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New Jersey Lawmakers Push Back Against New York’s Congestion Pricing Plan
Edited by: TJVNews.com
New York City’s controversial congestion pricing plan, set to take effect on January 5, has sparked fierce opposition from New Jersey lawmakers and officials, who argue it unfairly burdens commuters and businesses from their state. Speaking on CBS New York’s The Point with Marcia Kramer, New Jersey State Senator George Helmy warned that the new tolls could drive companies out of Manhattan and across the Hudson River to cities like Jersey City and Hoboken. As reported by The New York Post, Helmy stated, “You’ve seen over the last two years more and more New York City-based organizations, including business groups, say that this is bad for business and bad for working families in the city.”
The tolls, which will charge cars $9 and trucks up to $22 to enter Midtown Manhattan, aim to reduce traffic congestion and fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). However, Helmy emphasized that the plan will disproportionately impact New Jersey commuters and businesses that depend on access to Manhattan. “A lot of the employees who come to the city every day are New Jerseyans, mostly north New Jerseyans, or [they] live in our shore communities,” Helmy said, as reported by The New York Post. He added that some businesses have already begun relocating to New Jersey, where employees and customers won’t face additional costs.
Helmy’s criticism aligns with a chorus of objections from other New Jersey leaders, including Governor Phil Murphy and Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill. According to the information provided in The New York Post report, these officials have branded the tolls as a blatant tax on New Jersey commuters, designed to funnel money into New York’s struggling public transit system without providing any benefit to New Jersey’s transit network.
Sherrill, who is running to replace Murphy as governor, stated, “This plan is a tax on New Jersey families meant to force New Jerseyans to pay for MTA upgrades — all without getting a cent back for NJ TRANSIT.” She added that New Jersey would not “sit back and take it quietly as New York uses our commuters as a meal ticket for the MTA.”
Murphy has also expressed his frustration with the plan, telling The New York Post, “I have consistently expressed openness to a form of congestion pricing that meaningfully protects the environment and does not put unfair burdens upon hardworking New Jersey commuters. Today’s plan woefully fails that test.”
The congestion pricing plan, first proposed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, has already faced nearly a dozen lawsuits, including one from the state of New Jersey. As reported by The New York Post, New Jersey officials recently urged a federal judge in Newark to rule on one of the most significant legal challenges aimed at halting the plan. Critics argue that the tolls not only place an undue financial burden on New Jersey residents but also fail to adequately address environmental concerns or consider the economic repercussions for businesses.
Hochul’s approach to congestion pricing has drawn additional scrutiny due to its timing. After initially pausing the plan before her election, Hochul moved forward with it shortly afterward, raising questions about political motivations. The plan has also deepened tensions between New York and New Jersey, as both states wrestle with the economic and logistical impacts of the tolls on shared commuters and commerce.
Helmy and other New Jersey leaders have pointed to potential economic opportunities for their state amid the fallout from congestion pricing. Businesses frustrated by the tolls may find relocation to New Jersey appealing, particularly in areas like Jersey City and Hoboken, which already serve as business hubs for New York commuters. “If they can get [their] businesses to move into Jersey City or Hoboken, where we’re already seeing some of that influx, I think it’s going to be good for New Jersey,” Helmy told The New York Post.
However, Helmy reiterated that the plan is ultimately detrimental for both states. “Congestion pricing as a whole is bad for New Jersey, and it’s bad for the city,” he said, emphasizing the shared economic ties between the two states and the importance of maintaining affordable access to Manhattan.
As the January launch date approaches, the congestion pricing plan remains a contentious issue. While proponents argue it will ease traffic congestion and provide much-needed funding for the MTA, opponents, including New Jersey leaders and business groups, view it as an unfair and poorly designed tax that could backfire economically.
According to The New York Post, the ultimate resolution of the legal and political battles surrounding congestion pricing could set a precedent for similar initiatives in other major cities. For now, New Jersey’s leaders remain united in their fight to protect their commuters and businesses from the financial strain imposed by New York’s tolls.
