Full primary results, Hochul's congestion pricing delay is here to stay

Plus, the state's ethics agency is prepping its legislative strategy for next year.

Good afternoon — it’s Wednesday, and Coconut Day.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2024

TODAY’S CAPCON:

• It’s the day after this year’s primary elections. Who won? Who lost? I put together an easy-to-read list of what happened.

• The MTA board met Wednesday and talked about the delay of congestion pricing and what to do about it. That’s up first today.

• The state’s ethics agency is charting its legislative strategy for next year’s legislative session.

🥵 Tonight’s Weather: Albany: Rain, high 60s. New York City: Rain likely, low 70s. (National Weather Service)

---

(Mary Altaffer/Associated Press)

🚗 MTA board decides not to challenge Hochul on congestion pricing

🚘 But the agency’s governing body acknowledged that current transit projects in the pipeline will have to be reprioritized.

When Gov. Kathy HOCHUL announced a pause this month for congestion pricing — a $15 toll for entering the busiest parts of Manhattan — her opponents were incensed but had hope.

Many argued that Hochul’s decision can and should be undone by the MTA board, the authority’s governing body.

• They started calling on board members to reverse Hochul’s decision and started to lean on that strategy.

This was in the days immediately after Hochul’s decision. A few days later, Hochul said she didn’t need permission from the board to delay congestion pricing.

Despite that, the board took up a resolution during a meeting Wednesday on the “indefinite pause” Hochul imposed on the program, which would’ve started less than a week from now.