Rockland County Executive Ed Day, State Senator Bill Weber, and County Attorney Thomas Humbach strongly criticized the MTA’s proposed congestion pricing plan on Monday, highlighting its disproportionate impact on Rockland residents and demanding an immediate audit of the agency. The plan would impose a daily toll of up to $15—starting at $9 in January 2025—on drivers entering Manhattan’s Central Business District. For Rockland County residents, where public transit remains unreliable and insufficient, driving into Manhattan is often a necessity, not a luxury.
“The MTA loses over $700 million annually to fare evasion. Before asking drivers to shoulder more costs, the MTA must be held accountable for managing its budget effectively,” said County Executive Day. “It raises serious questions about fairness, priorities, and accountability.” Rockland County remains the only MTA member with an annual value gap exceeding $40 million between what residents pay into the system and the services they receive in return. Officials have called for a thorough audit, pointing to significant mismanagement and inefficiencies within the agency.
State Senator Bill Weber echoed these concerns, emphasizing his legislative efforts to repeal congestion pricing and increase funding for transit improvements. Weber, who has introduced a bill to permanently eliminate the plan and provide toll rebates for Rockland residents, is also pushing to increase the Dutchess, Orange, and Rockland Fund (DORF) allocation for local transit improvements from $2 million to $10 million. “Congestion pricing was a bad idea when it was first proposed, a bad idea when it was shelved, and remains a bad idea now that it has been reintroduced,” said Weber. “Here in Rockland County, we stand firmly in opposition to this unfair tax and will continue fighting it.”
Rockland County is continuing its lawsuit against the congestion pricing plan. County Attorney Thomas Humbach provided updates on the litigation during the press conference, stressing the county’s commitment to protecting its residents. “In the next week or two, we expect a decision from the Court on our motion for a preliminary injunction. We are challenging the foundation of the plan to charge people for use of the public roads in lower Manhattan, and the unconstitutional aspect of these charges,” Humbach explained. “In Rockland’s case, we oppose it because it is being done wrong. It is long-held law that government tolls and fees are intended to charge a fair price to support a person’s specific use of a government service. It is unfair, unjust, and unconstitutional to charge arbitrary tolls to drivers, some of whom have no choice but to drive like many Rocklanders, and divert their money as revenue to support other government services.”
County Executive Day also sent a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday, refuting her claims that Hudson Valley residents will benefit from congestion pricing. Day argued that Rockland has not seen significant transit investments and none are planned in the MTA’s current Capital Plan. “Frankly, instead of admittedly making a charge intended to penalize and deter the public from using those roads, perhaps the State and MTA should consider encouraging people to use public transportation by improving it rather than engaging in a scheme to punish the people who need or want to go to lower Manhattan, especially when, like Rocklanders, they have few choices of how to get there,” added County Attorney Humbach.
“Rockland County residents deserve better,” concluded County Executive Day. “We will continue to fight this ill-conceived plan and advocate for equitable, fair, and effective policies for all New Yorkers.”
The county has also been without representation on the MTA Board since June 2023, further exacerbating frustrations over the lack of a voice in these critical decisions.