DAVID WEPRIN ALSO HATES TOLLS

Here's a copy of a press release we received from Council Member David Weprin 's office:

Council Member David I. Weprin (D-Hollis), Chair of the New York City Council Finance Committee, will be joined by fellow elected officials and local civic groups to denounce the MTA's proposal to toll the free East River crossings and to call for the reinstatement of the Commuter Tax. 

WHAT:             Tolls NO, Commuter Tax YES  

WHEN:             Sunday, November 16, 2008, at 11:30AM 

WHERE:           Plaza at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Side

 

UPDATE (11/16/2008)

Here's the update we received at 5:27 PM today:

City Hall, NY - Council Member David I. Weprin (D-Hollis), Chair of the New York City Council Finance Committee, was joined by Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and other elected officials; as well as community leaders and business owners to denounce the Ravitch Commission's proposal of charging tolls on the four East River bridges, which have been free to New Yorkers since 1911, and renewed his call for reinstating the commuter tax, which was rolled back in 1999. "Instead of charging tolls, why not bring back the Commuter Tax," stated Weprin.

"Revenue from the tax could be dedicated to specific uses that are likely to benefit commuters, such as transportation infrastructure or police, fire, and sanitation," added Weprin.

Next month the Ravitch Commission--a 13 member panel appointed in June to identify solutions to the MTA's financial crisis--will recommend collecting tolls at all or some of the city's East River bridges. "Charging a toll on any of the four bridges is the equivalent to charging residents to cross the street--however in this case it's a river," stated Councilman Weprin. 

"Those who join me today share a similar sentiment--charging tolls on the East River Bridges are in no way a solution to any problem. It just creates more problems," stated Weprin. Mayor Bloomberg first proposed tolling the four East River Bridge crossings back in 2002, when the City was facing a budget gap of $3 billion.

"It doesn't matter if you come from Queens or not; you could be from Brooklyn, Staten Island, or even Manhattan--when it comes to implementing tolls on the East River crossings, we are doing a disservice to all New Yorkers," said Weprin. "We are taxing our residents to drive within their own city," added Weprin.

"As I have always maintained, East River bridge tolls are discriminatory and place an unfair burden on the outer boroughs--especially Brooklyn, which has three of the four un-tolled bridges," stated [Brooklyn Borough President Marty] Markowitz.

Markowitz added, "it is, of course, imperative to find ways to close the City's growing budget gap in these tough economic times--but placing the burden on the backs of hard-working Brooklynites is not one of them. Let's do it the right way, and bring back a commuter tax or increase the state's gas tax, with proceeds to fund mass transit projects in the five boroughs. Scrap the tolls. Dedicate the tax. And let's keep the wheels of New York City's economy turning."

According to an IBO report released earlier this year--if the legislature were to restore the commuter tax at its former rates of 0.45% for commuters and 0.65% for those self-employed, the city's PIT (personal income tax) collection would increase by $713 million in 2009, $755 million in 2010, $798 million in 2011, and $835 million in 2012.

Weprin pointed out that "it is interesting that as talks of budget woes ahead begin, due to the mortgage crisis, the decline in the housing market and less than a stellar year on Wall Street, the proposal of tolling the four bridges pops its ugly head again." We should not be trying to finance a budget with sneaky, regressive user fees that will primarily affect working, outer borough families," concluded Weprin.

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Photo credit: Pat Barrientos