Massive Opposition to Legislative Proposals Exempting Special Interests from Congestion Tolls
Twenty-two government accountability, transit advocacy, and disability groups released a joint memo of opposition against 17 bills seeking exemptions to congestion tolls or delays to congestion pricing. According to the groups, the bills are an attempt by special interests to win special treatment by the Legislature after they failed to win toll exemptions from an independent panel and its staff experts, or by the courts.
According to the 22 groups signing the memo, it would be contrary to notions of basic fairness to pass these bills or include them in one-house budget bills, and would reward these special interests with massive handouts ultimately paid for by other toll payers or taxpayers.
Click here or view the joint memo of opposition below.
No more congestion pricing carve-outs or delays!
February 5, 2025
STATEMENT OF OPPOSITION
Our groups strongly oppose these bills, many of which seek to exempt special interest groups who enter the central business district with their personal vehicles from congestion pricing tolls. Other bills propose delaying the program or canceling it altogether. Results during the first month suggest that congestion pricing is working; all of these bills would result in less revenue for MTA capital projects, increased traffic congestion, and worse air quality – the three main pillars of the congestion pricing program.
These bills are an attempt by special interest groups to win special treatment through political influence in the Legislature after their proposals were rejected by an independent panel and its staff experts, and by the courts.
The Traffic Mobility Review Board (TMRB) spent months evaluating more than 120 requests for congestion toll exemptions, largely from special interest groups.
Our groups observed the entire process very closely and believe TMRB honored its stated goal of basing its decisions on three fundamental principles:
- Serve the many, not the few.
- Act as fairly as possible.
- Keep tolls as low as possible by limiting toll exemptions for special interests.
We credit the TMRB with creating a toll exemption policy that is fair and provides the greatest benefit to the greatest number of New Yorkers. We ask the Legislature to respect that policy and its commitment to basic fairness.
The Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee (PCAC) to the MTA and Regional Plan Association found that exempting municipal workers would cost $140 million/year under a $15 toll. According to the PCAC, exempting NYPD members alone from the updated $9 toll would cost $22 million in toll revenue in 2025 and more annually as planned toll increases are phased in.
It would be contrary to notions of basic fairness to pass these bills and reward special interests with massive handouts that will ultimately be paid by other toll payers or taxpayers.
We urge the Legislature to NOT pass these bills.