Expressing opposition to Central Business District Tolling Program of New York City.

Bill Number

H.Res. 27

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Transportation and Public Works

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-01-09: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Last Updated

2025-01-13T12:51:00Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This House Resolution (H. Res. 27) expresses strong opposition to New York City's proposed Central Business District Tolling Program, which would impose fees on vehicles entering parts of Manhattan. It aims to highlight potential economic harms and urge delays or cancellations.

Key Provisions

• Background Concerns (Whereas Clauses): The resolution outlines several issues with the tolling program, including:
• Proposed daily fees up to $23 for entering the Manhattan Central Business District (areas south of 60th Street).
• Limited entry points to Manhattan as an island, affecting commuters, students, low-income families, and small businesses.
• Potential annual costs of about $5,000 for daily commuters.
• Multiple charges per day for commercial vehicles.
• Added burdens on small businesses recovering from COVID-19 lockdowns, with costs likely passed to consumers amid high inflation.
• Risk of increased traffic congestion in New York City's outer boroughs.
• Expected annual revenue of $1 billion, mainly to fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) $15 billion capital program and program operations, despite MTA challenges like $690 million in 2022 fare evasion losses and a projected $3 billion shortfall by 2025.
• Resolved Actions:
• Disapproves of the tolling program.
• Recommends that New York State conduct and publicly release an economic impact report on the program, focusing on effects on small businesses.
• Urges federal agencies and New York State to halt implementation.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This is a non-binding resolution, so it introduces no direct changes to federal or state law. It serves as a formal statement of congressional disapproval rather than enforceable legislation.

Potential Impacts

• On Citizens and Businesses: Could raise awareness of economic burdens, potentially pressuring New York officials to revise or abandon the program, benefiting commuters, small businesses, and low-income residents by avoiding new fees and congestion shifts.
• On Government Agencies: May influence the MTA, New York State Department of Transportation, and New York City Department of Transportation to pause rollout and conduct studies. Federal agencies (e.g., U.S. Department of Transportation) might face calls for involvement, though the resolution lacks binding authority.
• On International Relations: No direct impact, as this is a domestic transportation issue.
• Broader Effects: If heeded, it could reduce projected $1 billion in revenue for MTA improvements, exacerbating transit funding shortfalls.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Commuters and Residents: Daily drivers into Manhattan, including students and low-income families, facing high fees.
• Small Businesses and Commercial Vehicles: Owners reliant on Manhattan access, vulnerable to multiple daily charges and recovery from pandemic effects.
• Consumers: Potentially higher prices due to businesses passing on costs amid inflation.
• New York City Outer Boroughs: Residents at risk of worsened traffic.
• Government Entities: MTA (revenue-dependent), New York State and City transportation departments (implementation roles), and federal agencies (advisory involvement).
• House Representatives: Sponsors (e.g., Mr. LaLota, Mr. Garbarino, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. Lawler) from New York districts, using this to represent local concerns.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: As a simple resolution, it has no force of law and cannot mandate actions, but it could support future legislative efforts (e.g., via the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure) to block federal funding or approvals for the program.
• Constitutional: Raises questions of federalism, as Congress comments on a state-authorized local program under the Value Pricing Pilot Program (a federal initiative allowing tolls for congestion management). It underscores tensions between federal oversight and state autonomy in transportation.
• Political: Represents partisan or regional pushback from New York Republican representatives against a Democratic-led city's policy, potentially fueling debates on urban congestion pricing, transit funding, and economic equity. Referred to committee on January 9, 2025, it may prompt hearings but is unlikely to pass without broader support.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. LaLota, Nick [R-NY-1]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2], Rep. Malliotakis, Nicole [R-NY-11], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]

Recent Actions

• 2025-01-09: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
• 2025-01-09: Submitted in House
• 2025-01-09: Submitted in House

Bill Versions

• Expressing opposition to Central Business District Tolling Program of New York City. — issued 2025-01-09 — PDF (3 pages)