Testimony: Gov Hochul’s Final Budget Must Keep Congestion Pricing Strong by Including Tools to Stop Toll Evaders and Exemption Cheaters
Re: Governor Hochul’s Final Budget Must Keep Congestion Pricing Strong by Including Tools to Stop Toll Evaders and Exemption Cheaters
Good morning. I am Rachael Fauss, Senior Policy Advisor for Reinvent Albany. We advocate for more transparent and accountable New York government, including for authorities like the MTA.
At the MTA’s public hearing earlier this month, Reinvent Albany was among the 60% of public commenters voicing strong support for congestion pricing. We congratulate the MTA Board, staff, and Governor Hochul for facing down a tirade of negativity and parochialism, and finally getting congestion pricing across the finish line. The MTA Board’s approval of congestion pricing tolls is a major public policy victory that will benefit the millions of everyday New Yorkers who ride the MTA, as well as businesses across New York and New Jersey. This is also a huge win for MTA workers who stand to earn $3 billion from in-house capital project work funded by congestion pricing.
Governor Hochul now needs to keep standing strong and make sure congestion pricing is fair and effective, by ensuring the final state budget includes her executive budget proposals giving the MTA the tools it needs to stop toll evaders and exemption cheaters. The MTA lost $50 million in tolls last year to fraud because of weak laws that, for example, don’t allow plate-obstructing devices to be confiscated.
Lastly, we look forward to the MTA’s release of new open datasets that will allow the agency and public to continually monitor and assess how well congestion pricing is reducing traffic delays and generating revenue, and inform how it can achieve the best possible results.
Thank you for your consideration.