Posted on 09/21/2011 5:41:57 AM PDT by Puppage
A New Jersey man has filed a federal lawsuit in New York over the Port Authority's toll increase.
Yoel Weisshaus of New Milford claims the increase is an abuse of power and discriminates against him because he is poor.
Cash tolls on the George Washington Bridge, Holland Tunnel, Lincoln Tunnel, Goethals Bridge, Bayonne Bridge and Outerbridge Crossing went up from $8 to $12 on Sunday.
Weisshaus claims the tolls are targeted to restrict minimum-wage earners and will be used to complete the World Trade Center project instead of improving bridges and tunnels.
The Record newspaper reports the unemployed Bergen Community College student, who frequently visits his grandparents in Brooklyn, has asked the court to waive filing fees because he can't afford them. He is representing himself.
Hope he wins, I’m tried of government raising fees in one area to support cost over runs in another. Governments do not treat tax payer money with any degree of fiduciary responsibility. Governments start a project with a budget of ‘X’, then it jumps to ‘Y’ and finally ends up at ‘Z’. No one is held responsible for the cost over runs, mismanagement, etc. Just keep sticking it to the tax payer.
Some people cross this bridge twice a day to go to work.
Thats $500 a month- just to cross a bridge
I would demand an accounting of all that money. what the heck do they spend it on?
Interesting argument.
It probably would have been better to not include “poor” before people....these tolls are foisted upon the public by the established political subdivisions like the Port Authority which has been operating for many years in that area with powers just below that of a diety.
Who can blame you Mr. Weisshaus. Those tolls are outrageous fees and nothing but extortion. Those bridges were paid for decades ago and it certainly doesn’t cost mountains of toll cash to maintain them. NYC sucks-— and I can say that as an ex-NYer.
Lawsuit going no-place.
The basis of the lawsuit is that flat fees/taxes discriminate against the poor. As if tolls should be progressive based on income.
Instead of a useless lawsuit, focus on electing politicians who represents the people and not the status quo. The Port Authority is a money pit. The sheep will pay the tolls, and the disease perpetuates.
Nothing will change until the people have truly had enough.
He’s right. We need “progressive” tolls. Bring your last 1040 with you to the toll booth and we’ll set your toll according to your ability to pay. It may take a few minutes to figure the correct toll for each vehicle, but “fairness” demands we all make such sacrifices. Our dear leader has said so himself.
Let’s work out a schedule:
1. AGI <$50,000 - Toll = $0
2. AGI $50,000 to $100,000 - Toll = $10
3. AGI > $100,000 - Toll = $1,000
Seems fair to me.
And don’t forget that the jackass in the tollbooth who is short-changing you and making wise-ass comments is in the Teamsters Union.
All those toll increases are to pay him to sit there and take your money to pay him, pay his benefits, and pad his pension.
END ALL TOLLS. Every public road in America should be free.
And there sure as hell shouldn’t be a communionist sitting in that booth, smoking cigarettes, listening to music, or talking on a cell phone all day just taking our money.
The use of tolls to collect general-funds revenue is idiotic. NYC loves to do this, because it allows Bronx and Manhattan to feed off of the (somewhat) more conservative suburbanites, including, outrageously, Staten Island.
It’s an “enter our city” tax, not a road toll.
$16 muffins, $8 coffees, and double dipping pensions for all municipal parasites.
The real story is to look into who is exempt from paying the tolls. Fast Pass lanes do just that. Certain persons or groups can be granted passes for free. Should I call them Waivers instead?
When I first moved to California in 1973, the local San Francisco bridges all sported little signs that said “Free Direction.” At first, I thought to myself “What a friendly state - they are providing free directions to lost motorists.” Then I realized “direction” was in the singular and thought perhaps it was some weird government-speak.
Sometime later I solved the puzzle. The “Free Direction” signs were only on the North and East directions on the bridges. That is, they were on the side of the bridge LEAVING San Francisco. Then it dawned on me — they were charging an “enter the city” tax!
Right you are.
There was an investigative story a while back that proved, with overtime, some of the toll collectors were making in excess of 150k a year.
The ‘jackass in the tollbooth’ as you call him, doesn’t he get free tolls? IIRC many retired state workers get free tolls using the EZPass. It’s a retirement benefit.
Really? Who’s getting the free passes?
Every bridge doest hath its troll....
http://artoftrolling.memebase.com/2010/07/30/movie-troll-know-your-troll-monty-python-troll/
Absolute classic
I don't know if it's true or not but I read somewhere that the Tappan Zee bridge was built in a less than ideal location to get it out of the Port Authority jurisdiction.
>>>> I’m tried of government raising fees in one area to support cost over runs in another.
They want the money too of course but also Bloomberg engineered jacking up the bridge tolls to cut the number of private cars accessing New York City streets. Fight global warming and also keep the riff raff out you see.
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