Days after the new congestion pricing program took effect, Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday stated that New York City deserved more say in the plan to charge vehicles entering Manhattan.
"I believe congestion pricing should have gone through the City Council. These are our roads and it's in our city. I believe we should have had a greater impact on doing it, but that's not the reality. That's the balance of government. I respect the process," he said during his regular weekly press briefing.
All cars and trucks going through the congestion relief zone, which include all local streets under 60th Street in Manhattan, are now subjected to a toll as instructed by the state, starting at $9 per car. The program, which started on Sunday, has New Yorkers split: some love the program that will reduce traffic and provide billions of dollars for Metropolitan Transportation Authority projects, while others lament the added cost to live life in and around the city.
Anything new brings about a certain level of anxiety, the mayor said. “It has never been done in our city before. And we need to see how the process is.”
Many have gone online to find ways to avoid the toll, and to go as far as to manipulate license plates, he said. ”There's going to be an entirely new industry on how to evade tolls. That's just the ingenuity of mankind,” said Adams.
New York City Councilwoman Vicki Palladino on X suggested those opposed to the toll can purchase green laser pointers to destroy the camera’s sensor. Adams assured that the councilwoman was making a joke. “You're almost afraid to crack a joke nowadays, all of a sudden you are demonized. I say folks need to just lighten up,” he said.
Regardless of these complaints, congestion pricing looks to raise $1 billion from the tolls each year, Adams said.
The mayor also said he spoke to the governor over the weekend and talked about the need for some subway platforms, including at Grand Central Station, to have gates.
"I think is long overdue that we have some form of gates that are up to prevent people from being shoved to the tracks," said Adams, while acknowledging the high cost of such a project.
Adams also touched on his earlier campaign promises, or the goal to reduce police overtime. Despite the administration pushing most crime levels lower in 2024, there was also $1 billion in overtime recorded in 2024.
“Yes, I'm responsible for whatever happens in the city. I'm the mayor,” said Adams.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Monday said there will be another 200 officers patrolling the subway. “When we think of public safety, we only think of the police. We don't see the policies that police must police in,” said Adams.
The new year marks the start of an election cycle, culminating first in a June Democratic primary for mayor and City Council seats. When asked to comment on recent reports that federal prosecutors will bring additional criminal charges against him, the mayor said he was focused on running the city.
“Look, you know, even Ray Charles can see what's going on… I've said over and over again, I've done nothing wrong,” said Adams. “I'm focused on running the city. Can I make that any clearer?”
When asked to assess the leadership of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has yet to officially announce his mayoral campaign but is speculated to run, Adams said his record speaks for itself.
“I think everyone that serves, you have good days, you have bad days, you have good decisions, you have smart decisions," he said. "That's no different from the former governor. And that's no different than for me. Anyway, anyone that tells you they batted .400 while they were in office is just, you know, they're just lying. I had the Aaron Judges with some of my records."
