New Jersey officials, labor leaders rally against congestion pricing
WEEHAWKEN, N.J. -- New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer was joined by labor leaders Tuesday morning to sound the alarm over what he's calling the disastrous impacts of congestion pricing.
The plan to toll drivers entering Manhattan's Central Business District below 60th Street is proceeding full speed ahead, but a growing list of opponents still refuse to get on board. Port Authority workers are the latest to denounce it. They say more revenue for the MTA means less money for airports, trains, and terminals.
"Put simply, the MTA's financial struggles should not be solved on the backs on the essential workers who continue to get squeezed," said Rob Zavonte, president of the agency's Sergeants Benevolent Association.
Workers on Tuesday demanded an exemption from the MTA, saying the toll to commute to their jobs could cost them more than $5,000 annually.
Port Authority capital projects would be impacted. too. Gottheimer has been an outspoken critic of congestion pricing.
"The MTA is literally robbing Peter to pay Paul to help themselves out at the cost of the people behind me that will gut new investments to our region's mass transit," Gottheimer said.
According to the MTA's own analysis, up to 20% of drivers could be priced out of commuting to Manhattan from New Jersey. Gottheimer said that decrease would reduce the Port Authority's budget by $1.25 billion over the next decade.
"It'll stop investment in the PATH train and all the work upgrading LaGuardia, Newark, and Kennedy airports," Gottheimer said.
The MTA has touted that congestion pricing will improve the environment, improve air quality, and make streets safer.
In response to the rally, a spokesperson wrote, in part, "(It) is good for the 85% of people who depend on mass transit to get to where they need to go, including more than $1 billion for LIRR improvements."
Opponents are also looking to kill congestion pricing in other ways, from a lawsuit to legislation that would strip the MTA of federal funding.