Entries Tagged 'New York State' ↓

New York Assembly Approves Toll Elimination Bill
New York State Assembly votes to eliminate a toll booth from Interstate 95 over noise and air pollution concerns.

The New York State Assembly moved on Monday last week to eliminate a toll booth from Interstate 95. Members voted 87 to 47 to abolish the collection of tolls at the New Rochelle toll plaza on the New York State Thruway. Motorists on this stretch of I-95 currently most stop and pay $1.50 or use E-ZPass, and the toll is scheduled to rise to $1.75 next year. State Assemblyman George S. Latimer (D-Westchester) introduced the idea of stopping the tolls because they imposed unfair burdens on his constituents.

“Daily commuters from Westchester, the Bronx and Manhattan pay a disproportionate fee to use this section of the Thruway, compared to every other corridor across the state,” Latimer wrote in support of his legislation. “Further, the presence of this toll plaza serves to direct northbound traffic onto local roads, particularly U. S. 1 (Boston Post Road), through the developed corridors of New Rochelle, Larchmont and Mamaroneck, adding to local congestion and air pollution.”

It’s as if our state law-makers don’t feel WNY taxpayers have them very same “unfair burdens” like downstate. We are in deed Home of the screwed! I haven’t had the chance to converse with Rus Thompson on the matter, but it’s safe to say he’s probably as “fed-up” as my blogging name.

I waited to see what Rus Thompson’s take would be on this before sounding off with opinions of my own.

New York State Thruway Authority members give up perk

(WIVB) - Members of the New York State Thruway Authority are giving up a nice perk.

Board members gave in to public pressure Wednesday and agreed to stop using their free E-ZPass tags.

The move comes just one day after the New York Daily News revealed that about 60 past and present board members, many of them multi-millionaires, had received the free tags for life.

Rus Thompson’s reply to it all:

Oh, whoopie frikin do….. 7, only 7? Like this will have a big effect on toll revenue. This practice started in 1965 in union negotiations, there are thousands of these out there. This will do nothing and is simply pandering. Is it a start? Only time will tell. My god there are many, many other places to go to in this bloated budget and the corrupt system.

This does not impress me in the least bit. Do something real, something substantial…. Or our hands tied and we are at the behest of the NYSTA…. Read the noGItolls website for some more real waste.

Agreeing that this move to halt lifelong Ez-Passes for TA members isn’t as substantial as the media/news is making it out to be. IMO, The Thruway Authority thought they could escape pressure by thinking the public would be pacified with them giving up this perk.

Do we buy it? Hell NO!

It says on the news:

A regular gallon of gas in Western New York now averages over $4.00 a gallon. Gas prices are up 85 cents a gallon from last Memorial Day.

The story ends with a comment from an elected leader:

Scott Brown: “What do you tell the person who’s having trouble paying these prices every week?”

Congressman Brian Higgins: “Well its very, very difficult. I want to avoid raising expectations because I think the problem is going to get much worse before it gets better.”

And then I wondered, as a congressman, what is he going to do about it?

Damn! That says a lot of the people whom are to be leaders of our area.

There’s a article in the Buffalo News about living on $2.95 a day. The challenge was presented to a few politicians for two days… and they failed.

The “poverty challenge” was put forward by the Homeless Alliance of Western New York, which earlier in the week called on community leaders and lawmakers to join in solidarity with the 30 percent of Buffalo residents who live at or below the federal poverty line of $866 (or $1,466 for a family of three) in income per month.

A realistic approach to stretching a dollar would have been for them to be poverty-stricken for a full month. A full billing cycle of rent, gas, electric, phone, internet, cable, food, credit cards, auto & health insurances. Now add in a couple of kids.

During the challenge, LoCurto gave up cable television and the Internet, saving about $2.48 against his budget. But he continued to use his cell phone, drove to work and maintained his health insurance.

“That left me with a budget for the day of negative 82 cents, before I started eating,” said LoCurto, who represents the Delaware District. “I don’t function if I don’t have three meals a day, and they weren’t elaborate meals . . . What do you do if you have to buy a $4 bottle of Tylenol? You don’t have dinner that day?”

A realistic challenge would be for these politicians to actually have their paychecks reduced to the poverty level for the full effect of being the working class poor. When you play a game with monopoly money, you know it’s only a game. But when you’re looking at a real budget with real money and finding away at real survival of supporting a family…. it no longer becomes the thought of “let’s pretend you’re poor” it becomes you’re actually living in the poorer lifestyle. A lifestyle of which making ends meet is a daily struggle.

