press’s Larry Neumeister: “It was not a surprise. Trump has not shown up once during the two-week Manhattan trial where writer E. Jean Carroll testified for several days, repeating claims she first made publicly in a 2019 memoir. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages totaling millions of dollars.”

“In Trump Case, Bragg Pursues a Common Charge With a Rarely Used Strategy,” by The New York Times’ Ben Protess, Kate Christobek, Jonah E. Bromwich, William K. Rashbaum and Sean Piccoli: “Although the district attorney’s office is not required to identify the second crime at the outset of the case, Mr. Bragg prosecuted both the lawyer and the insurance broker for additional crimes — including grand larceny — telegraphing why their false records charges were bumped up to felonies. Only the former president, Donald J. Trump, was indicted for falsifying business records, and no other crimes.

“A New York Times analysis of about 30 false business records cases brought by Mr. Bragg and his predecessor — based on court records, interviews and information the office provided — shows that in this respect, the case against Mr. Trump stands apart. In all but two of the indictments reviewed by The Times, the defendant was charged with an additional crime on top of the false records charge.”

AROUND NEW YORK


— The U.S. is removing the final pandemic-related Canadian border restriction, a vaccine requirement for Canadian travelers.

— A Chalkbeat analysis found nearly a third of NYC schools with more than 700 students didn’t have a full-time librarian listed in their most recent budget.

— New Yorkers will soon be able to get birth control directly from their pharmacists.

— An NYPD training center in Gramercy Park became a temporary shelter for migrants late last week, to the chagrin of the police union.

— The parents rights movement, a pushback on diversity and inclusion in public schools, has stayed quiet in the Capital Region after last year’s losses.

— Reforms to the Family Court system are now “in jeopardy” as legislative session days dwindle.

— New York Post: “Andrew Cuomo’s ‘hench-woman’ Melissa DeRosa to host own NY radio show”

SOCIAL DATA BY DANIEL LIPPMAN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Bill de Blasio … AP’s Chris Megerian … CNN’s Ed Meagher … Penta’s André Bransford … Megan Cassidy … Dana Sprole … (was Sunday): Fox’s Brian Kilmeade … NBC’s Mark Murray … CNBC’s Amanda Macias … The 19th’s Grace Panetta … Herbert J. Siegel ... Sandy Galef ... Rob Saliterman ... Scott Conroy … Liza Romanow …

… (was Saturday): Tucker Eskew of Vianovo … Jamie Gorelick … NBCUniversal’s Tejasi Thatte … Joe Nocera … Abraham David Sofaer ... Daniel Gryczman ... Shira Lazar … (was Friday): Richard Bernstein ... David Merkow ... Ruth Klein Schwalbe ... Gary Lauder ... Emily Kutner

Real Estate


“JFK airport hotel will become 318-unit affordable housing complex,” by WNYC’s David Brand: “Developers Slate Property Group and the nonprofit RiseBoro Community Partnership are buying the Hilton hotel across from the airport and turning it into 318 permanent apartments. They’ll get significant financing through the state’s Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act, commonly known as HONDA — a program that grew out of the pandemic but lost steam as tourism began to rebound.”