Jersey City mayor and Democratic candidate for governor Steve Fulop unveiled a transportation and infrastructure plan earlier this week. It would also impose congestion pricing on New York drivers. That plan drew a forceful response from Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer on Wednesday.

Fulop, who announced a run for governor in April, says he wants to fix New Jersey Transit with $1 billion from a higher tax on the largest corporations.

“So it shouldn’t be unilateral. At all. But I do think congestion pricing is an important part of the conversation to fund mass transit in New Jersey,” Fulop says.

Fulop says congestion pricing is good for mass transit and good for the environment.

“You’re talking about very, very wealthy people that don’t care about a congestion tax going into New York because they’re that rich that they can find $100 parking for the day,” Fulop says. “I think that the regional conversation around transportation is important. So I think that New Jersey should be impacting New York the same way.”

If elected governor, Fulop says he would tax New York drivers coming into New Jersey and would exempt New Jersey drivers who are coming home by only charging the toll at certain times.

Gottheimer has been fighting against congestion pricing since New York officials announced the plan.

“I don’t understand how anybody at this point from Jersey could be for New York’s misguided congestion tax,” the congressman says.

Gottheimer called Fulop’s plan “absurd.”

“And then you’re going to whack people on the way home? That’s a third toll. I don’t understand that part of the proposal at all. The last thing we want to do is add an additional toll,” Gottheimer says.

Fulop dismissed the lawsuit brought by Gov. Phil Murphy and much of the bi-partisan pushback over congestion pricing.

“I think it’s a lot of rhetoric. If you take a step back and actually think on who does it impact - it impacts the richest people in New Jersey,” he says.

There is speculation that Gottheimer may also announce a run for governor of New Jersey. When asked if he could better fight congestion pricing as governor, Gottheimer replied, “I think that right now I’m fighting the congestion tax as a congressman. And I’m going to keep doing it. We’ll see what the future holds. But I’ll tell you right now man, I will talk to you every single day about every single strategy to stop this congestion tax.”

Murphy is limited to two terms and can’t run again in November 2025. Candidates and potential candidates are already gearing up for what could be a crowded race for the Democratic nomination.