Gottheimer demands New York halt Congestion Tax by Friday’s deadline

UDPATE: U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced in a post on X Thursday afternoon that the Department of Transportation is granting New York a “30-day extension as discussions continue” on ending congestion pricing.

NEW JERSEY — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) Thursday joined local leaders to demand New York halt collection of its crushing Congestion Tax ahead of Friday’s March 21 deadline for the MTA to shut off the cameras. Gottheimer announced new action to protect Jersey commuters and hold the MTA accountable if New York does not comply.

New York’s Crushing Congestion Tax

• Last month, New York was ordered to end its outrageous Congestion Tax, giving the MTA until March 21 to shut off the cameras.
• Governor Hochul has refused to comply, instead insulting hardworking Jersey commuters by claiming they are “not forced” to come to New York.
  • The governor said at a recent press conference, “New Jersey residents, come, you are welcome. But you’re not forced to come here.”
  • Jersey residents pay $4.3 billion in income and other taxes to New York every year and support New York restaurants, stores, shows, and the economy.
• New York has whacked Jersey families with a crushing $9-a-day Congestion Tax — more than $2,300 a year now with E-ZPass — without a nickel going to New Jersey.
  • New York approved fare increases every year up to $15, costing nearly $4,000 per year.
  • It already costs more than $18 a day to go over the GW Bridge or through the tunnels.
• The MTA’s own reports show their Congestion Tax would change traffic patterns, forcing more trucks — and with them, more cancer-causing pollution — onto the GW Bridge and surrounding areas.
  • Since January, more noxious pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, and carcinogens like formaldehyde, have plumed into the lungs of Northern New Jersey.

MTA 

• In 2023, the MTA lost $700 million on fare skippers and spent tens of millions on a new intercom system that does not work.
• Other examples of the MTA’s mismanagement include:
  • $700,000 spent on gates that fail to stop skippers.
  • $1 billion spent to expand the 2nd Avenue subway stations twice as large as experts say is needed.
  • $5 million spent on workers to look for fires at the bus depot because the sprinklers don’t work.

• Gottheimer is writing to the New Jersey Department of Transportation urging them to bill New York’s MTA for any and all charges to Jersey families after tomorrow’s deadline.
  • Gottheimer is calling for the New Jersey DOT to invoice New York every single week that it refuses to comply with the shutoff deadline.
• Gottheimer is sending a letter to E-ZPass calling on them to stop charging drivers who enter the Congestion Zone after the March 21 deadline.
  • Gottheimer is also calling on NY E-ZPass to fix its broken system that prevents Jersey commuters from challenging New York’s fraudulent charges. Currently, only New York drivers can challenge incorrect charges, not New Jersey E-ZPass holders.
• As Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Anti-Congestion Tax Caucus, Gottheimer reintroduced a bipartisan legislative package to halt the Congestion Tax and hold the MTA accountable.
  • The Anti-Congestion Tax Act, which Gottheimer introduced with Congressman Van Drew, prohibits the Department of Transportation from awarding any new grants to MTA projects in New York until drivers from all New Jersey and New York crossings into Manhattan receive exemptions from any Congestion Tax. This will directly stop the MTA from costing the Port Authority millions if it insists on its nine-dollar-a-day tax.
  • The Make Transportation Authorities Accountable and Transparent Act, which Gottheimer co-led with Congresswoman Malliotakis, requires the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct a full audit of the MTA to see how it has spent billions in federal assistance over the past five years.
  • The Motorist Tax Abuse Act, which Gottheimer co-led with Congresswoman Malliotakis, specifically prohibits congestion pricing in New York City.

“From Day One, nearly six years ago when we first started this fight, we knew that the Congestion Tax was not about easing congestion or pollution, it was just a giant cash grab for New York and the MTA — all on the backs of hardworking Jersey families. Time’s up on New York’s Congestion Tax. I said we would fight this till the end, and it looks like New York will ultimately lose at the final buzzer,” said Gottheimer, Co-Chair of the bipartisan Anti-Congestion Tax Caucus. “The decision to keep the Congestion Tax cameras on is completely ludicrous. It’s literally highway robbery. We are not going to sit around and let New York stick it to hardworking Jersey families. We will keep bringing the Jersey fight until New York turns off the Congestion Tax cameras and ends their cash grab once and for all.”