Sources tell CBS 2 HD that putting tolls on some or all of the East River bridges is part of the bailout plan being considered for the MTA.Sources: MTA To Toll All East River Bridges
But it may not stop with the East River tolls. A top transit source told CBS 2 HD the mayor's full congestion pricing plan is also back on the table.
On Monday, the MTA will reveal just how much in the red it really is.
Even with the East River tolls, a fare hike on bus, subway and commuter rails is expected.
A payroll tax on employers is also being considered.
64 comments:
why are they tearing down a large parking lot at queens plaza? they are going to need it soon.
Re-elect Bloomberg!!!
What is the Commissar's obsessive contempt for residents (taxpayers/voters) of Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island and The Bronx?
Are the insiders' rumors really true that he is a madman and utterly out of control whenever he is reminded of his height (dwarf-sized) and shoe size (7-year old girl)?
So, he rages on about those who were born without his kinds of defects?
He needs to spend his money on a body and foot stretcher. While he's at it, he needs to fix his face, too. Remove his turtle looks.
This is good news. Congestion pricing keeps coming back because it is simply good policy. Hopefully we'll be able to pass it this time.
There is no good reason to fail to have tolls on the bridges. Let the people who use them pay toward them. We should also have higher tolls during rush hours.
Horray! SUVs should pay double.
"I'm for the East River tolls. Drivers are wealthy people and it is time to share the wealth." - Borat Inane Yomamma
Secession!
it still won't pass the assembly so why waste everyone's time?
You cannot keep taxing the life from working men and women. Families with kids, single moms, seniors on a fixed income all are finding it increasingly difficult to sustain an acceptable standard of living. It is not easy for fathers and mothers; sometimes the stress over money is unbearable. Seniors on fixed incomes are not able to earn any more money. They only have a specific amount to live on. When taxes increase they too are stressed Anyone elected to be a steward of the people’s money has a moral obligation not to take one single penny more than is absolutely needed to provide for the city. In my opinion there has been allot of unnecessary spending over the last 7 years. I don't think Mr. Bloomberg knows what it feels like to have 3 dollars left in your pocket on Wednesday and payday isn't until Friday or how to squeeze 3 dinners for 4 people out of 2 lbs of chicken cutlets (and maybe a lunch also). He is out of touch. He is a dismal failure. Please vote him out of office in November.
Why should you expect to use things for free? This is common sense.
It's poor fiscal policy in a recession to impose taxes to cover inflation and budgetary gaps. These measures drive out businesses and property owners, which leads to a further decline in revenue. Bloomberg needs to offer incentives for commercial and residential growth, rather than prohibit such growth. It would also be nice, but perhaps wishful thinking if such growth was contextual and integrated into the community.
It's poor fiscal policy in a recession to impose taxes to cover inflation and budgetary gaps. These measures drive out businesses and property owners, which leads to a further decline in revenue. Bloomberg needs to offer incentives for commercial and residential growth, rather than prohibit such growth. It would also be nice, but perhaps wishful thinking if such growth was contextual and integrated into the community.
Tolls on the bridges are the fairest way to raise revenues. If you use a bridge, you pay a toll. Nothing unfair there.
I don't have much sympathy for someone who can barely pay their bills who decides to have multiple children. Make sure you can afford your life decisions before you make them.
pathetic.
how much government can NYC afford?
Why do you think growth industries have moved south and west?
The nothern states are all dying a slow death. They are being bled to death by their own govenments.
"Bloomberg needs to offer incentives for commercial and residential growth, rather than prohibit such growth."
LOL! Now you want growth? Where were you when everyone here was railing against overdevelopment? Those who said this was good for the economy and NY in general were laughed at. Now that you are out of work and you portfolio has declined in value you see the folly of your ways. The chickens are coming home to raost and soon you will be begging for Frank Lloyd to build something near you.
"Why should you expect to use things for free? This is common sense."
Ever hear of the taxes paid by drivers at the gas pump? Drivers have been paying more than their fair share for years.
