Time to Call Your Legislators About Congestion Pricing

With mixed messages at best coming from Albany and time running out, state legislators need to hear from constituents who support congestion pricing.

It’s clear that even in areas where pricing received unanimous support in the City Council, some state lawmakers are not getting the message. Here’s Bronx Assembly Member Ruben Diaz, Jr., via NY1:

“It’s just a bad approach where working class citizens of the city of New York are going to wind up having to pay either $8 or eventually a fare increase.”

If pricing passes, just 3.7 percent of those who live in Diaz’s district would pay the congestion charge. That leaves 96.3 percent to face more fare increases if pricing fails. Legislators like Diaz need to understand that, by voting against pricing, they will be responsible for increases in transit costs, and delays in improvements, which will be borne by nearly 100 percent of the working class citizens they represent.

This is the most important New York City transportation policy moment in decades. It’s worth a phone call.