February 20, 2025 • 6 mins
Josh Gottheimer joins Mendte in the Morning to talk about the end of congestion pricing by Donald Trump.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, I know someone who should be happy this morning,
New Jersey Democratic congress Person and gubernatorial candidate Josh Gottthheimer,
who has been fighting against congestion pricing. Well, I guess
ever since it was announced, and now Donald Trump has
said he is going to pull federal approval so that
(00:23):
it will in essence be stopped. So welcome to the show,
Congressman Gottheimer. Thank you so much for joining us. Yeah,
absolutely so. How are you feeling.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Today, day man, great day, litra bouncing the step today.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Yeah, and did you see this coming?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I did see conn Wissen. It was announced that the
administration was going to do this. We've been fighting this
thing forever, and the arguments we've had against the.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Congestion tax have held true the whole time.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
And now finally, you know, instead of rubber stamping an
idea that wasn't ready for prime time, you know, now
there's recognition that this not only is this, well, the
congestion tacks whacking hard work and families, you know, nine
dollars a day at a time where we've got to
do everything we can to get prices down to help people.
And it's you know, especially hard working folks are just
trying to make ends meet. But the other piece we've
(01:11):
always been talking about is this was nothing but a
cash grab for New York that was going to do
nothing to help the environment. In fact, in northern New Jersey,
given the change in traffic patterns of all these people
avoiding the congestion tax, you'd get more pollution, which is
exactly what we've been seeing since they started this, right,
More trucks have been going to the GW Bridge, backing up,
more pollution for New Jersey, hurting our kids and our families.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
And this is exactly what we said. What happened.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
It happened, and the administration stood up yesterday and said, yeah,
we agree with you.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah, and New York is going to fight this.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Kathy Hochel announced that yesterday that they're going to file
suit and look for an injunction.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
What do you see happening?
Speaker 4 (01:51):
So I get they want to fight this. They lost
for a reason.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Not only can you not when you have a problem
with your MTA and your transit system and you will
trying to blame somebody else, and you know, pick someone
else's pockets to fix your problems, you know, like which
obviously I've got very strong feelings that that is not
what you should do to Jersey families or those are
the out of boroughs. But on top of that, I
get she's frustrated. She tried to jam this thing through,
(02:16):
knowing that it would lead to more traffic.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
In Jersey and more pollution in New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Decided she thought she could just pull a fast one
and everyone and she's pissed because they caught her. And
what I thought was amazing yesterday. I don't know if
you heard her press conference, but she had the audacity
to say that Jersey families, you know, you're not forced.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
To come to New York City. Is if she doesn't
want us to come in.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Oh Congressman, let me play that. Let me play that,
and you can react afterwards.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
New Jersey residents come, You're welcome, but you're not forced
to come here. This is the flaw in their argument.
They have choices, keep coming. We love you, that's great.
But the people who live here, who are real New Yorkers,
they're the ones who I have to listen to and
I will always fight for.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
No.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Go ahead, Sorry to interrupt.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
You, No, I mean, could you imagine that you got
this small business? Not only are small.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Businesses struggling in New York and they're trying to get
people to come back to the city post pandemic.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Right, And not only you're basically saying.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
To your own small business owners, you know, we don't
want people to come in and.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Support New York.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
But on top of that, do you know how many
people from Jersey go into New York every day? Cops, firefighters,
nurses right who, electricians and others who help New York's economy,
who give money yours economy, who work in New York.
All these hard working people, and you just basically slap
them in the face. I think that was an unbelievable statement.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
And I'm hoping she backs off that today.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Put aside all the people who are patients in the
hospitals and who support you know, go to the restaurants,
but to say no thanks to New Jersey. Listen, I
want everyone to stay in Jersey and support New Jersey businesses.
But you got people who go to work to make
a living and to try to make ends meet, and
you're telling them, no, thanks, we don't want you.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
No, it was absolutely ignorant, because there are people that
get off of work that work at restaurants or bars
and get off in two in the morning, and there's
no trains to take back to New Jersey or where
they want to go, and they have to drive in
and they're hit the hardest, or construction workers that have
to come in in the middle of the night, or
or or people that work in hospitals. It was an
(04:17):
insult to all of them. Yeah, no, absolutely, But how
do you think people feel also that are in the
outer boroughs or on Long Island?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Are they not New York.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Or Westchester exactly? Oh? I mean, you have no idea.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
How many people when I go out I talked to
come up to me and talk to who are not
from Jersey, We're from the Burroughs or from Westchester Long Island,
who are like.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
We got to stop this thing.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
It's gonna it's they're getting whacked too, just like we are.
