NORTH JERSEY — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) Wednesday released the following statement in response to today’s MTA’s Congestion Tax vote:
“It’s hard to believe, but today New York and the MTA actually increased the Congestion Tax pricing that they announced just a few days ago. The mismanaged MTA’s commuter-crushing Congestion Tax is worse than we originally thought.
At a minimum, it will cost $15/day or $4,000/year to commute over the GWB.
Now, for the new additional hidden fees, which is the number I’ll be using going forward:
- No E-ZPASS: $22.50/day, or more than $5000/year to go over the GWB.
- New “Gridlock Alert Days” — which are up to New York’s discretion: Add 25% to prices. That’s $28/day and more than $7,000/year at the GWB.
- And an ability to increase the Congestion Tax 10% in 2024.
Bottom line: if you commute, want to see a doctor, or grab dinner in New York City, get ready to pay $40 to go over the GWB in 2024 — in addition to gas and parking. Yes, $40 Congestion Tax.
Even Governor Hochul said the Congestion Tax is just a plan to rescue the MTA from years of billion dollar budget holes and mismanagement. The MTA lost $700 million last year alone to people who didn’t pay to ride — fare skippers.
The MTA is a hot mess and just desperate for cash.”
