What you should know
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella plans to file a lawsuit to stop the MTA’s congestion pricing plan. In this way, he would join the governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, who already filed a lawsuit on Friday against the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to stop the same plan. The charge could cost from $9 to $23 during peak hours, but the exact amount is yet to be determined.
NEW JERSEY — Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella plans to file a lawsuit to stop the MTA’s congestion pricing plan, in which drivers will have to pay a toll of up to $23 for travel south of 60th Street in Manhattan.
Fosella pointed out on Sunday that when this plan goes into effect, residents of other city counties will be treated as tourists by having to pay one more toll, since in this county they already pay at least one to enter Manhattan, and stressed that Staten Island does not have a subway system, so residents depend on a car to get around.
In this way, Staten Island would join New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, who already filed a lawsuit on Friday against the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to stop the same plan.
NEW JERSEY LAWSUIT
The New Jersey lawsuit alleges that the USDOT and FHWA violated the National Environmental Protection Act, which requires a full environmental impact review for projects of this projected impact and scope, as well as the Clean Air Act.
Since New York and the MTA first unveiled their proposed congestion pricing scheme, Governor Murphy has advocated for the commuters, transit agencies, businesses and residents of New Jersey who will be affected as a result of this proposal.
Governor Murphy also signed S3128/A4694, which will help ensure New Jersey taxpayer dollars stay in the Garden State and go to programs and services that benefit New Jersey residents. The bill will align the tax code with New York’s and allow New Jersey to tax remote employees who live out of state but work at New Jersey businesses, if that state has a similar tax rule.
In addition, the legislation provides tax credits for New Jersey residents who challenge aggressive tax policies imposed on them by other states. If New Jersey residents raise this issue with another state’s tax authority and receive a tax refund for work they performed in New Jersey, the state of New Jersey will provide a tax credit. In addition, this bill creates a $35 million grant program to encourage businesses that operate primarily out of state to appropriately assign their employees who live in New Jersey and open New Jersey offices. This will help ensure that when workers pay taxes, the correct jurisdiction receives those tax dollars.
“After refusing to conduct a full environmental review of the MTA’s poorly designed toll program, the FHWA has illegally accelerated the agency’s attempt to fill its own coffers at the expense of New Jersey families,” Governor Murphy said. “The costs of standing idly by while the MTA uses New Jerseyans to help balance its budget sheets are more than affordable. By the MTA’s own admission, its toll program would divert traffic and move pollution to many vulnerable New Jersey communities, affecting air quality and doing nothing to mitigate such considerable damage. Today we stand as a unified front against this reckless scheme and reaffirm our commitment to combat unfair taxation of our hard-working residents by other states.”
Ricardo Villarini informs us.
WHAT IS THE CONGESTION CHARGE ABOUT?
Congestion pricing is a program, the first of its kind in the country, in which drivers will be charged a toll starting next spring for traveling south of 60th Street in Manhattan. The charge could cost from $9 to $23 during peak hours, but the exact amount is yet to be determined.
The State received federal approval for a plan that seeks to reduce traffic, improve air quality and raise funds for the city’s public transportation system.
People heading to Manhattan already pay large tolls to use many of the bridges and tunnels that connect the Hudson, East and Harlem rivers. Special tolls for the southern half of Manhattan would be added to existing charges.
The new tolls are expected to generate another billion dollars a year, which would be used to finance loans to improve the MTA-operated subway, bus and commuter rail systems.
New Jersey officials have strongly opposed the plan because New Jersey residents heading to Manhattan by car could see commute costs skyrocket. Taxi drivers and car service drivers have also opposed it, saying it would make fares unaffordable. Some MTA proposals have included caps on tolls for taxis and other for-hire vehicles.
Ana Ledo with the details.
2023-07-24 13:28:18
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