NYC NOW - November 14, 2024: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: November 14, 2024

Get up and get informed! Here's all the local news you need to start your day: Congestion pricing is on the way back, with sources telling WNYC that Governor Kathy Hochul will announce a $9 toll for drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street this Thursday. Meanwhile, the New York City Council has approved a measure requiring landlords, rather than tenants, to cover broker fees. Also, hundreds of women gathered at Foley Square on Wednesday, marking a year since the last lawsuits were filed under the Adult Survivors Act. They’re calling on officials to address sexual assaults in New York prisons. Plus, WNYC’s Stephen Nessen has more on Gov. Hochul’s plans to relaunch congestion pricing.

Welcome to NYC now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Thursday, November 14th. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. Congestion pricing is on the way back. Sources tell WNYC, Governor Hokel plans to announce a $9 toll rate for drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street. Hokel paused the program in June when it was about to start collecting tolls. The MTA had planned to charge a $5.5.5.000.

$15 toll, but the governor said it was too expensive for commuters. Justin Vallick, as a state program director with the Environmental Group Evergreen Action, he says the new plan should not require another lengthy review. Because what they're contemplating looks to be within the envelope of what was studied under the environmental assessment, they should be able to stand this up relatively swiftly. Sources not authorized to speak publicly say the tolls could go into effect by the end of December or early January, the MTA's meeting next week and is expected to vote on the new plan. New York City renters soon could say bye-bye to broker fees.

The city council approved a measure shifting the upfront fee to whoever hires a broker, usually the landlord. Councilmember Chi Jose says the bill will free renters from a hefty cost for a service they never asked for. Tenants have been forced to hand over thousands of dollars in fees to brokers they never hired nor wanted. Today, we end that cruel and archaic practice. Brokers typically charge a fee equal to about 15% of the annual rent, and the eight council members who voted against the bill agreed, but they say it could backfire for tenants. The Real Estate Board of New York opposes the bill and says landlords will increase rents

to cover the costs. The bill now goes before Mayor Adams for his signature. Hundreds of women are calling on local and state officials to put an end of sexual assault in New York prisons. WNIC investigations have found more than 700 women accused Rikers Island staff of sexually abusing them in lawsuits, but that the city has done little to investigate claims or hold jail staff accountable. A rally at Foley Square yesterday marked a year since the last lawsuits were filed under the Adult Survivors Act. The act provided a one-time opportunity for people to sue over alleged sexual abuse,

even if the statute of limitations had expired. 41 and clear now, increasing clouds today in a high of 49. And then tomorrow cloudy, we'll have some sunshine, mid-50s for a high this weekend. Sunny, just above 60 and dry. Stay close. There's more after the break. This is W1.1.YC in New York. I'm David first. WNYC has confirmed Governor Hokel will relaunch the congestion pricing tolling process. program for vehicles entering Manhattan with a $9 base rate.

The move comes five months after Hockel abruptly canceled the tolls or paused the tolls just days before they were set to go into effect, blowing a hole in the MTA's budget in the process. Hockel will announce the program's revival at WNYC's Stephen Nesson is here to walk us through what we know so far, Stephen, you know, what do we know about this new plan? From what the WNIC newsroom has gathered, it will be a 40% cut to the plan. that was set to take effect in June. So like you said, vehicles would pay $9. Previously was $15.

The MTA originally planned to charge large trucks $36, so Hockel's move would decrease that figure to roughly $21. We don't know yet if the other exemptions and brakes are going to be included again. So the original plan had 50% off on the overnights. We have heard that Hocal plans to eventually, over time, increase the toll to $15, the original fee, and that had drivers and bipartisan lawmakers up in arms. Sources not authorized to speak tell us the tolls will be turned on near the end of this year or early January.

Let's get back to the need here. Remind us why the MTA needs this money. So this money was supposed to fund projects in the agency's last capital plan. It's been waiting on about $16 billion from congestion pricing to fund things like the next phase of the Second Avenue subway, making. 23 subway stations accessible. And those projects have been on hold until this money can be secured. Well, what's the governor going to do to make up for the hundreds of millions of dollars that this lower toll rate will deprive the MTA of? They banked on a higher toll. That's one of the things we're

waiting to find out. But likely it's going to come the way all fees come to the MTA through new taxes. And the state legislature is going to have to agree to that. They're not in session now. So it's unclear, is she going to bring them back early? Are they going to have time in January to vote on this? Totally not clear. We're waiting to find that out. But we also do know that the state legislature has just been tasked by the MTA to come up with $33 billion for the next capital plan that was passed by the MTA board last month. So there's a lot of funding questions hanging over the MTA, least of which, you know, we should note that ridership is back to about 80% of pre-pe. pandemic levels. It's kind of plateaued at that. So with the uncertainty ahead with the Trump administration, any financial sort of issues or say there's a financial crash or a shortfall, you know, the Trump administration does something. It could be quite devastating to the MTA's budget. There is no Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer anymore to bail us out and to get funding for New York State. So turning on the tolls ASAP would be a guaranteed source of income for the

MTA. Okay. Well, if the governor is able to get these tolls up and running before President Elects Trump takes office January 20th, can Trump do anything, do anything to derail the program once he's in the White House? We're certainly in uncharted waters, but one source, at least one source has told me, congestion pricing is just a toll like we have on any bridge in tunnel, albeit one that's very unique. But once the feds have given the green light to this program, there should be no further involvement from the federal government. Should be. There should not be. It's a state. The state's running it now. But then again, anything can

happen with the Trump administration. Well, this is a breaking news story. And stay tuned to WNYC. We'll hear much more about the revived congestion pricing plan. Stephen Nesson, thanks again. Thank you. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day. for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.