Where's that money? Why is it not enough?
Did you notice that, as gas prices rose, the city refused to supply relief by reducing or capping their take from the tax?
There is no need at all for tolls or congestion taxes.
"Now you want growth? Where were you when everyone here was railing against overdevelopment?"
Overdevelopment is not the same as smart growth, asshole.
Smart growth or not it's time for NYC to stop growing and focus on fixing the existing infrastructure.
it's time for NYC to focus on fixing the existing infrastructure.
That exactly what this toll is
We know that a congestion tax will put small businesses out of business and cause dramatic inflation of cost of living. This is not the right time.
"You cannot keep taxing the life from working men and women."
Man, where you people even paying attention during the congestion pricing debates? Congestion pricing is one of those equitable policies around -- where the upper middle class and the rich pay and the poor and middle-class reap the benefit in terms of better, faster, more frequent mass transit, biking and walking.
Sounds like you were the one sleeping. Not only rich folk drive to work. And if trucks are forced to pay additional tolls, it means the cost is passed onto the consumer. Goods are expensive enough as it is.
Not to mention that if CP worked like it was supposed to, the program would go bust after a year because too many people would be taking the train and not enough would be paying the tax that would improve the service.
And...of course, there's the dirty little secret that the trains are already at capacity as it is and there would be no increases or improvements in service anyway. Adding 2 or 3 off peak buses in a Queens neighborhood really isn't doing anything to improve service but is wasting money.
I see alot of Bloomberg employees are visiting this website.
LISTEN LOUD AND CLEAR! We can't afford tolls on bridges to get into or out of Manhattan at this time.. especially in this economy. The expense will trickle down to everyone in the way of higher prices for goods and services.
It was... and still is... a bad idea.
I think Bloomberg and whoever else is behind this stupid plan is so out of touch.
Bitch and moan, bitch and moan...
On my planet poor people dont drive into or out of Manhattan for work. They take mass transit.
On my planet people who scrimp to get by arent spending money on cars and driving into or out of manhattan for leisure. They are taking the subway and buses.
Gas taxes are NOT paid to NYC but are paid to NY STATE.
The disabled and elderly that have to get into Manhattan to doctor visits, cannot take mass transit are THEY ARE SCRIMPING. Someone needs to bitch and moan for them. The rich get what they want over and over again. They can afford to pay the tolls....not everyone else can.
Think about it. Just the logistics of putting tolls on the lower ramp of the Queensborough Bridge. Just 2 lanes of traffic going into Manhattan. Even with EZPass, there's a stop-n-go factor. I tell you the traffic will be backed up for miles. Look at the Whitestone Bridge going from the Bronx to Queens. Traffic many times is backed up with 7-10 lanes of toll booths.
It's not about the traffic. It's about the money. And the bike riding set doesn't realize that if you live in a two or three fare zone, as much of Queens does, getting to work by mass transit is more than an inconvenience. In many cases, it's next to impossible. They can't show us any improvement in service under CP, they just tell us that we should move next to a train line. Never mind that most of the lines to Queens are already at or near capacity. It's all about class warfare. When you have to resort to that, you're going to lose.
My favorite is when they point to the "rich" in northeastern Queens as examples of why we need this plan (they can presumably afford this) when it's the poor in southeastern Queens who will be most affected by this, and they most certainly cannot.
The costs of implementing this are prohibitive and if it works to put people on the train as planned, then it will run at a deficit.
You'll never see the pro CP side explain any of this, just say that everyone has to pay their "fare share".
I think Bloomberg and whoever else is behind this stupid plan is so out of touch.
This is a plan that Manhattan wants and all past Mayors including this regal one wants to impliment badly. This is simply Congestion pricing watered down. Go back to commuter tax to collect this tax from folks of Westchester, LI and NJ - there is your real solution.
There are no doctors in Queens?
