NYC Teachers Union and Staten Island Borough President Sue to Halt Congestion Pricing

Lawsuit Claims Rushed Process and Constitutional Violations; Transit Advocates Argue for Improved Commutes and Reduced Pollution

New York City's teachers union and Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella have filed a lawsuit to halt the implementation of congestion pricing, a plan to toll drivers entering Manhattan to finance public transit improvements.
The lawsuit argues that the pricing plan was created in a rushed process that violated comprehensive review requirements under federal law and that the tolls violate the constitutional rights of teachers and other public sector workers.
Transit advocates argue that congestion pricing will improve commutes for school staff and families, reduce gridlock and pollution, and raise revenue for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
The MTA's board approved the tolls last month and will take a final vote after a 60-day comment period and public hearings.
The lawsuit is the latest in a series of legal challenges against the plan, with concerns about increased pollution and traffic in parts of Staten Island, the Bronx, and New Jersey.