Dear Editor,
I’m writing you today to inform Orange County citizens that Assemblyman Eachus and Senator Skoufis have thrown you under the bus. In 2019 Mr. Skoufis voted FOR NYC Congestion Pricing. On February 17th I personally asked Mr. Eachus to co-sponsor Assembly Bill 4660. As of today, he has not. There is a companion bill in the Senate which Mr. Skoufis has not co-sponsored. I asked his representative to convey to Mr. Skoufis that I wanted him to co-sponsor Senate Bill 8149 at that same meeting in Cornwall.
“Starting in June 2024, vehicles entering the Congestion Relief Zone in Manhattan — local streets and avenues at or below 60 Street — will be charged a toll.” Quoted directly from the MTA website.
Assembly Bill 4660, introduced over a year ago, REMOVES these words from the legislation Mr. Skoufis voted for; “or entry into or remaining within the central business district established by article forty-four-C of this chapter” and “and the central business district tolling program.” These few words remove the authority for the MTA/NYC to implement congestion pricing.
Albany is broken. NY Magazine reported in December 23 that “In 2022, the Empire State’s population appears to have dropped by 101,984 people, the largest decrease in the nation.” Let’s send Dorey Houle for NY Senate and Tom Lapolla for Assembly to stop the bleeding. Maybe then we can revive New York. Both have told me they would have supported the bills had they been in Albany. Oh, by the way, the budget didn’t get done on time again! Imagine that!
Sincerely,
Jack C. Collins
MSG, US Army Retired
Monroe, NY
