Exclusive | NY accused of offering NJ drivers measly $3 break on hated congestion toll in secret doomed talks

New York offered New Jersey a measly $3 discount for its drivers crossing into Manhattan to try to offset the new $9 Midtown toll, but Garden State officials scoffed the break would mean virtually nothing once the tax jumps to $15, sources say.The pooh-poohed proposal was pitched during secret court-ordered negotiations to try to settle New Jersey’s federal lawsuit against New York before the hated congestion toll took effect Sunday, a source familiar with the discussions said.Federal Judge Leo Gordon, who was hearing the Garden State’s challenge to the first-in-the-nation congestion pricing fee, urged the warring states to try to reach a compromise by having New York and the MTA provide some relief to neighboring Jersey commuters.A source close to the confidential talks in US District Court in Newark, NJ, said New York was too stingy and that the discussions broke down because of that, prompting Gordon to then reject New Jersey’s bid to block the toll from taking effect Sunday.“New York only offered a $3 credit for all three crossings [the George Washington Bridge and Lincoln and Holland tunnels], which wasn’t meaningful,” the source said.“New Jersey saw it as a very nominal amount given that the congestion toll will eventually go up to $15 over time.”“New Jersey was clear and consistent in what it wanted: credits above $3 for commuters at all three crossings into New York City and meaningful mitigation funding reflecting the actual impacts that congestion pricing will have on New Jersey’s air quality,” the source said.But another source told The Post that the Empire State agreed to extend the 33% credit as the toll goes up.For example, the credit would jump to $5 when the toll hits $15.The new toll is scheduled to rise to $12 by 2028 and $15 by 2031.The second source said Jersey was misreading or misleading what was offered.Sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the judge ordered a gag order on the discussions.Either way, Garden S...