Rep. Josh Gottheimer calls reverse congestion pricing idea in New Jersey "outrageous"
In the New Jersey governor's race, Democrat Josh Gottheimer says a Republican's idea for a congestion pricing-like toll on New Yorkers entering the Garden State is "outrageous."
Gottheimer, a congressman and vocal critic of New York City congestion pricing, is one of six Democrats currently running to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy in the 2025 election.
"When you go over to New Jersey and New York, you gotta pay a fee. I think it's too much, but you gotta pay to go over the bridge and through the tunnels ... that's the toll that people are paying and that's plenty, and I think it's too much," Gottheimer said during an interview on CBS News New York's "The Point with Marcia Kramer."
Republican proposed reverse congestion pricing in New Jersey
Republican Jack Ciattarelli, a former assemblyman who narrowly lost the 2021 race to Murphy, previously said on "The Point" that New Yorkers should pay more to enter New Jersey while congestion pricing is in effect.
"If President Trump is not successful in getting rid of congestion pricing, I'm sorry but every New York plate that comes through the tunnels or over the bridges in the morning to New Jersey, we're going to hit them with a congestion pricing fee," Ciattarelli said. "Why should New Jerseyans pay for the MTA? I'll get New Yorkers to pay for New Jersey Transit."
Gottheimer said during Sunday's interview that the idea would do more harm than good.
"The idea that we would charge anyone more and hurt hardworking people who are trying to get to work or trying to see family is outrageous," Gottheimer said.
Click here to watch the Gottheimer's full interview.
Deadline to end NYC congestion pricing approaches
The Trump administration delayed until April its deadline for New York to stop collecting congestion pricing tolls after revoking federal approvals for the program.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul in February the fee unfairly burdens working class people and small businesses, which Gottheimer and Ciattarelli agree with.
"The good news is, I can see on the horizon, this thing's ending," Gottheimer said. "It seems like the writing's on the wall that they've got fewer than 30 days left to get rid of this thing. The administration's been pretty clear about that and reinforced what we've said all along. This is nothing but picking the pockets of hardworking people who are trying to get by."
Hochul has signaled New York will not comply with the deadline. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority reported it collected $51.9 million in February from congestion pricing.
New Jersey governor's race
Gottheimer, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, former State Senate President Steve Sweeney and New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller are running in the Democratic primary. The candidates faced off in a debate in February.
Ciattarelli, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, radio talk show host Bill Spadea and former state Sen. Ed Durr, who previously defeated Sweeney, are running in the Republican primary. The four faced off in a separate debate.
