Long Island, NY – Several union leaders, republican senators along with those representing community organizations, held a press conference on November 18, 2024 in opposition to the Congestion Pricing initiative.
“Governor Hochul and New York’s Democrat leadership are once again looking to Long Islanders to bail out the MTA. The Governor paused this tax only long enough to get past Election Day. It is a slap in the face to struggling Long Islanders to ask them to once again pay higher taxes just to get to work. Now more than ever, Long Islanders needed relief. Instead, they got deception and higher taxes,” said Senator Anthony Palumbo (SD1).
According to the New York State Senator Anthony H Palumbo Message to New Yorkers, the press conference spotlighted “two industries that would be affected by the ill-conceived congestion pricing plan – labor and agriculture.” The group protested the imposition of an additional hidden tax on New Yorkers. Thousands of New Yorkers are urging Governor Hochul to rethink her backing of the congestion pricing plan and call on the legislature to repeal or halt the program.
“Our brothers and sisters are already struggling with inflation and cost of living and this is just another tax that is going to get passed along to the hardworking middle-class workers of New York. This is just going to be another tax on top of our members. Additionally, all the contractors that are in the HVAC or construction industry will be taxed. We have to bring equipment in, servicing buildings in the city, and when our contractors are sending their service trucks in their getting taxed. I’ve been a life-long registered Democrat, and I’ve always voted Democrat, I never left the party, based on these policies, it seems like they left behind the hardworking middle-class workers of this country,” said Vincent Gaynor, Business Agent for Local 638 Steamfitters.
United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew said, “Governor Hochul heard the concerns of educators and ordinary New Yorkers that this plan for congestion pricing just shifts pollution, congestion, and costs onto already struggling communities. As an organization that has gone to court to fight this plan, we applaud the Governor for making the right decision.”
New York City Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said, “The governor made the right call here. The congestion tax is not only a burden on police officers and other essential commuters – it’s bad for public safety. The NYPD is already severely understaffed and struggling to recruit and retain police officers, who can find better pay and benefits in almost any other police department. Forcing cops to dig deeper into their pockets just to report for duty will send even more of them running for the exits. A congestion tax would mean even fewer cops on the streets. New Yorkers can’t afford that.”
As the MTA begins a public education campaign to promote the imminent return of congestion pricing, opposition is increasing and demonstrations are planned. The implications for Long Island commuters, businesses, and local delivery services continues to be a concern of legislators.
