Good morning. I’m Andrew Rein, President of the Citizens Budget Commission. 

The Governor’s congestion pricing pause has both opened a $15 billion financing hole in the 2020-2024 Capital Program and heightened the focus on using available, precious resources on critical basic infrastructure investment needed to keep the system from crumbling.  

Two points should be clear:

1. Congestion pricing is a smart way to finance MTA infrastructure investment, and the Board should do everything in its power to implement it as soon as possible; and 
2. Investing in state of good repair and basic modernization always should have been the top priority before capacity expansion; this should not be news. 

Instead of scrambling to identify substitute revenue and risk a short-sighted decision that does not serve the long run, the focus should be on using available funds to accelerate investment in state of good repair, unpausing congestion pricing, and producing—by Oct. 1—a thoughtful, 2025-2029 Capital Program that sustainably finances core infrastructure needs. 

Make no mistake, the MTA’s ability to proceed for some time without congestion pricing revenue does not mean the pause is painless. It accelerates the opening of an operating budget hole and risks wisely sourced financing that produces multiple benefits. 

We do have enough time to be smart, but we don’t have time to waste.  

Investment in the MTA’s infrastructure is critical to our economy and quality of life; we must identify where and how much to invest over the next six years and identify a fair, sustainable financing plan.  

Next:  

• The State should say when the congestion pricing pause will end, preferably as soon as possible or by the end of the year, so projects continue smoothly; 
• The State should release any remaining funds it long ago committed to the MTA’s 2020-2024 capital program;  
• The MTA should focus on and commit to the most critical projects to rebuild and improve the system as quickly as possible; 
• The MTA should propose a 2025-2029 capital program that wholly prioritizes the most critical rebuild and improve projects, and is sized to be ambitious but achievable by the end of 2029 if perfectly executed; and 
• The 2025-2029 capital program should include a sustainable, fair financing plan—one that apportions the non-federal share regionally and appropriately across drivers, riders, and taxpayers. 

Thank you.