A CEO who lives on NYC’s famous Billionaire’s Row has been mocked for moaning about New York City’s new $9 congestion charge impacting his five-minute drive.
American real estate tycoon Andrew Scott Heiberger, 56, has been blasted as out-of-touch and ‘outrageously elite’ after his street-side interview about the tax went viral.
Heiberger lives in a ritzy high-rise on the Upper East Side stretch of Billionaire’s Row which would cost $12,000-per-month to rent.
He complained about the green levy during an interview with Freedom News TV on Sunday – the day the first-in-the-nation toll was imposed on New Yorkers.
‘Starting today the congestion pricing is going into effect – $9 each day to pass 60th Street,’ Heiberger said.
‘While I disagree with it for many reasons, for me in particular, it really hits home, because I live right here on 61st Street in this building, and my car is right there parked in front of my building.
‘If I want to turn around and go up town to visit my kids who live on 79th Street, I have to pay $9 to go around the block because there’s no way for me to go uptown without going around the block and paying $9.
‘I think something has to be sorted out on behalf of residents.’
American real estate tycoon Andrew Scott Heiberger, 56, has been blasted as out-of-touch and ‘outrageously elite’ after his street-side interview about the new congestion charge went viral
Heiberger lives in a ritzy high-rise (pictured) on the Upper East Side stretch of Billionaire’s Row which would cost $12,000-per-month to rent
The CEO’s comments were met with derision. People blasted Heiberger as elitist for missing the whole point of the congestion charge.
Others pointed out that the businessman’s journey to see his children is easily walkable in less than 20 minutes – or just a few minutes by bus, bike or subway.
The goal of congestion pricing is to reduce short journeys like Heiberger’s which cause gridlock and pollution, while simultaneously raising revenue for public transit.
‘Who is driving from 61st St to 79th St lol,’ one person commented below the video of Heiberger complaining.
‘This is a wealthy CEO. The $9 goes to the MTA to help rank and file New Yorkers get around,’ one man noted.
‘Look up this guy, I think he might be able to pay a charge,’ one person agreed, while another said: ‘And the guy is a NYC real estate tycoon,’ alongside a laughing-face emoji.
‘All New Yorkers, who know very well what real estate at 61st Street and Fifth Avenue is worth, are hearing the world’s tiniest violin playing here,’ a woman added.
‘Outrageously elite,’ another person agreed. ‘The costliest residential area in the costliest part of the costliest neighborhood in NYC. Literal seven-minute walk to $105 million listing.’
Billionaires Row is the stretch of Fifth Avenue running alongside Central Park. Past residents include Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Barbara Walters.
Heiberger, who comes from a family of real estate brokers, is the founder of two Manhattan-based real estate firms: Buttonwood Development and Town Residential.
Heiberger, who lives on Billionaire’s Row, has been mocked online for moaning about New York City’s new $9 congestion charge impacting his five-minute drive on the Upper East Side
Haley Heiberger and Andrew Heiberger attend DuJour Media’s Jason Binn celebrates fall cover stars Tony and Sage Robbins at The Venue on Music Row on September 19 in New York City
He previously worked as the CEO of Citi Habitats, a residential brokerage which he founded in 1994 and sold 10 years later. He’s also a licensed attorney.
Heiberger is a member of several prestigious groups, including the Real Estate Board of New York, the World Presidents’ Organization, and the New York State Bar Association.
The congestion toll officially took effect in New York City on Sunday, after New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced in November that drivers entering areas of Manhattan below 60th Street, or south of Central Park, would pay a daytime toll.
Drivers heading into some of New York’s busiest neighborhoods now have to pay $9 during peak hours on weekdays – 5am to 9pm – and 9am to 9pm on weekends.
There is an additional $2.25 charge for off-peak hours. During peak hours, large trucks can expect to pay $21.60, a reduced fee of $14.40 for smaller trucks and $4.50 for motorcycles.
Those who have an EZPass and enter the toll zone through the Lincoln, Queens-Midtown, Hugh L. Carey or Holland tunnels during peak hours will be charged a $3 credit fee.
The only exceptions go for certain emergency vehicles, school buses, people with disabilities who can’t take public transportation and those who transport with them – all of which are exempt.
Low-income drivers who pay the toll 10 times in a month will be able to apply for a 50 percent discount on trips they take the remainder of the month.
Local people have been outraged by the new fee – though for different reasons to Heiberger.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced that congestion pricing on certain roads would begin on January 5 to ‘unclog our streets, reduce pollution and deliver better public transit’
New York has said more than 900,000 vehicles enter the Manhattan Central Business District daily, which reduces travel speeds to around seven miles per hour on average
The goal of ‘congestion pricing’ is to reduce gridlock and pollution while simultaneously raising revenue for public transit – specifically $15 billion
‘Over 20k+ in taxes paid this year in NYC. Tolls if you drive anywhere, including the new congestion pricing toll to drive into the city we already live in, public transit and streets are NOT safe, potholes everywhere…’ one resident wrote on X.
‘Where does all our money we pay in taxes go as a nyc resident? We need answers. Real ones, not some cheesy politically correct one either.’
The MTA claimed that the tolls are necessary to raise $15 billion for mass transit upgrades – extending the Second Avenue subway, signal improvements and the purchase of hundreds of new electric buses.
But the rollout comes after 10 people were murdered in the subway system last year while more incidents continue to happen in the New Year.
Opponents such as Susan Lee urged the MTA to modernize the transportation systems first – making it safer for residents before the toll took effect.
Republican lawmakers have called on Trump, a native New Yorker who has vowed to kill the scheme if elected, to intervene now to terminate it.
But Hochul and the state-run MTA raced against the clock to impose the congestion toll before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20th.
Trump has joined the 51 percent of New Yorkers opposed to the tax, calling it the ‘most regressive tax known to womankind’.
New York has said more than 900,000 vehicles enter the Manhattan Central Business District daily, which reduces travel speeds to around seven miles per hour on average.
