DON'T BLAME ME
Posted on 02/13/2008 6:06:01 PM PST by jmyrlefuller
A proposal to charge New Yorkers a $15 fee on their auto insurance faced a road block Wednesday in the state Legislature.
Gov. Eliot Spitzer's proposal would help pay for bridge maintenance and repairs that lawmakers agree are overdue. But Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Thomas Libous and Assemblyman Richard Brodsky told Spitzer's transportation commissioner at a budget hearing that the fee is unfair and unnecessary.
Libous, a Broome County Republican, questioned charging the fee while the administration raids what is supposed to be a fund dedicated for bridge repair. The state has for years diverted as much as $750 million annually from the Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund for maintenance and repair, using the money instead to cover unrelated budget costs such as for snow and ice removal.
"We have a real problem with that," Libous said.
Brodsky, a Westchester Democrat, argues the fee doesn't distinguish between owners of luxury and economy cars and is another hit for middle class families in a budget that claims no tax increases.
"Hummers pay the same as Chevrolets," Brodsky said. "It's just another fee attacking the middle class and poor people instead of asking everyone to share the burden."
State Transportation Commissioner Astrid Glynn defends the fee as essential to maintain the state's aging network of bridges, many of which are 50 years or older. Much of the fee would go toward a $140 million fund to fix and maintain bridges this year, she said.
"The new program is intended to improve bridge safety and longevity by funding preventive and corrective maintenance on both state and locally owned bridges so that bridges in reasonably good shape remain so," she said.
Libous released data last year that showed 2,206 of the state's 7,604 bridges were rated deficient last year, a consistent number over the last three years. He also said more than 1,000 of the bridges were built between 1910 and 1936.
Spitzer steps in it again...
Ping of interest.
This gives you the twisted viewpoint of a liberal. "Everyone pays" doesn't mean "everyone pays" and it isn't fair unless you screw the "rich."
Governor Queeg has been an unmitigated disaster for NY State.
A liar, a bully, and a thief. They got exactly what they voted for...
A democrat.
Much of the fee would go toward a S140 million fund to fix and maintain bridges this year
WTF? They divert $750M from a $140M fund? Each year? THAT'S a STORY waiting to be written...
Well maybe if Spitzer would stop rolling his F'n steamroller over them, they wouldn't be falling apart!!!
I thought you’d spend $15 on a cup of coffee in NY. Surprised this is even getting discussed.
I don’t get it.
If more money were actually needed for road and bridge repairs, why is Spitzer looking to tax auto insurance instead of just raising the registration fees for vehicles or drivers licenses?
This new tax exempts illegal aliens and others who drive uninsured, and is higher than it would be if a broader approach was used.
I believe they are saying that this $140 million is some new, supposedly dedicated fund. That said, the idea of removing $750 million to pay for non-highway/bridge maintenance programs and then claiming one is short is BS.
Spitzer’s a pip!
New York will yawn.
Hummers inhale more air than pedestrians.
Fixed.
Don’t blame me. I voted for John Faso.
Don’t blame me. I voted for John Faso.
Welllllll - they should just rename it to the Dedicated Lockbox Highway and Bridge To Save Cute, Big-Eyed Puppies And Cuddly Furry Kittens While Protecting All Children Who Don't Have Health Care Because Of Mean Racist & Sexist Republicans Who Cause Cancer And Global Warming For Fun Trust Fund, and the people's brains will go all warm and fuzzy, and they'll forget all about these problems with the money diversion...
BRILLIANT!
No, no - they're already stealing $750M, and they want to steal ANOTHER $140M.
Look - youse want another bridge to maybe clapse like the one out in Minnsota, and maybe a bunch of little kids n cute puppies n fuzzy kittens gets killed n drownded?
WHAT ARE YOU - SOME KIND OF MONSTER?!!!??!
So quit axing questshins already.
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