Lawmakers Say NYC Toll Plan Will Burden New Jersey Commuters

Two New Jersey congressmen are saying "no way" to New York City's plan to charge motorists a fee for entering Manhattan.

Democrats Josh Gottheimer and Bill Pascrell announced legislation Wednesday to protect New Jersey motorists who already pay up to $15 for bridge or tunnel tolls.

One provision would deny federal transportation funding to New York if New Jersey commuters who pay bridge or tunnel tolls aren't exempted from the new fee.

Details of the fee plan are being finalized. It won't go into effect until 2021 and will be used to fix the city's mass transit system.

Pascrell called it "a raw deal for New Jersey commuters."

New York would become the first American city to use so-called congestion pricing to decrease congestion and fund mass transit improvements.

Today @RepJoshG and I have written to @NYGovCuomo urging our states “to not view ourselves only as competing states, but remember that we are one region with shared economic and infrastructure needs and priorities.” #congestionpricing pic.twitter.com/iOB57dnjh7

— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) April 17, 2019

In a Wednesday letter addressed to Cuomo, Gottheimer and Pascrell said they are aware that the revenue from congestion pricing will be used to make transit investments. However, they note, "plans include upgrades to New York's infrastracture only, leaving out of consideration the millions of workers commuting into the city and relying on aging public transit systems, as well as roads and bridges that also need attention."

The letter goes on to say: "These commuters will be paying the price of the new congestion fees and, as such, should also real the benefits."