Think about it. Just the logistics of putting tolls on the lower ramp of the Queensborough Bridge. Just 2 lanes of traffic going into Manhattan. Even with EZPass, there's a stop-n-go factor. I tell you the traffic will be backed up for miles. Look at the Whitestone Bridge going from the Bronx to Queens. Traffic many times is backed up with 7-10 lanes of toll booths.
----
I think that's great. More people will get the message. Get on public transportation and avoid the hassles and traffic delays. We should not be making it easy to pollute and clog up the city with cars.
How much does it cost to park in Manhattan as compared to mass transit? Anyone parking in Manhattan can afford to pay a $4toll, because parking is 5x that. A metrocard is $2. You should get one. If you want to be a big spender then pony up and pay the toll.
I still don't see why no one is pushing a commuter tax. Let those outside of NYC pay a tax for the services they benefit from and it will seriously close the deficit, if not provide a surplus.
Anonymous said...
I still don't see why no one is pushing a commuter tax. Let those outside of NYC pay a tax for the services they benefit from and it will seriously close the deficit, if not provide a surplus.
It's been done already and it was challenged in State Supreme Court and repealed. You cannot levy a tax on commuters from adjoining states excluding those of your own state (NYC). It is a violation of interstate commerce.
Regardless, it will speedup the flight of commerce across the river to New Jersey or Connecticut. If your answer to that is "Go ahead leave" then you only need to look at recent history and rethink.
Tolls on these bridges...a bad idea....
Mayor Bloomberg will not stop until he gets his Congestion Pricing. He hates to lose and congestion pricing was a big loss for him. It is payback time. Take out your pocketbooks.
"Tolls on the bridges are the fairest way to raise revenues. If you use a bridge, you pay a toll. Nothing unfair there."
Let's impose on you a sidewalk tax, a curbcut tax, a traffic light tax et al. Its not like the people that use bridges don't pay income taxes, sales tax, etc. WTF goes through the mind goes through the head of nanny state Kool Aid drinkers that they reflexively feel the need to confiscate more $$$ from the working class.
"There are no doctors in Queens?"
Yes, there are very good doctors in Queens. Unfortunately, many cancer patients and other sick individuals with rare and life threatning illnesses, have to go to Manhattan for specialty care.
You should be thankful that you don't have someone close to you, struggling with illness, that has to take a taxi or be driven by a relative, to appointments in the city.
Penalize people who want to come into NYC. Penalize people who want to leave NYC. Penalize people who cant afford to live in Manhattan.
so now its down to only the cancer stricken who are hurt by tolls on the bridges?
talk about grapsing for straws.
Besides, arent there state programs to get people to doctors appointments who cant otherwise travel?
Once again Mayor Dumb-berg:
Cancel all those tax incentives you continue to give to wealthy builders!
That'll save NYC a bundle!
Oh...but then you'd lose some friends!
"So now its only the cancer stricken who are hurt by the tolls on bridges".
What a heartless asshole you are to say something like that.
I don't get it. Who would want to put tolls on bridges. I guess someone who doesn't have to watch their pennies.
I am surprised that anyone would think this is a good idea. The money will never make it to mass transit. It will just be another tax that gets eaten away by a slush fund or the MTA's Executives pocketbooks.
Back to the "commuter tax". Apparently, tri-state residents who work in NYC can not be taxed, but what about the rest of NY. Everyone who lives in NY and earns a paycheck in NYC should be subject to some sort of tax. These are the people who benefit from the heavy security presence at Penn Station, Port Authority, and Grand Central. That is one of the major costs that they directly benefit from without paying, but I'm sure there are countless others - sanitation being another big one.
If tolls are put on these bridges, the cost to cross them will go up and up and up. How much is the Verrazano Bridge now?
Watch out for the bloggers who are supporting this. They are Mayor Bloomberg lackies.
