INCLUDING ASSAULT AND
HARASSMENT.
HE HAS MAINTAINED HIS INNOCENCE.
>> THIS HAS BEEN A HOT BUTTON
ISSUE.
THERE WAS MORE PUSHBACK AGAINST
THE MTA ADVISORY BOARD’S
CONGESTION PRICING PLAN. LAWMAKERS AND A BUSINESS OWNER
TALKED ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
THIS WILL HAVE ON FAMILIES WHO
VISIT MANHATTAN, ESPECIALLY NOW DURING THE HOLIDAYS.
ANDREW SIFF IS LIVE ON THE LOWER
EAST SIDE WITH SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
>> Reporter: RIGHT, NATALIE.
BEHIND ME, ONE OF THE LAST FREE
CROSSINGS INTO MANHATTAN.
FREE NO MORE, NEXT YEAR WHEN THE
$15 CONGESTION TOLL BEGINS.
>> HOW MANY PEOPLE?
>> Reporter: AFTER BOOKING A
CUSTOMER FOR HIS RESTAURANT THIS WEEK, OWNER JULIO PENA DETAILED
HIS OWN RESERVATIONS ABOUT
CONGESTION PRICING.
>> THAT PERSON THAT USED TO COME
TWICE A MONTH, THAT USED TO COME THREE TIMES A MONTH, IS MAYBE
GOING TO COME LESS.
>> Reporter: BY NOW YOU MAY HAVE
SEEN THE MENU OF TOLL PRICES. CARS WOULD PAY $15, TAXIS $125,
UBER AND LYFT $250, SMALL TRUCKS
$24, AND LARGE TRUCKS $36 TO
INTER-MANHATTAN SOUTH OF 60th
STREET STARTING IN THE MIDDLE OF
NEXT YEAR.
>> TO HAVE THIS CONGESTION
PRICING SHOVED DOWN OUR THROATS, IT’S GOING TO BE A DEATH BLOW.
>> Reporter: PENA STOOD WITH TWO
CONGRESSMEN TODAY WHO HAVE BEEN
CONSTANT CRITICS OF THE FIRST IN
THE NATION TOLLING PLAN.
NEW JERSEY DEMOCRAT JOSH GOB HIEMER.
>> COMMUTERS WON’T BE ABLE TO
AFFORD THE NEARLY $4,000 A YEAR.
>>S NOTHING MORE THAN A MONEY GRAB, IT IS A SCAM.
>> WRONG, OKAY.
IT’S CALLED AIR QUALITY, IT’S
CALLED EMERGENCY VEHICLES
GETTING AROUND, FOR PURPOSES OF
MY JOB IT’S CALLED BUSES GETTING
AROUND.
>> Reporter: THE MTA’S TRANSIT PRESIDENT SAID THE MONEY FROM
CONGESTION PRICING WILL GENERATE
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR SUBWAY
AND BUS IMPROVEMENTS.
HE ALSO DISMISSED THE
CONGRESSIONAL PUSHBACK AS A
POLITICAL STUNT.
>> THOSE TWO ELECTED OFFICIALS
FROM THE LEAFY SUBURBS OF
SOMEWHERE NORTH OF THE CITY AND
SOMEWHERE WEST OF THE CITY WHO
PROBABLY DROVE IN FOR THEIR
PRESS CONFERENCE. >> Reporter: INDEED, THEY DID
ARRIVE IN CARS, AND LAWLER, WHO
HOLDS A SEAT THAT COULD
DETERMINE CONTROL OF CONGRESS,
SAID THE QUIET PART OUT LOUD,
THAT HE’S HOPING TO TURN CONGESTION PRICING INTO ELECTION
TURNOUT NEXT YEAR.
>> I’M TELLING YOU, NEXT YEAR
ANYBODY THAT IS IN FAVOR OF CONGESTION PRICING IS GOING TO
GET ANNIHILATED AT THE POLLS. >> Reporter: NOW, CONGESTION
PRICING OPPONENTS DON’T HAVE
MANY CHANCES TO STOP IT BEFORE
IT STARTS.
THEY DO HAVE AN MTA BOARD VOTE
THIS WEDNESDAY.
IF IT PASSES, THERE’S STILL TWO
COURT CASES FILED BY THE STATE
OF NEW JERSEY TO BLOCK
CONGESTION PRICING ON