The plan for congestion pricing in New York City is on track to begin in Spring 2024 — but not if New Jersey has anything to say about it.
On Monday, Sen. Bob Menendez introduced federal legislation to fight the city from moving forward, hoping to put the brakes on a project that nearly every Garden State lawmaker on either side of the political aisle has come out against.
Menendez, a Democrat, was heading back to D.C. right after a morning news conference at the George Washington Bridge, planning to propose a law that would take away New York's Federal Highway Administration funding in retaliation for congestion pricing, which he says is an attempt to close New York's budget holes by asking New Jersey drivers to pay up.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
"It's the very definition of taxation without representation," Menendez said. "It's a blatant attempt by New York and the MTA to make up for their budget shortfall by squeezing every dollar out of out of state residents."
Menendez is appealing to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to consider the broader impact of congestion pricing on New Jersey. And he's promised to try to pass a law that would ensure New York loses as much money in federal highway funding as it would gain in tolls collected from drivers.
New Jersey drivers fear they will be charged twice to drive to Midtown: Close to $20 to cross the Hudson River, and then again up to $23 to drive south of 60th Street.
"It's already expensive as it is with inflation, adding more to it on a day-to-day thing, cost of living, I think that's ridiculous," said Myra Cordon, who drives into the city.
If the MTA plan is adopted, commercial vehicles could be charged upwards of $80 to drive into midtown.
"Pricing inflation is so hard for small business owners, there isn't a day that goes by when a small business owner doesn't share a story about how hard it is to stay in business," said Jim Kyrgos, of the Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce.
Gov. Phil Murphy and the state's economic development group began running billboard ads near the Hudson River crossings on Monday, encouraging people to avoid the congestion tax by moving their families and their companies to New Jersey.
In response to Menendez's proposed law, the MTA said in a statement that "“The idea of penalizing the MTA for taking steps invited and approved by the federal government is slightly absurd."
Logistics of the congestion tax are still being worked out. Another sticking point for New Jersey's congressional delegation is that their state didn’t have a seat at the negotiating table for a decision that impacts so many drivers hey represent.
