NYC congestion pricing approval prompts Long Island leaders to turn to Donald Trump and Congress to kill it
LONG ISLAND, N.Y. -- Leaders in Nassau and Suffolk counties are coming up with ways to try and stop congestion pricing, including lawsuits.
They held a roadside rally on Monday to roll out their strategy.
Lawmakers have MTA in their crosshairs, will rely on Trump
The Long Island elected leaders' battle plan is to pull federal funding of the MTA in the new Congress and implore President-elect Donald Trump to make good on an election promise to terminate congestion pricing.
The Town of Hempstead has filed a lawsuit against the MTA, based on insufficient public notice.
"Today's vote is in violation of New York State law and in violation of every regulation regarding transparency that the MTA has," Town of Hempstead Attorney Joshua Liebman said Monday of the MTA board's approval of the tolling plan.
With no exemptions in place for first responders, teachers, and medical visits, leaders gathered to call congestion pricing a devastating tax on the suburbs that wouldn't be needed if the MTA better managed its finances.
"The MTA's waste, fraud and abuse is legendary, absolutely legendary," Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico said.
"The bureaucracy, fare evading, they're losing money. What do we have? Another tax. It's a regressive tax. It hurts the workers," North Hempstead Supervisor Jen Desena said.
"This is not a group that knows how to manage money and instead of tightening the reigns and finding new leadership, what do they do? They dig into the pockets of the people of New York and New Jersey," Rep. Anthony D'Esposito said.
"This is an unfair burden on resident commuters, small businesses"
Congestion pricing is designed, in part, to pay $1.5 billion for new Long Island Rail Road locomotives. Officials call that a pittance of what Long Islanders will pay in.
- Read more: Long Island lawmakers call for congestion pricing to end permanently. Here's what they're saying.
While mass transit riders hope to see improved service, leaders of Long Island's most populated townships say not everyone has a choice.
"While addressing traffic congestion and promoting environmental sustainability, those are goals we support, but this is an unfair burden on resident commuters, small businesses. How does a plumber bring his tools and supplies?" Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said.
"These aren't the titans of industry. These are the people who serve you coffee and the men and women who make deliveries out there, and they can't afford it," Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin said.
Small business owner say the tolling plan is like a kick in the wallet to Midtown small business owners, like Federico Tenorio.
"If I have to pick up materials, it's costing. I have to pay for the tunnels in and out of the city," said Federico Tenorio, a Midtown, Manhattan small business owner.
"We pay enough taxes already. I'm originally from London and we have congestion pricing there and I think it's a money grab," Jen from Baldwin added.