Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday abruptly backed out of a Queens fundraiser hosted by a car dealership group that has publicly opposed congestion pricing — just five days after the governor indefinitely paused the tolling plan.
The Greater New York Automobile Association planned a fundraiser reception for Hochul on Tuesday at The Center for Automotive Education & Training in Whitestone. The car dealership group has been a years-long benefactor to the governor. Since 2018, the Association has contributed over $92,000 to Hochul’s campaigns, according to campaign finance records. But on Monday, Hochul suddenly pulled out of the event.
“I will not be attending a fundraiser with auto dealers,” Hochul defiantly told reporters at an unrelated news conference in the Bronx early Monday.
The association is a lobbying group for car dealers in the New York metro area, and in an email to subscribers noted its opposition to congestion pricing.
Hochul emphasized at the Bronx event that the pause on congestion pricing is “temporary” but she would not give a timeline on when the tolls could launch.
“I wanted to reserve the right to continue studying this, considering our options, hearing from people, and that’s exactly what I did,” Hochul said. “There’s a big difference between a pause and an elimination. Elimination was an option. I said I’m committed to congestion pricing.”
The nonprofit transit booster Riders Alliance panned Hochul for her reversal on congestion pricing and said it’s not too late to reverse course.
“This morning, Gov. Hochul reiterated her commitment to congestion pricing for the first time since her change of heart,” said Danny Pearlstein, the communications director of the Riders Alliance, in a statement. “She also canceled a campaign fundraiser with car dealers planned for Queens on Tuesday. In an instant, the governor threw the future of the MTA and New York City into chaos, but she can reverse herself again with the flip of a switch.”
Hochul noted that lawmakers could return to Albany for a special session to identify a revenue replacement for the MTA.
On Monday afternoon, the MTA sent out a media advisory that Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber plans to “make an announcement” at 4 p.m. The comments will be his first since Hochul’s bombshell announcement last week.
The MTA plan calls for most motorists who enter Manhattan below 60th Street to pay $15, which would have raised $1 billion annually to fund modernization and service improvements.
Jen Goodman, a spokeswoman for Hochul’s campaign, confirmed that Hochul no longer plans to attend Tuesday’s fundraiser, but would not give a reason for the last-minute cancellation.
When reached by phone, a representative for the Greater New York Automobile Association said they were not aware of Hochul’s cancellation before transferring Crain’s to Kelsey Hering, a dealer services coordinator at the Association, who declined to answer questions. The Association’s media team did not immediately respond to messages.
A flier for the Tuesday event called for donations of at least $5,000 and up to $10,000 for the governor’s re-election campaign.
In a May 28 email to its members, the Association touted Hochul’s support and encouraged members to use the fundraiser to speak directly with the governor.
“Gov. Hochul has been a staunch supporter of our industry,” the email said. “And this reception provides an excellent opportunity to engage with her directly and show our collective support for her continued leadership.”
Caroline Spivack , 2024-06-10 21:20:08
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