"Much like taxes on cigarettes, which have done little to extinguish the habit but have generated revenue for related healthcare costs, this surcharge is poised to become a financial crutch rather than a solution,

Across Washington Heights, locals bemoaned that their already-scarce curbside parking spaces have further vanished in recent days, with many now burning hours trying to track down a precious spot.

Since the plan went into effect a little over a week ago, drivers have become desperate to find ways to park above 60th Street and riding mass transit downtown to avoid the toll.

A New York federal court denied Rockland County’s effort to stay congestion pricing in New York City while its appeal proceeds in the Second Circuit, finding the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority stands to lose about $12 million monthly in unrecoverable operations and maintenance costs if the program were enjoined even temporarily.