Expressing opposition to Central Business District Tolling Program of New York City.
This House Resolution (H. Res. 27) expresses the U.S. House's formal opposition to New York City’s Central Business District Tolling Program. The resolution notes that the program would charge drivers up to $23 per day to enter the Manhattan CBD (defined as areas south of 60th Street) and could impose substantial costs on commuters, students, low-income families, and small businesses, potentially costing daily commuters about $5,000 per year. It raises concerns that commercial vehicles could be charged multiple times per day and that tolls could shift congestion to outer boroughs. The measure also frames the tolls as a funding mechanism for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) capital program and operations, with projected revenues of about $1 billion annually to address the MTA’s financial needs. As a non-binding resolution, its purpose is to express opposition, urge a formal economic impact study, and call for halting implementation. It is introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; it does not change federal or state law but signals congressional stance and may influence policy discussion and oversight.
Key Points
- 1The resolution expresses disapproval of New York City’s Central Business District Tolling Program and asserts opposition to its implementation.
- 2It describes the proposed toll as up to $23 per day to enter the Manhattan CBD (south of 60th Street), with potential charges each time a commercial vehicle enters, even if multiple entries occur in one day.
- 3It argues the toll would create a significant economic burden on commuters, students, low-income families, and small businesses, and could raise consumer prices amid inflation.
- 4It claims the program is intended to support the MTA’s capital investment program (about $15 billion) and ongoing operations, with estimated annual revenue of $1 billion; it notes the MTA’s fare-evasion losses and budget shortfalls as context.
- 5It calls for three actions: (1) disapproval by the House, (2) a publicly available economic impact report on the tolling program by New York, and (3) urging federal agencies and New York to halt the program.