Expressing opposition to Central Business District Tolling Program of New York City.

Expressing opposition to Central Business District Tolling Program of New York City.

Whereas through the Central Business District Tolling Program of New York City, the State of New York Department of Transportation, the City of New York Department of Transportation, and the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority are proposing charging drivers as much as $23 per day to enter the Manhattan Central Business District, defined as any area south of 60th Street;

Whereas Manhattan is an island and therefore has limited points of entry, and such Tolling Program will impact commuters, students, low-income families, and small businesses traveling into such Business District;

Whereas the Central Business District Tolling Program could cost daily commuters an estimated $5,000 per year;

Whereas a commercial vehicle could potentially be charged each time such vehicle enters the Central Business District, including multiple entries in one day;

Whereas the Central Business District Tolling Program will be particularly harmful and costly to small businesses that are required to travel into Manhattan, while such small business are still recovering from the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns;

Whereas the increased costs to small businesses from the Central Business District Tolling Program such businesses will be forced on consumers, who are continuing to struggle with persistently high inflation;

Whereas concerns have been raised that the Central Business District Tolling Program will result in increased congestion in the outer boroughs of New York City;

Whereas the Central Business District Tolling Program is expected to generate $1,000,000,000 annually in revenue, which will support the $15,000,000,000 capital investment program of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as well as being used to operate the Tolling Program; and

Whereas the overwhelming majority of the Central Business District Tolling Program revenue is designed to cover the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which is estimated to have lost $690,000,000 in 2022 due to fare evasion and is reportedly facing a projected budget shortfall of almost $3,000,000,000 by 2025: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) disapproves of Central Business District Tolling Program of New York City;

(2) acknowledges the severe economic burden the proposed Central Business District Tolling Program would pose on small businesses and strongly recommends the State of New York conducts, and makes publicly available, an economic impact report on such Program; and

(3) strongly recommends that relevant Federal agencies and the State of New York halt implementation of the Central Business District Tolling Program.