Albany, New York – Assemblyman David Weprin issued the following statement on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed plan to create a congestion zone in New York City:

"I am pleased to hear that the Governor did not include tolls on the East River bridge crossings, which have been free since 1911, as part of his 2018 Executive Budget Proposal. As I’ve expressed before, tolls impose an unfair burden on the middle class, small businesses, and those who cannot access public transportation. Although I look forward to hearing the complete details of the proposal from the ‘Fix NYC’ advisory panel and support efforts to reduce congestion citywide; I’d like to ensure that any congestion zone will keep the needs of all New Yorkers, including the many the working New Yorkers who often commute from the outer boroughs and who do not have easily available access to public transportation, in mind.”