NJ lawmakers vow to continue fighting congestion pricing

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (PIX11) -- After a federal judge denied a last-ditch emergency appeal by the State of New Jersey on Saturday, congestion pricing is underway. A lawsuit spearheaded by the Murphy administration hopes to end the tolling plan.

Press secretary Natalie Hamilton told PIX11 News the administration was disappointed the courts allowed congestion pricing to take effect, "despite agreeing that its approval violated the law and arbitrarily shortchanged New Jersey residents." The statement went on to say, "We will continue fighting against this unfair and unpopular scheme."

Right now there are still some legal issues pending in three different courts, but as those play out, New Jersey lawmakers say their fight isn't over.

"I think we can point out that this could be very damaging to the relationship between New Jersey and New York," said Republican Assemblyman Michael Inganamort (R-24th District), who sits on the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee. "When New York takes a predatory posture towards New Jersey, I think that is not only bad in the short term but potentially really bad in the long term."

Democratic Assemblywoman Shama Haider said she will fight for her constituents in North Jersey.

"Our district aligns along the George Washington Bridge," said Haider (D-37th District), "and this is going to bear the brunt of all the traffic, all the pollution, all the environmental impacts that go into it."

Republican state Sen. Joe Pennacchio thinks New Jersey should fight back by way of economic development.

"We have the Meadowlands, which is absolutely terrific venue, where we could put a convention center," said Pennacchio (R-26th District). "We would compete with New York's outdated convention center, the Javits Center, and that would put an economic strain on New York and honestly, may bring them back to the bargaining table."

President-elect Donald Trump and many congressional Republicans oppose congestion pricing, giving a sense the incoming administration will try to find a legal way to fight it. In the meantime, the MTA has until Jan. 17 to provide environmental information to a federal judge in Newark.