Borough President Vito Fossella, Delegation Oppose Possible Revival Of Congestion Pricing

Borough President Vito Fossella joined the entire Staten Island delegation to oppose the potential revival of congestion pricing by Gov. Kathy Hochul before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office. He has pledged to block it from taking effect.

“We are here to be to be the voice of the people who feel like they don’t have a voice,” said Borough President Fossella at a press conference in the shadows of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. “Last week the people of this country and around here said enough, and if you want to see ‘Exhibit A’ of cynicism and exploiting the political process, resurrecting congestion pricing is just that.”

In January, Staten Island’s elected official joined a federal filed lawsuit filed by Borough President Fossella and United Federation of Teachers Union President Michael Mulgrew to block the implementation of congestion pricing.
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“A number of months ago, we sued in federal court to stop congestion pricing because it is a burden on the people of this borough and this region,” said Borough President Fossella, vowing to continue the fight in court. “This whole process is a scam -- they try to fool people, run through Election Day and then bring it back. I hope the good people of this city, state, and region shut it down once and for all.”

Borough President Fossella referenced the project’s own environmental assessment.

​“The government’s own study demonstrated that air pollution will get worse on Staten Island, traffic will get worse on Staten Island, and we would have to pay a third toll,” he said. “They’re intentionally harming people with congestion pricing, they’re intentionally hurting people with congestion pricing -- this is wrong.”