U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5th) continues his crusade against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s proposed congestion pricing plan and this time, he’s enlisted the help of nearby Staten Island Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. The congressional members say their constituents will be “double-tolled” for entering Manhattan south of 60th street. The new tax could be as much as $23 a day for cars on top of fees paid at bridges and tunnels. At a news conference in New York City Monday, they introduced legislation that would require the MTA to let drivers put the money paid at existing tolls toward any congestion tax they would face and called for an audit of the transit agency, questioning how the MTA spent billions in federal pandemic relief money.
“Just read MTA spelled backwards and it tells you everything you need to know,” Gottheimer said. “ATM, that’s what they think of New Jersey. They think we are their ATM.”
