Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Congestion Pricing

Dan Quart: New Taxi Fees Won’t Do Much “Without a Full Congestion Pricing Plan”

Photo: NYS Assembly

Count Assembly Member Dan Quart among the state legislators who aren't satisfied with the taxi and for-hire vehicle fees enacted in Albany's new budget.

Quart, a representative of Manhattan's East Side who co-sponsored the Move New York bill in 2016, told Streetsblog last month that he wanted to see "actual congestion pricing" that charged "anyone driving into the Central Business District."

The Albany budget only included fees on taxi and Uber trips, which will barely make a dent in traffic while imposing two-thirds of the costs on Manhattanites, according to analyst Charles Komanoff.

That's not good enough for Quart, who released a statement on the budget condemning the failure to pass a real congestion pricing plan.

"A fee on for-hire cars will fall disproportionately on Manhattanites and will do little to fix gridlock in NYC so he is not supportive of these types of fees without a full congestion pricing plan," O'Hanlon said.

After Governor Cuomo called the new surcharges "a major, major achievement," Streetsblog has been contacting Manhattan representatives to get their take on the taxi fees and the absence of congestion pricing in the state budget. Here’s what Assembly Member Deborah Glick and State Senator Brian Kavanagh told us.

Quart did vote for the final budget that included the surcharges, along with every other Assembly Democrat, despite his misgivings about the lack of a cordon toll. "Unfortunately it's an overall yes or no vote so specifically voting against the surcharge isn't an option," O'Hanlon said. "If it was a standalone bill he certainly would've voted no."

Given the way Albany operates, with few open hearings, closed-door negotiations, and a few men in a room hashing out what gets in the budget, it's never easy to tell how much leverage rank-and-file legislators have or how they wield it.

In light of the position statements legislators like Quart have given to outlets including Streetsblog and the Daily News, however, it seems like the political path to pass congestion pricing -- at least in the Assembly -- was not the impossible battle Governor Cuomo made it out to be.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Money for Something: Funding OK’d, But Details Missing For ‘Dept. Of Sustainable Delivery’

The mayor got the Council to sign off on $6.1 million for the long-awaited “Department of Sustainable Delivery." But what's it mean? No one is talking.

July 1, 2025

Incoming Albany Mayor Could Help Safe Streets Movement Statewide

The state capital is built for the car and that is how it is experienced by our lawmakers. But could that change under a new mayor? Here's hoping.

July 1, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Another Child Sacrificed to the SUV Edition

Stop de kindermoord! An 8-year-old boy killed by an SUV driver is the latest victim of America's obsession with big cars. Plus other news.

July 1, 2025

DOT Testimony: Removing Bedford Ave. Bike Lane Will ‘Reduce Safety’

"Removing the protected bike lane won’t remove cyclists — it will only make the street less safe," the DOT said. "The city risks legal liability for knowingly reducing safety on a Vision Zero priority corridor."

June 30, 2025

Hochul Signs Speed Camera Reauthorization, Enforcement Continues Through 2030

Stating a clear fact that scores of state legislators reject, Hochul said, "Speed cameras save lives and keep New Yorkers safe."

June 30, 2025

Cyclists Tell Judge Carolyn Walker-Diallo: The Bedford Ave. Bike Lane is a Lifesaver

A judge will decide the fate of the Bedford Avenue bike lane on Tuesday. Streetsblog offers some user affidavits.

June 30, 2025
See all posts