HEMPSTEAD, NY — Get rid of congestion charge forever. That was the message from Long Island leaders on Wednesday.
They are calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to permanently scrap the plan, which she took an indefinite break in early June.
“Earlier this week, you know what? The truth finally came out. It was revealed that the governor is planning to reinstate the congestion pricing plan,” said Hempstead Supervisor Donald Clavin. “Let’s get rid of the congestion pricing plan. Let’s take down the monitors and stand up for the residents and do the right thing and find a way to save them money.”
Clavin and other Long Island leaders are still fighting the plan in federal court with a lawsuit against the MTAwhich alleges that the toll system amounts to an illegal tax that treats different groups of people differently for the same activity. It is one of 11 separate lawsuits targeting the toll plan.
“This is not a Republican issue. This is not a Democratic issue. This is a hard-working New Yorker issue,” Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, a Republican whose district includes Hempstead, said in May.
Last month, state lawmakers proposed bring back the plan, but at a lower price than the proposed $15.
“The governor has heard from state legislators like me who believe strongly that we need to fix it, not end it,” Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal said at the time, adding: “The $9 baseline is an amount that can be considered without having to start the federal environmental review from scratch.”
Congestion charge details before the break
Congestion charge was scheduled to start at 12:00 noon on June 30.
New York City would have been the first in the country to implement such a toll. It is now unclear when — or if — it will go into effect.
According to the plan, the drivers would paid to enter Manhattan at or below 60th StreetFares were highest during peak hours: 5am to 9pm on weekdays and 9am to 9pm on weekends.
Drivers using the E-ZPass paid $15 during peak hours for passenger cars and small commercial vehicles, $7.50 for motorcycles, and $24 or $36 for trucks and buses, depending on size.
Some discounts and exemptions were availableincluding the Individual Disability Exemption Plan for people who cannot use public transportation due to medical conditions.
Officials said the aim of congestion charging was to Reduce traffic and improve air quality in Manhattan. The money raised from the plan would be used for public transport projects and upgrades.
