ALBANY, NY [AP] — Gov. David Paterson and New York legislative leaders are rejecting a proposal to put tolls on bridges as part of any deal to bail out New York City's financially troubled mass transit system.
Paterson: MTA Bailout Won’t Include Bridge Tolls
ALBANY, NY [AP] — Gov. David Paterson and New York legislative leaders are rejecting a proposal to put tolls on bridges as part of any deal to bail out New York City’s financially troubled mass transit system.
Paterson says the Senate’s Democrat majority has taken the tolls off the table and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is accepting that.
Also under consideration are proposals to hike Metropolitan Transportation Authority fares an average 8 percent and a payroll tax for businesses in the MTA’s 12-county region.
Now Albany has to find a way to replace millions of dollars the tolls would have brought. Senate Democrats from the outer boroughs strongly opposed the tolls.
Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith says he hopes a deal can be struck Tuesday.
HappyDogNYC
Why is it so hard for the MTA to turn a profit? Since I have moved to New York in 2001 the only noticeable difference I have seen in the subways are the led signs on the L line, the elimination of tellers, the elimination of the token, and the fare hikes up to soon to be $2.50. I remember when the MTA was caught a few years ago keeping two sets of books, one to display to the public and the media, and the others a secret version showing the MTA had a surplus of cash. So where does all of the MTA’s money go? In this new economy can we continue to fund this type of ruthless corruption? If your answer is no contact you representative. It only takes a few minutes to jot off an email your local congressman and senator by emailing you can do more in a few minutes that years of complaining to people that cannot do anything about it…