Staten Island Reporter

(WASHINGTON, DC) - On June 27, 2023 Reps. Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Co-Chairs of the bipartisan Anti-Congestion Tax Caucus, released the following statement in response to New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s announcement that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has formally approved the New York City Central Businesses District Tolling Program, otherwise known as the Congestion Tax, that would charge drivers an additional $23 to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street.

"Governor Hochul is right, New Yorkers and New Jersey families do ‘have a lot to lose’ from the implementation of this Congestion Tax — primarily more of their hard-earned money. It’s disappointing to see Governor Hochul and the USDOT work hand in hand with the MTA to fleece New York and New Jersey families with this costly, untested program without requiring a full and thorough Environmental Impact Statement to learn the Congestion Tax's true impact on residents, commuters, tourism, and small businesses. The MTA's own report admits that the Congestion Tax will only shift traffic and pollution from more urbanized areas to the outer boroughs and New York City suburbs, including New Jersey, disproportionately impacting our constituents who are being used to pick up the tab for the woefully mismanaged MTA that is running a budget deficit. The only reason the MTA and the FHWA have found “no significant impact” from this scheme is because they’ve skirted the system to avoid conducting a more thorough study that would have likely stopped the implementation of this tax in its tracks. As we move into the next step of this process, we will continue to evaluate our legislative options to prevent this scam from coming to fruition, sound the alarm so other cities don’t make the same mistake, and stand in support of Governor Murphy's efforts to take legal action should New York City and State proceed with this blatant war on commuters.”

The bipartisan Anti-Congestion Tax Caucus has introduced the Make Transportation Authorities Accountable and Transparent Act which would require the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to conduct a full audit of the MTA to see how it spent billions in federal assistance, along with Economic Impact of Tolling Act that would require a thorough economic impact analysis to provide more transparency to the public and policymakers about the potential consequences the congestion tax would have on workers, residents, and businesses.

Original source can be found here.