New York City driving tax halt urged by Cuomo amid subway mayhem.

The implementation of New York's "congestion pricing" tolling plan on Sunday has led one of its main supporters to question whether the timing is appropriate for a policy aimed at encouraging the use of a more dangerous mass transit system.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, through a spokesman, confirmed his support for the toll system that charges $9 to drive below Central Park or enter Lower Manhattan from Brooklyn and New Jersey, but expressed doubt about the timing of its implementation.

According to longtime spokesman Rich Azzopardi, Governor Cuomo believes congestion pricing is the best policy and he was successful in passing it after multiple failed attempts.

Cuomo's original plan, which was agreed upon by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, aimed for a "safe and reliable subway system" and a prosperous city center. This plan was similar to the one proposed by Prior Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2007, but it ultimately failed in Albany.

"Cuomo called for a data-driven study on the impact of congestion pricing to inform the timing of a major policy change and ensure New York was not creating additional obstacles to its comeback due to the lack of confidence in the subway system and the tenuous state of the city post-COVID."

In a March op-ed, Cuomo stated that the success of congestion pricing relies on trust in the MTA and mass transit, which has not fully recovered from COVID-19 levels.

Gov. Mario Cuomo first increased police presence underground to combat brutality and incentivize subway use, despite the difficulty in doing so due to congestion pricing.

In a previous Post column, Cuomo mentioned a conductor who had 24 years of service to the MTA and vowed never to return underground after being slashed in the neck and needing 34 stitches while operating an A train in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

Since Christmas, there have been several near-fatal cases of people being randomly shoved in front of trains in Morningside Heights to TriBeCa, and more recently, an Ocean County, N.J., woman was burned alive in Coney Island.

New York City's recovery could be hindered if a study forecasting the consequences of its current state isn't based on facts rather than politics, according to Cuomo's spokesman.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, Cuomo's former deputy, has been proactive in implementing the policy aimed at encouraging commuters and residents to use mass transit for work or leisure activities in Midtown.

Hochul's office announced that the reduction of the congestion toll from $15 to its current amount will save drivers $1,500 annually, and that commuters will experience enhanced subway services.

"By implementing congestion pricing and fully funding the MTA capital plan, we will alleviate traffic congestion, decrease pollution, and enhance public transportation for millions of New Yorkers," Hochul stated.

Janno Lieber, MTA Chairman, stated that Hochul is taking action to provide cleaner air, safer streets, and less congestion.

The 7 subway from Times Square to Flushing, Queens, and the L train from Union Square to Canarsie have already undergone upgrades, as he observed.

Cuomo's camp claims that he was the one who planned and executed the upgrades to New York's transit network without tolls, and criticizes Hochul and Lieber for suggesting that he had changed his mind.

The governor directed the New York Post to a Lieber spokesman, who criticized Cuomo for changing his stance on congestion pricing.

According to MTA's Aaron Donovan, the lack of funding for New York's subways, which have been underfunded for decades, could hinder the city's ongoing recovery.

"Under Hochul's leadership, the MTA passed the $15 fee, but Azzopardi told Planet Chronicle Digital that New Yorkers are not gullible,"

Cuomo previously stated that people now have the option to work from home, unlike when he first proposed the plan in 2019. If he were a commuter, he would likely be hesitant to incur additional costs during a time of "high crime and homelessness."

Cuomo's camp stated that Hochul often claims credit for the accomplishments of his three-term administration, which foreshadowed the new tolls.

"Governor Cuomo undertook significant infrastructure projects, including the construction of the Moynihan Train Hall and Second Avenue Subway extension, as well as repairs to the L train and completion of Grand Central's East Side Access and LIRR Third-Track. In contrast, Hochul's main goal was to simply cut ribbons," Azzopardi stated.

Several New York Republicans joined Cuomo's calls for a pause on congestion pricing, but the former governor and potential 2025 mayoral candidate remains supportive, while the GOP wants it to be completely eliminated.

Despite being from New Jersey, commuters must still pay Port Authority tolls to cross the Hudson River, while outer-borough commuters pay a slightly reduced fee via the East River due to congestion.

Unless they turn onto surface streets, drivers on the FDR Drive or Joe DiMaggio West Side Highway will not be charged.