FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
A Meaningful Pause Means An Opportunity for Real Change: Move on from Regressive, Inequitable, Unfair & Unsustainable congestion Toll-Tax Scheme. Save Public Transit with a Real Plan.
Statement by Susan Lee, President, New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax.
June 26, 2024
"New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax, the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit including residents of all five boroughs and Long Island, small businesses inside and outside the “zone,” and a bipartisan group of elected officials, welcomes the MTA resolution that formally delays any implementation date for its regressive, inequitable, unfair and unsustainable congestion toll-tax scheme that fails on every level including public health and the environment, the economy and alleviating congestion.
"That said, our coalition notes the MTA’s imprudent failure to move on from this as-inefficient-as-they come toll-tax scheme that, as per the new EA, fails to collect the required net revenue despite the ridiculously enormous toll-taxes it would charge.
"Most New Yorkers — inside and outside the zone — already agree by a 2:1 margin with Governor Hochul invoking the “indefinite pause” (Source: Sienna Poll).
"Despite its name this Congestion Pricing toll-tax achieves nothing of any consequence with relieving congestion. It even falls short of its claims concerning the environment; instead it negatively impacts public health: just look at the MTA’s own Environmental Assessment and its revision. The “re evaluation” just approved by the federal government shows MTA increased its spending on “mitigation” from $100 million to over $300 million. That evidences the Congestion Pricing toll-tax causes pollution and harms public health.
"Most importantly we note Governor reached the same conclusion we raised from the outset: that the toll-tax scheme is economy-killing; it not only increases the operating costs of small businesses, it increases the costs of goods and services to everyone, not just residents of the toll-tax scheme zone, but everyone whether they remain a hermit where they live, are a pedestrian, biker, public transit user, ride in FHVs and/or yellow taxis, or drive their own car.
"We already called on City Comptroller Brad Lander to conduct a full and complete honest financial impact investigation into the fiscal impacts of on the City of this toll-tax scheme. See https://bit.ly/NYACPT-Investigate.
"We also urged the City Comptroller collaborate with State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli on a full and complete audit of the MTA, including its capital program; based on the fact that some six months remain this year, it remains doubtful that the MTA could spend what committed funding remains of its current 2020-2024 before the period expires.
"New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax also calls on all those like-minded to otherwise impose a toll-tax on entry or re-entry to the zone to support the New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax 5- point plan to Save Public Transit” <https://bit.ly/Save-Transit> – especially as a starting point.
As to new revenues, if the need can be proven necessary, look at this “menu” <https://bit.ly/NoWayTollTax> of one dozen alternatives that also leverage in total more than $60M in borrowing."
New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax is a coalition of residents from diverse neighborhoods around New York City who have initiated a lawsuit to demand that the Federal Highway Administration perform an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to show the real impacts of Congestion Pricing (CP) on our communities. The federal government and the Metropolitan Transit Authority rushed an incomplete Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS) instead of applying the more extensive and comprehensive EIS. An EIS would properly examine the three E’s: Environmental Impacts, Economic Hardship, and Equity.
