Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Scott Stringer is Manhattan Borough president, he thinks we here in New Jersey aren't paying enough to use NYC

My Garden State friends, you're going to love this one.

Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough president wrote to the Star-Ledger and said we here in New Jersey are simply not paying our full load of commuter taxes. Stringer proposed that we start by following his plan to get us to pay our share for MTA:

That’s why I’ve proposed a broad-based plan to repair our regional transportation network — a plan that, yes, includes restoration of a commuter tax that New Jersey residents, who worked in New York City, paid for 30 years prior to 1999.


Back then, the commuter tax flowed into the city’s general fund. But under my plan, the revenue would be dedicated to the MTA, the central nervous system of our regional transit network and a system that some 7 million riders — many of them Jerseyans — rely on every day to get around New York City.


Isn't this precious? WE should pay more and put that money into the MTA, Johnny will say that again, the MTA coffers with zero mention of PATH getting any of that. In fact, if you read Stringer's entire letter, you'll see very little on PATH getting much of this pie at all. Does the #7 MTA train pull into Weehawken yet? No? Then Scott, go shake Governor Christie's tree and get that new tunnel done so we can talk about Garden Staters paying for MTA improvements by some way other than paying fares. Our governor loves surprises, by all means try and bring it up at a presser. Be insistent and be ready to talk over him.

Is New Jersey now supposed to impose a tax on the 119,000 New Yorkers who come to New Jersey to work everyday for OUR infrastructure? Well? Know where a tax like that might come in handy for New Jersey? New toll booths from NYC towards the New Meadowlands that run only on Jets and Giants gamedays.

PATH is supported already by BOTH New Jersey and New York. It does not have the financial challenges that MTA has. Port Authority Trans Hudson. It gets both NJ and NY as well as Federali dollars. PATH is better run and now you want to pick PATH riders pockets whether or not they even get on an MTA subway when they get off at say 14th St?


Scott, go ahead and introduce your legislation. We hope it gets you the attention you're seeking so you can one day run for higher office. We over here have very little faith your plan will be adopted. 

No comments: