RESOLUTION
BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT COLLINS-BELLAMY, MAJORITY LEADER RUBBO, MAJORITY WHIP ROBINSON, MINORITY LEADER BREEN, COUNCILMEMBERS, PINEDA -ISAAC, DIAZ AND MERANTE:
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RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YONKERS CALLING FOR GOVERNOR HOCHUL, THE YONKERS STATE DELEGATION, THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY AUTHORITY, METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY AND EZ-PASS TO PROTECT NEW YORK STATE MOTORISTS AND EZ-PASS CUSTOMERS FROM SCAMMERS ISSUING FRAUDULENT BILLS AND OTHER TOLL DELINQUENCY NOTICES IN ORDER TO STEAL MONEY
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WHEREAS, in recent years the NYS Thruway Authority has removed numerous tollbooths throughout the State of New York and replaced them with automated toll collection gantries on the New York State Thruway, and
WHEREAS, the recent rollout of Governor Kathy Hochul’s congestion pricing plan, which launched on January 5, 2025 was accompanied by the installation of many additional automated license plate and EZ-Pass readers throughout the City of New York, and
WHEREAS, these facilities are all unmanned and rely on technology to read EZ-Pass tags and/or license plates in order to impose and collect the requisite toll, and
WHEREAS, the proliferation of these facilities and the expansion of the EZ-Pass system have resulted in very little or no human involvement in the toll imposition and collection process, and
WHEREAS, these developments may have resulted in more efficient collection of tolls with less traffic congestion and less delays, and
WHEREAS, however, it appears that, unfortunately, many unscrupulous people are now using these advances in technology to scam motorists and EZ-Pass customers in Yonkers and throughout the State of New York, and
WHEREAS, more specifically, New Yorkers are being targeted by a text scam that is based on a fraudulent message that claims that motorists and EZ-Pass customers have unpaid EZ-Pass tolls and need to make a payment immediately to avoid late fees or worse consequences, and
WHEREAS, even though this is a fraudulent message, the current technology allows the scammer to make it look and seem like a real legitimate message from the Toll Collecting Authority, and
WHEREAS, the people who receive these messages get nervous and rush to make the payment that they are being told to make only to find out, after the fact, that they have been the victim of a scam, and
WHEREAS, this is understandably causing frustration, confusion and significant financial losses among all motorists in New York State, and
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of Yonkers calls for Governor Hochul, the Yonkers State Delegation, the New York State Thruway Authority, the Metropolitan Transit Authority and EZ-Pass to take all necessary action to enhance the security, integrity and reliability of the Automated Tolling Process in the State of New York and to educate and protect motorists and EZ-Pass customers from these pervasive scams, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be circulated to Governor Hochul, New York State Thruway Authority, Metropolitan Transit Authority, EZ-Pass and the Yonkers State Delegation.