There was some tough talk in the shadow of the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee Wednesday about fighting what some commuters worry could be a “double tax” on their daily ride to and from New York.

Two Garden State congressmen said they plan to introduce a bill as soon as next week that would cutoff federal transportation funding for New York, unless officials negotiate with their counterparts in New Jersey about sharing congestion pricing revenue to support NJ Transit and PATH.

U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5th) and U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-9th) announced plans Wednesday to introduce a bill to “create an incentive” for New York to include New Jersey officials in Congestion Pricing negotiations. U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th) is the Republican co-sponsor of the bill, however he wasn’t at the press conference.

The incentive would withhold federal transportation funding if New York officials refuse to negotiate. At stake is how much some of the estimated 400,000 New Jersey commuters who work in New York could pay.

They also sent a letter to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to “consider the region as a whole” and dedicate funds to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and NJ Transit instead of just the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

“If they don’t, we have no alternative but to fight it, Jersey Style,” Pascrell said.

New York's congestion pricing plan could result in double-tolling NJ commuters who take the George Washington Bridge. This is unfair and counterproductive.



We need a regional solution that treats New Jersey commuters fairly and provides revenue for @NJTRANSIT and @PATHTrain. — Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) April 4, 2019

“Not on my commuters,” Gottheimer said after he said they could be whacked with an extra $3,000 annual expense if they pay a congestion pricing fee to drive south of 60th Street in Manhattan. “It’s way too expensive as it is.”

The proposed bill is the latest volley over New York’s plan to charge a toll on vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street and using the revenue to fund the NYC subway system and some MTA commuter rail. A congestion pricing report released last year said the funds would solely go to the MTA.

“We were surprised (by passage of congestion pricing) and now we’re saying sit down and let’s talk about it,” Gottheimer said.

They stood on an overpass in the shadow of the George Washington Bridge with Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich who called congestion pricing “very unfair” as proposed.

If New York officials aren’t willing to talk, Jersey legislators are ready to come out swinging.

“We’re not here to pick a fight. We are getting the short end of the stick in New Jersey,” Pascrell said. “Congestion Pricing is a raw deal for New Jersey commuters as it stands today.”

New York’s congestion pricing plan report proposed giving drivers who pay a $15 toll to take the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels from New Jersey credit against the fee to enter Manhattan. Because of that, congestion pricing advocates said they don’t expect many diversions to trains and buses. The fee isn’t expected to be applied until 2021.

State Senate President Steve Sweeney met with Cuomo Wednesday about congestion pricing.

“After conferring with Governor Cuomo on the MTA’s efforts to implement Manhattan’s central business district tolling, I am confident that we will have a voice in the process that will allow us to protect the interests of New Jersey’s motorists," Sweeney said, in a release. “We will work in a coordinated way with the MTA, New York State, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and with other jurisdictions to develop a fair tolling system.”

But a panel of experts will make the final call about pricing and what bridges toll commuters will get a congestion pricing credit for paying. While the Lincoln and Holland Tunnel tolls would count toward the congestion fee, no decision had been made about the George Washington Bridge.

The contrast is that tolls drivers pay on the Henry Hudson Bridge, which is north of the GWB, would count toward a driver’s congestion fee, Gottheimer said.

“It gets them off the hook and it seems they’re going after New Jersey commuters,” he said.

Alarmed at the prospect of thousands of addition commuters using an already struggling and crowded NJ Transit and PATH system, Gov. Phil Murphy said that New Jersey needed some of the congestion pricing revenues to handle the overload.

Murphy called the current congestion proposal a “double tax” on New Jersey commuters.

PATH trains are overcrowded with new riders generated by new Hudson County residential developments, which advertise close commuting proximity to New York via the transit line.

Cuomo’s office did not respond to a request for comment about the bills

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters