In the wee hours in Albany this morning, the New York State Senate and Assembly passed a $175 billion budget that lays the groundwork for a congestion-pricing effort for New York City.
While quite a few details need to be worked out over the coming months, beginning in 2021, drivers will pay a toll to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street, creating a significant revenue stream to help fix our transit system, and putting a dent in the crippling gridlock that plagues the city's central business district.
We're proud to have worked with so many incredible organizations and advocates to help advance congestion pricing, and we're immensely grateful to the State Senators and Assemblymembers we endorsed, and helped elect, who threw their legislative muscle behind this crucial effort.
As with the recent victory to significantly expand the number of speed cameras in New York City, the passage of congestion pricing is an important reminder that elections matter, as does your support for our work. Congestion pricing would have remained an aspiration if you hadn't helped us, with your contributions and your volunteering, to support the candidacies of several dynamic, progressive young candidates whose electoral victories in 2018 tipped the balance in the State Senate.
So thank you. We have much more work still to do to fix our transit system and make our streets safe for all New Yorkers, but for today, we can take a victory lap and be proud of what we have accomplished together.