Lawyers for the city’s teachers union are reversing the MTA’s decision to set a June 30 start date for $15 congestion charges, saying the agency has set an environmental They argued that this shows that they have not reconsidered the impact of the suit.
“We believe the MTA’s statement belies a true reassessment that is taking place as to whether further environmental review is needed based on the actual congestion pricing program. ,” the lawyers wrote in an April 30 letter to Manhattan Federal Judge Louis Lehman. .
The American Federation of Teachers is funding a wide-ranging bipartisan lawsuit filed in January that also includes Republican Staten Island Borough President Vito Fosella and other elected officials and teachers as plaintiffs. included as.
What you need to know about congestion charges
- These rates apply during peak hours: 5 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 9 PM on weekends. At other times, rates drop to $2.75 for cars, $6 for light trucks, $9 for large trucks, and $1.75 for motorcycles. Other charges remain unchanged.
- Emergency vehicles, school buses, special government vehicles, and vehicles carrying people with disabilities are exempt.
- Drivers who use the toll tunnel to enter Manhattan will receive a $5 discount.
Under the controversial system, drivers traveling south of 60th Street on city thoroughfares and local roads will be charged $15 a day between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., and $3.75 for night trips. A fee will be charged.
The lawsuit claims that teachers, firefighters, first responders and other essential public servants will be “forced to bear the burden of the MTA’s latest fundraising initiative.”
UFT President Mike Mulgrew deferred to his attorney’s statement, but earlier announced the lawsuit, saying, “This is just a money grab because they’re trying to collect money from the working and middle class people in this city.” ” he said.
Some educators drive from suburban boroughs to schools in busy areas of Manhattan.
The lawsuit also raised environmental concerns, arguing that congestion pricing would shift traffic and pollution from Manhattan to Staten Island and the Bronx.
Co-plaintiff Vito Fosella on Wednesday accused the MTA of trying to push through congestion charges before the lawsuit was resolved.
“That’s arrogant and arrogant,” Fossella said. “We can’t just force this toll through. We have to respect the process.”
“This shows that the public hearing held by the MTA was a sham. They are thumbing their nose at everyone.”
Congestion pricing is being introduced because of a state law supported in 2019 by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Democratic-controlled Legislature.
The toll has strong support from Cuomo’s successor, Gov. Kathy Hochul, who said it would reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in Manhattan and encourage more commuters to use transit. It supports an estimated $1 billion generated from the tolls to fund mass transit, while arguing that it would encourage more. Mass transportation.
But politically, congestion pricing is a loser for voters. A Siena College poll released last week found that nearly two-thirds of New Yorkers across political lines oppose the fee system, while only 25% support it.
Still, the bill is scheduled to go into effect on June 30, and barring a bombshell contrarian ruling or opposition by the Biden administration, neither seems likely.
MTA lawyers made that argument when they discussed the June 30 effective date in a letter to judges after MTA CEO Jano Lieber announced it last week. did.
“During [June 30] is the scheduled date, the program cannot begin until the Federal Highway Administration completes a re-evaluation of the adopted toll structure and enters into an agreement authorizing toll collection under the Value Pricing Pilot Program.” said attorney Roberta Kaplan.
Fossella acknowledged that the lawsuit is an 11th-hour, last-ditch effort to block new tolls into Midtown.
“This is the last stand. This is the Alamo,” Staten Island BP said.
Meanwhile, the MTA on Monday approved discounts to make public transit options more attractive while implementing congestion pricing.
Increase the frequency of six popular express bus routes from Brooklyn and Staten Island to the busy areas of Manhattan, and offer a 10% discount on the price of a monthly rail pass to ride the Long Island Railroad and Metro-North in New York City. . Stop.
Both programs are designed to appeal to people in suburban boroughs who are looking to switch from driving to transit to Manhattan’s central business district.