And you know, you're talking about twenty three hundred dollars
a year. This is not like pocket change, right, this
is real money, and on top of what people already
pay for bridges and tunnels to get into New York.
So listen, this is a great win to just cut
taxes for people stop and cut costs for people and
stop this congestion tax. And I also think you know,
(05:03):
they want to go ahead and try to fight this
right right, which is what what she said yesterday, and
the MTA said they're going to go ahead and keep
charging people. I don't know if you saw that, but
the idea refusing to shut these things off. And you
know which, Listen, they'll go to a judge, and a
judge is going to work this out, and I believe
we'll rule in favor of Jersey on this. But what
I think has to happen is that we keep track
(05:24):
of every nickel people are paying starting today on these
congestion taxes, and they should get reimbursed when this when
they when New York ultimately loses in the courts, which
is what's going to happen, everyone who's had to pay
should get reimbursed.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Great idea and wonderful point. And at the same time
that this is all happening, you're a lawsuit. The New
Jersey lawsuit is going to continue.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Correct, We've got the New Jersey lawsuit will continue as
refiled as a backup plan. We've got bipartisan legislation than
I've got in Congress that as a backup plan.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
You know, we'll keep fighting. I mean, listen, it's Jersey, right,
we keep fighting. Just grew with us. You find out
what happens, but we'll just keep going.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
And uh and you know this is at the end
of the day, this is about making sure we help
save money for for Jersey families and make their lives easier.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
And that's that's what it's about.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
I'll tell you what.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
I don't care how it dies, just so it dies.
And so whether it's yeah, either it's your lawsuit or
it's it's president run.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
We stop this tax and save people money. I don't
care who, I don't care how it gets.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Done because it's good for New Jersey. Good luck with
the good editorial election. Thank you so much, Josh gottheimer.
I'll talk to you again soon.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Talk you soon. Take care
Well, I know someone who should be happy this morning,
New Jersey Democratic congress Person and gubernatorial candidate Josh Gottthheimer,
who has been fighting against congestion pricing. Well, I guess
ever since it was announced, and now Donald Trump has
said he is going to pull federal approval so that
(00:23):
it will in essence be stopped. So welcome to the show,
Congressman Gottheimer. Thank you so much for joining us. Yeah,
absolutely so. How are you feeling.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Today, day man, great day, litra bouncing the step today.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Yeah, and did you see this coming?
Speaker 2 (00:40):
I did see conn Wissen. It was announced that the
administration was going to do this. We've been fighting this
thing forever, and the arguments we've had against the.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
Congestion tax have held true the whole time.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
And now finally, you know, instead of rubber stamping an
idea that wasn't ready for prime time, you know, now
there's recognition that this not only is this, well, the
congestion tacks whacking hard work and families, you know, nine
dollars a day at a time where we've got to
do everything we can to get prices down to help people.
And it's you know, especially hard working folks are just
trying to make ends meet. But the other piece we've
(01:11):
always been talking about is this was nothing but a
cash grab for New York that was going to do
nothing to help the environment. In fact, in northern New Jersey,
given the change in traffic patterns of all these people
avoiding the congestion tax, you'd get more pollution, which is
exactly what we've been seeing since they started this, right,
More trucks have been going to the GW Bridge, backing up,
more pollution for New Jersey, hurting our kids and our families.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
And this is exactly what we said. What happened.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
It happened, and the administration stood up yesterday and said, yeah,
we agree with you.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah, and New York is going to fight this.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Kathy Hochel announced that yesterday that they're going to file
suit and look for an injunction.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
What do you see happening?
