Staten Island elected officials make another attempt to repeal congestion pricing

While the start of congestion pricing is slated for mid-June, Staten Island’s elected officials aren’t ready to call the battle against it quits.

Assemblyman Michael Tannousis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) is introducing legislation repealing the MTA’s controversial congestion pricing plan, he announced at a press conference on Monday at the foot of the Verrazzano Bridge.

From the stone monument near the entrance ramp for the Verrazzano — and joined by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn), Councilman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore), Assemblyman Michael Reilly (R-South Shore), and representatives for Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo (R-Mid-Island), Councilman David Carr (R-Mid-Island), and State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore/South Brooklyn)— Tannousis laid out the threefold legislation being introduced in the New York State Capitol.

The bill would repeal the MTA’s congestion pricing plan, which Tannousis described as “nothing more than a money grab.”

Tannousis’ legislation would also change the makeup of the MTA board. Membership would be expanded from 16 to 17 voting members. It would mandate that each of the five boroughs have one appointed representative on the board moving forward.

Tannousis has previously introduced a bill similar to this provision in 2021.

The final section of the bill would mandate an outside accounting firm’s audit of the MTA’s budget, something opponents of congestion pricing have previously pushed for.

“The MTA makes almost $2 million a day just from the Verrazzano Bridge, but yet they are the first ones to cry foul and to say they have no money, and to say they have to implement taxes, and to say they have to increase the tolls,” emphasized Tannousis. “The public has a right to know where the funds are being spent and where they are going.”

This legislation represents the latest effort by Staten Island’s elected officials to stop congestion pricing.

In January, a lawsuit was filed by Borough President Vito Fossella and the United Federation of Teachers (UFT).

The suit, publicly available online, claims that the plan “would not eliminate air and noise pollution and traffic, but would simply shift pollution and traffic to Staten Island, the Bronx, Upper Manhattan, and Northern New Jersey.”

After the lawsuit was filed, most of Staten Island’s other elected officials joined as co-plaintiffs.

“We’ve said from the very beginning we’re going to use every single legal and legislative tool we can to stop congestion pricing,” said Malliotakis on Monday, before describing her efforts to ban congestion pricing plans at the federal level.

State Sen. Scarcella-Spanton, who is just one of the Island’s Democrats opposing congestion pricing, will introduce and sponsor the senate version of the bill.

Though the bill is being introduced in the latter half of this year’s legislative session, and amid delayed budget talks, Tannousis thinks it could pass before the end of the legislative year.

“I’ve seen mountains move in Albany when they want to. It’s a question of whether they want to or don’t. The Democratic majority controls Albany,” said Tannousis. “They could pass a bill quicker than three days if they want to. If they want this to happen and if the members put pressure, then it will happen.