I am for the the toll. I live in Queens and I take public transportation. Each day I watch thousand of cars and trucks (most with one person in them) pour into the city where the streets are congested and the air is polluted. Many are from LI and points east and don't give a rats ass about the city or the environment. Others are fat cats who drive in Manhattan to their seven figure jobs. I have no sympathy for them Are there some inocent people who will get caught up in this? Sure, but the needs of the many outweight the needs of the few.
I hope you are right crappy.
This is not the time to put tolls on our bridges.
Sorry Mayor Bloomberg....I know you want this bad! Stop taking money out of our pockets.
The MTA will find money when it comes time for the Execs raises. Get rid of the dead wood at the top to finance your payroll. All the people that ride the train and bus..all that money...where does it go?....I just don't get it.
I live in Queens and I don't want the tolls. It will be like the lotto money for our schools. Where did that go?
If you think the toll "booths" will be on the Manhattan side of the East River -backing the traffic up there - instead of the Brooklyn/Queens sides, there's a bridge I'd like to sell you.
Hospitals in Manhattan: expanding
Hospitals in Queens: closing
Development in Manhattan: downzoning
Development in Queens: upzoning
When the cost of everything goes up to cover the cost of the tolls, you won't be saying stupid crap like, "Only those who use it will have to pay for it."
Anonymous said...
I am for the the toll. I live in Queens and I take public transportation. Each day I watch thousand of cars and trucks (most with one person in them) pour into the city where the streets are congested and the air is polluted. Many are from LI and points east and don't give a rats ass about the city or the environment. Others are fat cats who drive in Manhattan to their seven figure jobs. I have no sympathy for them Are there some inocent people who will get caught up in this? Sure, but the needs of the many outweight the needs of the few.
That's fine, I get it. Then using that argument don't ask the rest of New York State to help bail out the MTA. The needs of many outweigh the few.
As long as some of us insist on being used by short sighted self aggrandized politicos, we will all suffer.
Better yet, raise the subway and bus fares to $10 each way. Why should people who don't use mass transit pay for those who do? Besides, everyone should be biking to work anyway. This will push people in that direction. You don't want city planning to have mandated bike racks for nothing, do you?
Seriously crappy, if people in this city need exercise, why are we providing them with moving vehicles to get them to work? Why don't we tell them to just wake up early and walk, like the mayor told Queens when the private bus lines went on strike a few years back?
We need more kayak launches, too, so people can paddle to work.
you guys are idiots...
its bad for the the people inside the city because your 8 dollar salad will become 10 dollars when delivery services start raising their rates. No big deal for me I bring my salads and tuna fish.
When i go to smith and wollensky my company expenses all of my bills.
its bad for people in queens because instead of going to the city, people will wake up earlier and drive to queens or brooklyn park on the street and take the train.
This doesn't really help anyone but the MTA.
I don't understand about the people that like congestion pricing? do you think this does not affect you? what about your food deliveries? do you not thing this is going to affect what you pay for basic services?
If there were breaks for vehicles like Taxis or Delivery trucks, I dont see why this cant work. It has worked for other major cities, I dont see what makes New Yorkers so special. I too see many cars occupied by one person (while commuting from queens to Midtown by.. gasp... bike) . The fast moving "hov" on the 59th street bridge is a good measure of how many people are car pooling vs the backed up regular lane.
Let's pretend the toll monies will go toward badly-needed maintenance of these bridges and other infrastructure. If the users of these bridges shouldn't pay for this, then where will the money come from?
I'm sure if some other tax were raised you would all be complaining equally loudly. And if the bridges were allowed to decay and collapse...
If that is where you think the money will go then I have a bridge to sell you.
This is not the time to put tolls on bridges. We are in an economic crisis for gods sake. The MTA and NYC government agencies need to spend less. PERIOD!
I'm all for congestion pricing, if they fix the broken subway system in the boroughs. Pretty soon, all the hotel workers, waiters, and construction people won't be able to get to work, let alone service the gated community that Manhattan has become. I say, charge Manhattanites a tax to repair the infrastructure of the boroughs.
This is all part of making Manhattan more exclusive.
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