Speaker 4 (01:51):
So I get they want to fight this. They lost
for a reason.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Not only can you not when you have a problem
with your MTA and your transit system and you will
trying to blame somebody else, and you know, pick someone
else's pockets to fix your problems, you know, like which
obviously I've got very strong feelings that that is not
what you should do to Jersey families or those are
the out of boroughs. But on top of that, I
get she's frustrated. She tried to jam this thing through,
(02:16):
knowing that it would lead to more traffic.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
In Jersey and more pollution in New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Decided she thought she could just pull a fast one
and everyone and she's pissed because they caught her. And
what I thought was amazing yesterday. I don't know if
you heard her press conference, but she had the audacity
to say that Jersey families, you know, you're not forced.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
To come to New York City. Is if she doesn't
want us to come in.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Oh Congressman, let me play that. Let me play that,
and you can react afterwards.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
New Jersey residents come, You're welcome, but you're not forced
to come here. This is the flaw in their argument.
They have choices, keep coming. We love you, that's great.
But the people who live here, who are real New Yorkers,
they're the ones who I have to listen to and
I will always fight for.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
No.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Go ahead, Sorry to interrupt.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
You, No, I mean, could you imagine that you got
this small business? Not only are small.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Businesses struggling in New York and they're trying to get
people to come back to the city post pandemic.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
Right, And not only you're basically saying.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
To your own small business owners, you know, we don't
want people to come in and.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Support New York.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
But on top of that, do you know how many
people from Jersey go into New York every day? Cops, firefighters,
nurses right who, electricians and others who help New York's economy,
who give money yours economy, who work in New York.
All these hard working people, and you just basically slap
them in the face. I think that was an unbelievable statement.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
And I'm hoping she backs off that today.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Put aside all the people who are patients in the
hospitals and who support you know, go to the restaurants,
but to say no thanks to New Jersey. Listen, I
want everyone to stay in Jersey and support New Jersey businesses.
But you got people who go to work to make
a living and to try to make ends meet, and
you're telling them, no, thanks, we don't want you.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
No, it was absolutely ignorant, because there are people that
get off of work that work at restaurants or bars
and get off in two in the morning, and there's
no trains to take back to New Jersey or where
they want to go, and they have to drive in
and they're hit the hardest, or construction workers that have
to come in in the middle of the night, or
or or people that work in hospitals. It was an
(04:17):
insult to all of them. Yeah, no, absolutely, But how
do you think people feel also that are in the
outer boroughs or on Long Island?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Are they not New York.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Or Westchester exactly? Oh? I mean, you have no idea.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
How many people when I go out I talked to
come up to me and talk to who are not
from Jersey, We're from the Burroughs or from Westchester Long Island,
who are like.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
We got to stop this thing.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
It's gonna it's they're getting whacked too, just like we are.
And you know, you're talking about twenty three hundred dollars
a year. This is not like pocket change, right, this
is real money, and on top of what people already
pay for bridges and tunnels to get into New York.
So listen, this is a great win to just cut
taxes for people stop and cut costs for people and
stop this congestion tax. And I also think you know,
(05:03):
they want to go ahead and try to fight this
right right, which is what what she said yesterday, and
the MTA said they're going to go ahead and keep
charging people. I don't know if you saw that, but
the idea refusing to shut these things off. And you
know which, Listen, they'll go to a judge, and a
judge is going to work this out, and I believe
we'll rule in favor of Jersey on this. But what
I think has to happen is that we keep track
(05:24):
of every nickel people are paying starting today on these
congestion taxes, and they should get reimbursed when this when
they when New York ultimately loses in the courts, which
is what's going to happen, everyone who's had to pay
should get reimbursed.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Great idea and wonderful point. And at the same time
that this is all happening, you're a lawsuit. The New
Jersey lawsuit is going to continue.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Correct, We've got the New Jersey lawsuit will continue as
refiled as a backup plan. We've got bipartisan legislation than
I've got in Congress that as a backup plan.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
You know, we'll keep fighting. I mean, listen, it's Jersey, right,
we keep fighting. Just grew with us. You find out
what happens, but we'll just keep going.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
And uh and you know this is at the end
of the day, this is about making sure we help
save money for for Jersey families and make their lives easier.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
And that's that's what it's about.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
I'll tell you what.
Speaker 1 (06:13):
I don't care how it dies, just so it dies.
And so whether it's yeah, either it's your lawsuit or
it's it's president run.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
We stop this tax and save people money. I don't
care who, I don't care how it gets.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Done because it's good for New Jersey. Good luck with
the good editorial election. Thank you so much, Josh gottheimer.
I'll talk to you again soon.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Talk you soon. Take care
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