Posted on 04/26/2008 11:52:07 AM PDT by neverdem
It is going to cost more to drive in New York State after the Thruway Authority approves a series of toll hikes.
Some drivers will begin feeling the effect of this latest toll hike as early as this summer. The Board of Directors says the hikes will help raise 375-million dollars over the next three years. Those who pay tolls with cash will see the smallest increase: five-percent jumps in both January 2009 and 2010. And for those who use E-Z Pass, they could see an even higher hike: as much as 28-percent!
NEWS10's John McLoughlin has more on Friday's decision by the Thruway Authority.
"If we did not fund our gap, we could not go forward with a capital program," Thruway Executive Director Michael Fleischer says.
The Thruway Authority rejected the advice of politicians from Governor Paterson on down, to forego the rate increase.
"We're not saying that we don't have more to do to control our costs," Fleischer says.
The Authority says it needs to raise 2.1-billion dollars for highway and bridge repairs over the 641 miles of the superhighway. The Thruway says it gets very little in the way of federal aid, and has to shell out 80-million dollars for a canal system that was imposed on the Authority in 1992.
"We've been saddled with a billion dollars - a billion dollars - in non-Thruway expenses that are funded by the motoring public," Thruway Authority CHairman John Buono says.
Five public hearings were held statewide, and the Authority claims that beyond the trucking industry, there was relatively little opposition to the toll hikes from ordinary motorists. One of six members voted "no" to protest the imposition of the canal system on the Authority. He is also from the Buffalo area, where opposition has been heavy.
"Maybe you're just trying to tell the folks back in Buffalo, 'look at me, I am conservative," McLoughlin tells Authority member Jeffrey Williams.
"Well, I am conservative, and I just believe that government needs to be responsible for its own actions," says Williams.
The Thruway Authority says this will cost motorists only a penny or two per mile. But truckers say motorists like you and me could wind up paying twice: first at the toll booth, and then at our favorite grocery store because the cost of most consumer goods will go up to pay for the toll hikes.
By Joe Mahoney Daily News Albany Bureau Chief
Saturday, April 26th 2008, 4:00 AM
ALBANY - Motorists will soon have to pay more to drive the New York Thruway or cross the Tappan Zee Bridge under a toll hike plan approved Friday.
Ignoring the protests of Gov. Paterson, the Thruway Authority will raise tolls 5% in January and another 5% 12 months later.
E-ZPass customers' 18% discounts over cash payers will shrink to just 5% beginning June 29.
The cash toll to cross the Tappan Zee for passenger cars will jump from $4.50 to $5 beginning Jan. 1.
Assembly GOP Leader Jim Tedisco said such decisions should be made by lawmakers - not "a handful of unaccountable bureaucrats."
Tolls were supposed to be abolished in 1997 when they paid off their constructions bonds. Liars.
I was at a press conference with the governor yesterday. When asked what he was going to do about the toll hike his response was: “What can I do?”
I can’t wait until I can get out of this state and get away from the mamby pamby leadership. If the executives in this state government would spend less time in the sack and more doing their jobs, they wouldn’t have to shrug their shoulders when facing a challenge.
Sad really.
“Alas, poor Eeyore! I knew him, Horatio; a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy...”
I bet half the tolls go to operating the government worker run collection system. Even with the E-Z government spy tags it’s an inefficient system. Unlike a gas tax there’s no extra cost for driving a gas guzzler. The cost per mile is the same.
Please don’t come here.
Judge Acquits Detectives in 50-Shot Killing of Bell
The Constitution of New York : April 20, 1777
XL. And whereas it is of the utmost importance to the safety of every State that it should always be in a condition of defence; and it is the duty of every man who enjoys the protection of society to be prepared and willing to defend it; this convention therefore, in the name and by the authority of the good people of this State, doth ordain, determine, and declare that the militia of this State, at all times hereafter, as well in peace as in war, shall be armed and disciplined, and in readiness for service. That all such of the inhabitants of this State being of the people called Quakers as, from scruples of conscience, may be averse to the bearing of arms, be therefrom excused by the legislature; and do pay to the State such sums of money, in lieu of their personal service, as the same; may, in the judgment of the legislature, be worth.(12) And that a proper magazine of warlike stores, proportionate to the number of inhabitants, be, forever hereafter, at the expense of this State, and by acts of the legislature, established, maintained, and continued in every county in this State.
States Without Specific Constitutional Provisions:
Only six states fail to enumerate a Right to Keep and Bear Arms Clause. Of these states, Iowa and New Jersey have a general "defending life and liberty" clause for self-protection.
BILL OF RIGHTS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York Insane Asylum ping list.
This is a battle I have been leading the charge on for 2 years. We are closer to eliminating my tolls than ever before. Now politicos are calling for the abolition of the Thruway Authority, which I will take advantage of for all of us.
Have you signed the petition? Sign it now at
http://nogitolls.com/
http://albanysinsanity.wnymedia.net/?cat=26
Thanks for the links & a ping!
Mark
Glad I don’t drive. I’ll have to pay the increased prices some other way, though, I’m sure.
Of course they say everyone you dream about is really you. Hmmm . . .
Nothing like the salaries and benefits of working for the Authority. Why bother to get a skill when you can just get a connected buddy to get you a job collecting tolls from the sheep.
http://freenewyork.org/articles/articles/thruway.pdf
Buono and Fleischer are both Republican RINO lites appointed by Pataki.
Goes to show that bureacrazis hold no allegiance except to the bureacrazy they work to maintain and expand.
Scary...
Four years, three months and counting.
Thanks for the link.
Thanks for the ping!
Thats my plan. A matter of returning home after three years in exile.
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