From NY1:The New York Times reported Thursday that a state commission will recommend a new tax on corporate payrolls and tolls on the East River and Harlem River bridges, in an effort to raise $1.6 billion a year.
The commission, headed by former Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Richard Ravitch is also expected to call for fare hikes, though they are said to be less than the steep hikes being proposed by the MTA.
The Times says the commission will only recommend minimal service cuts if any.
The MTA recently proposed raising revenues from fares and tolls by 23 percent, as well as eliminating some subway and bus lines and reducing service on others.
The MTA is facing a $1.2 billion shortfall next year because of the economic downturn.
The commission is expected to release its recommendations for Governor David Paterson on December 5th. Any proposals would need to be approved by the state Legislature.
Report: Commission To Recommend Tolls On East River Bridges
16 comments:
The MTA and the Port Aurthorty should be disbanded - assets returmed to the states and counties they are located in. The payrolls of these 2 agencies are the most genererous in the Country and the most inept to boot. This alone can save billions over what is neccessary to close any shortfall. Queens, Bronx & Brooklyn residents will be hardest hit by east river tolls. In fact if only trucks were to pay a toll and a high one, then this would generate enough money for the short fall and provide some relief or pay for the pollution created. How about an Airport toll by all incoming passengers to leave the Airports? Boston does this - $5 per vehicule! How about a non-NYS vehicule entry surcharge when crossing into NYC and interior tollways (10%) .
Did you know NYS allocation of PA spending is lopsided and most of the spending programs went to build Newark (Libert) Airport and Port Elizabeth infrastructure? Did you know our many ports and waterfronts are dead or rotted away because our money went to NJ to kill off any remaining waterfront buisnesses in NYC that remained? Did you ever wonder why when you arrived on an international flight to JFK it appeared and has all of the comfort of a 3rd world nation vs the modern comfort of Liberty Airport? Stop contributing NY money to New Jersey - without NYC - New Jersey as a whole could never survive on it's own.
Did you ever wonder why when you arrived on an international flight to JFK it appeared and has all of the comfort of a 3rd world nation
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Increasingly, you can say that about the entire borough.
Hope this finally becomes reality!
You hope the MTA enacts taxes on people going to work while continuing to mismanage funds?
I hope the MTA enacts more and higher tolls rather than raising subway and bus fares. The former has the advantage of being both equitable and effective in reducing car usage, among other things. Yes, the MTA needs to improve efficiency and transparency, but that's no excuse not to (re-)enact congestion pricing ASAP. The city and region desperately needs it.
Congestion pricing doesn't reduce congestion. It also costs way too much to implement and a profit won't even be realized for years. Even if it successfully reduces congestion, that just means less revenue. It's a dumb plan.
Of course the bridges should be tolled. The people who use them should pay for them, instead of charging everyone else more.
"The people who use them should pay for them"
The people who pay tolls already subsidize the subway, which they aren't using.
Lol... I love this debate.
This is a way to tax non Manhatten residents. Just like the parking ticket initiative.
But those that agree with it I can only sit here and smirk.
I can't wait till all the delivery trucks will pass the fees onto the store owners and therefore consumers.
You think 8 dollar salads are bad now... try swallowing 10-11 dollar salads. Go to the supermarket and prepare to pay an arm and a leg.
When I drive to the city, I just use my company parking lot, 10 bucks the entire day. I will gladly pay the tolls if it means that there won't be so much traffic
time= money.
This only effects those that are middle class or struggling. Last time I checked not everyone in the city is rich. I knew people that squeezed 3 or 4 people into a 2 bedroom apartment just to live in the city.
fyi... I wonder how much taxis will be effected.
As a bargaining chip, have the "outer borough" pols demand that the toll booths be placed on the Manhattan side of the water.
"Congestion pricing doesn't reduce congestion. It also costs way too much to implement and a profit won't even be realized for years. Even if it successfully reduces congestion, that just means less revenue. It's a dumb plan."
Doesn't reduce congestion? That's false -- it already does that where entrances are already tolled in NYC, and full congestion pricing systems have been working for years in London, Stolkholm, Milan, etc. And it's actually not that expensive to implement, especially considering the benefits. Of course, it *would* have been mostly paid for by the Feds earlier this year had the pro-congestion folks not killed it. As for your claim that of less revenue -- well, that's already worked into any plan, which of course can be tweaked until the system reaches a state of desired equilibrium.
So, no, it's actually plain common sense.
"The people who pay tolls already subsidize the subway, which they aren't using."
You may not be using the subway directly, but you are benefiting tremendously from it's existence. NYC would literally cease to exist without it. Would you like to see 1 million more cars on the road? Can we demolish your house to build more roads and parking lots? Didn't think so.
"Doesn't reduce congestion? That's false -- it already does that where entrances are already tolled in NYC"
It's you who are absolutely false. Congestion occurs more at the toll plazas than on the free bridges. Even Sam Schwartz has observed this.
"It's you who are absolutely false. Congestion occurs more at the toll plazas than on the free bridges. Even Sam Schwartz has observed this."
While there is some congestion at toll plazas, the overall *volume* of traffic is reduced, thus reducing *overall* congestion. I think we're mixing up terms here. Secondly, if you'd paid any attention at all during the congestion pricing debate, with congestion pricing, there will be no toll booths, so no actual congestion around them.
Overall volume is reduced, which means the plan is doomed to fail without raising the fees more or covering the con tax zone to cover those who choose to leave their cars home. (See London.)
"Overall volume is reduced, which means the plan is doomed to fail without raising the fees more or covering the con tax zone to cover those who choose to leave their cars home. (See London.)"
Again, I must stress that that is built into the plan, which also can be tweaked. So no, it's not doomed to failure. This has been done successfully in London.
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