NY GOP pols rip Kat ‘gas car ban’
Seven Republican members of Congress from New York state ripped Gov. Hochul Friday for attempting to take away the “right to choose” by banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035 — but Hochul’s office told The Post she won’t change course.
A letter organized by upstate Rep. Elise Stefanik and signed by gubernatorial candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin called on Hochul to abandon the plan, citing the prospect of higher costs and fewer consumer options if it takes effect — reviving the issue ahead of the election.
“In addition to the fact that this policy will drive up prices each New Yorker must pay for their vehicles, you are also taking away their right to choose what vehicle they want to drive,” the letter says.
“Instead of picking winners and losers from Albany, you should be working to enhance consumer choice and empower New Yorkers to decide how they want to spend their hard-earned money. We urge you reverse this decision and put the needs of all New Yorkers first.”
Stefanik told The Post “electric vehicles will not serve our communities well, especially because families in my district often have to commute over an hour each way to work” and suggested that the regulation was part of a broader agenda that “shamelessly prioritizes the needs of New York’s urban cities over our hardworking rural communities.”
But Hochul’s office swatted aside the criticism, saying in response that “these actions benefit our climate and the health of our communities for generations to come.”
“Following the legislature’s support and passage of the bill, Governor Hochul signed legislation in 2021 setting the goal for all new passenger cars and trucks to be zero-emissions by 2035,” Hochul’s spokeswoman said. “The Governor is committed to creating a safe, healthy New York.”
Hochul faces a tighter-than-expected contest against Zeldin going into the Nov. 8 election. The RealClearPolitics average of recent polls shows Hochul beating the Long Island congressman by just 6.1%, despite President Biden carrying the state by more than 23 percentage points in 2020.