On January 5, the “Congestion Fee” plan that is set to be implemented continues to spark backlash in the community. David Weprin, the State Assemblyman from the 24th District of Queens, has also called for the cancellation of the plan, arguing that it is an additional tax on working-class individuals that will harm New York’s economic recovery. Industry professionals believe that imposing a fee as high as $21.60 on large trucks will increase the burden on businesses and raise the cost of goods.
Weprin represents the 24th District, which includes neighborhoods such as Richmond Hill, Hollis Hills, and Oakland Gardens. These areas lack direct public transportation routes to downtown Manhattan and Chinatown, forcing residents, especially the elderly, people with disabilities, and vulnerable groups, to rely on taxis or private vehicles for daily commuting, medical appointments, and errands.
On the 17th, he, along with other elected officials and several business and community leaders, held a rally stating that the Governor’s initiation of the “Congestion Fee” plan “equates to an unbearable additional tax on ordinary working-class New Yorkers, which is highly unfair to the elderly, people with disabilities, small business owners, and middle-class families in communities lacking public transportation.”
Weprin believes that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) did not fulfill its promise to improve transportation with the substantial federal funding it received during the COVID-19 pandemic. The implementation of the congestion fee policy may force businesses to pass on the added costs to consumers, leading to price hikes and further disrupting New York City’s economic recovery from the pandemic. Hence, he calls for a permanent halt to the congestion fee collection.
Nily Rozic, the State Assemblywoman from the 25th District of Queens, emphasized at the rally that residents of East Queens should first witness substantial improvements in the public transportation system, such as providing more direct routes to downtown Manhattan.
The 25th District of the State Assembly encompasses areas like Flushing, Queensboro Hill, Hillcrest, Fresh Meadows, Oakland Gardens, Bayside, and Douglaston.
Warren Schreiber, the Chairman of the Queens Civic Congress, directly labels the congestion fee as “fraudulent and revenue-generating behavior.” He asserts that the MTA’s purported redesign of the Queens public transit network not only failed to enhance services in the area but also reduced resources.
Delivery truck companies will also face significant cost expenditures. Zach Miller, the Executive Director of the New York Trucking Association, mentioned that he has a truck company in Long Island City, Queens. His trucks make approximately 25,000 deliveries to hospitals, pharmacies, restaurants, and hotels in the eastern part of Manhattan. If each entrance into the congestion fee zone incurs a charge of $21.60, the annual cost increase could reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, placing a substantial burden on small businesses.