New Jersey Sues the Feds

Author

Axel Kmetz
July 24, 2023

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In todays news:

  • The NJ v. NYC war takes another turn

  • Bagel Bites

  • What to expect for the week

Murphy Sues the Feds

Governor Phil Murphy has officially filed a lawsuit against the Federal Highway Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation over the New York City plan to add a “congestion pricing program” which will tax drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th street, starting May of 2024.

With an estimated price of $23 during rush hour and $17 during off hours, this toll plan has the potential to generate billions per year for the New York government, while also encouraging drivers to take public transit which in turn, would help the environment.

RTO Insider

With 97,212 cars daily from New Jersey, estimated at $20 a toll to account for both rush hour and non-rush hour entries, NYC would produce $1,944,240 everyday, if nothing changes.

The New Jersey case

  1. The Toll Money will only go to the Capital Budget

    Unlike the operating budget, money in the Capital budget cannot be used to put more trains and buses on the road. The capital budget is used to improve and rehabilitate existing structures within the City. Due to this, the money made off of the tolls will do nothing to improve the New Jersey commuting experience.

  2. The Tolls will negatively affect the environment

    The highly priced tolls will force drivers to take alternative driving routes into the City. This change will not work in reducing traffic per say, but instead just relocating it to other entrances that are not south of 60th street such as the George Washington bridge in Fort Lee.

  3. NJ residents will suffer without reparations

    With traffic being redirected into other areas such as Fort Lee, these residents will now have to deal with the effects of increased traffic in the areas (e.g., the pollutants in the air). Meanwhile, New York will be making money and can afford to financially support those who may suffer more on their side of the river. However, New Jersey will see $0 of the increased income, and residents will suffer more, for free.

The New York Case

  1. Increased income=better infrastructure

    With the new income, New York will be able to improve their cities infrastructure, and the New Jerseyan’s who switch to public transit will be able to enjoy those improvements as well.

  2. Keeps out drivers

    New York City is the most congested city in the world, and anything that discourages drivers to enter could be a net benefit to the City and its inhabitants.

  3. Environmentally safe

    The M.T.A completed a 4,000 page environmental analysis in advance of being approved by the Feds, that the City hopes will stand through the lawsuit.

What Next?

If the lawsuit falls through, the cost of driving into the City will increase dramatically and force more people into public transit. This may encourage New Jersey to embrace more public transportation in efforts to save its residents more on commuting costs. Either way, life for the NJ commuter may be getting more complicated very soon.

Bagel Bites

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Coming up this week

North: Hoboken’s St. Ann Italian Festival is continuing through Wednesday this week, giving you three days to enjoy fresh Italian food and live music during the events 113th anniversary.

Central: Red Bank’s Summer Series “Movies in the Park” continue Tuesday with an outdoor screening of Black Panther: Wakanda forever.

South: Post Malone is making his New Jersey return tonight at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden. Get tickets HERE

That’s all for today,

We’ll be back Friday with more of the news that matter to not only make you smile, but make you more informed than you were today. Don’t miss us too much!

-The Daily Bagel😚