Bucco: New Jersey commuters can’t keep taking hits

TRENTON, N.J. – First the unreliable NJ Transit service and now the proposed congestion tax on New Jersey drivers entering lower Manhattan — the hits keep coming for New Jersey commuters.

“New Jersey commuters have suffered enough. We can’t just keep adding insult to injury,” said Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco (R-Morris).

On Wednesday, Gov. Phil Murphy claimed he had an agreement with N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo to give drivers credit for congestion pricing fees they will pay at all Hudson River crossings, including the George Washington Bridge. Today, the chairman of the N.Y. Metropolitan Transportation Authority insisted there is no deal, and he has ‘no idea what [Murphy] is talking about.’”

“This ‘he said he said’ business is quite frankly embarrassing,” said Bucco. “Why are we letting New York walk all over us? It will be a great detriment to New Jersey drivers if the Governor doesn’t fix this.  We need to take a strong stance and let New York know we will not sit idly by while this critical issue is decided.”

The details of the congestion tax are not finalized, but it is forecast to raise roughly $1 billion annually for the New York subway system. One proposal would charge $12 per car and $25 per truck during prime business hours. The plan also calls for the Port Authority to convert the Hudson River crossings to a cashless toll collection system.