A further realistic “challenge” would be living as the working class poor for a full year, so when minimum wage is increased & an economic stimulus check is being issued by the government, you’ll see how the cost of living adjusts your budgeting for the year…. a budgeting of going without more because food prices jumped through the roof & utility rates are robbery in broad daylight. After 12 months you see you’re further behind.

The alliance developed the challenge to call more attention to poverty in the second-poorest large city in the country, according to U. S. Census Bureau data.

When a lesson is to be taught with monopoly money, nothing is ventured…. nothing is gained, and politicians are no less ignorant when it comes to living a poorer lifestyle. They lived it for 2 days and then went back to their richer living. I bet the $4 bottle of Tylenol doesn’t seem so expensive now, does it? No rules have been broken today by any politician because you drove your child to daycare.

The “fed-up” in me is saying the effects of lifting people out of poverty is more than playing pretend for two days, because for people who are struggling more than myself it’s more than 48 hours of budgeting bills and modes of transportation. It’s more than 48 hours of making smaller meals so your food supply lasts a little longer. More than 48 hours of opting not to buy a new pair of sneakers for your children because you don’t want the electric cut off in your home.

This poverty challenge was a failure before it began, because the poor are still poor and the politicians get to go home with their financial security still in tact. Thanks for playing the game though.

Take this quote from a channel 4 news story:

The goal is for people to spend those checks on goods and jump start a struggling economy.

President George W. Bush recognized many will use the money on necessities.

President Bush said, “This money will help offset high prices at the pump and grocery store.”

and Consider this…. New York Average Gas & Fuel Prices
Diesel $4.32
Super Unleaded $3.74
Unleaded Plus $3.55
Unleaded $3.39

and this…

Lowest State Avg: $3.04 - New Jersey
Highest State Avg: $3.66 - California
National Average: $3.29

“economic stimulus package”???? Check this: Vendors and the poor alike getting squeezed by food costs
Price hikes are worst to hit U.S. in 17 years

Keep in mind: Persons below poverty,(US census 1999)

Rochester: 25.9%
Buffalo: 26.6%
Syracuse: 27.3%

Yet this chart tells another tale and a different scale:

Now take a look at this next news story …. Thruway authority voting toll increase 10% for next couple years

and this… Coal price hikes boost electric rates, more increases coming

So the President thinks we should be rewarded because we’re forced to spend more no matter what…. then he’s hoping we’ll put our “economic stimulus” check towards shopping at the mall? WTF? If we don’t pay the electric bill (no matter what increase is added) we’ll have to go without. I hope these government rewards come every month because despite this one-time lumps sum…. OUR COST OF LIVING ISN’T GOING DOWN!!!!!!!

It’s a rock and a hard place that we’re stuck between. Americans have to drive to work to earn a wage, then we’re (all) forced to tighten our belts when the cost of living gets to be too much because minimum wage was increased…. and like clock-work, the cost of living increases as it always does, but I don’t recall such a sudden impact like this one.

As if the President of the United States didn’t realize “a struggling economy” is the result of the working class poor of Americans struggling to survive day to day life.

Back in the simple days when we had a government by to people, for the people we needed not worry about political governing so unfulfilling. Today, all it’s doing is drowning the taxpayers of New York State more and more.

Governor Paterson hires a new person to the Thruway Authority just as it was looking close to having the Grand Island tolls removed. One of the strongest allies of the taxpayers will be replaced with someone new who says she doesn’t know where she stands on the tolls issue. Bull Crap!

Maybe my intentions have been misuderstood….

Another installment of: Home of The Screwed! This one at a local level.

In today’s Buffalo News is a story about Erie County Legislator Timothy Kennedy who while lobbying for Motorola, accepted campaign contributions toting up to $1,250.

State Board of Elections records indicate Kennedy, a Buffalo Democrat, received a $1,000 donation from Motorola Inc. last year and another $250 from its local dealer after he launched a loud campaign against a technology competing with Motorola’s.

Kennedy believes it isn’t a conflint of interest because he accepted money more than 5 months after:

“The fact that individuals gave to me more than five months after I began shouldn’t raise any eyebrows. It’s not a story,” he said. “Those who gave to me believed in what I was doing.”

Um, does anyone know how to spell KICKBACK???

We all know that New York State is no stranger to the aged-old concept of “you do for me, I do for you“, but for a local politician to flat out deny any impropriety to the News is 110% arrogant, IMO.

Asked if had considered not accepting the contributions, Kennedy said only that he had been consistent in his arguments and anyone is free to give to his campaign.

“I work in the best interest of taxpayers,” he said. “If I had taken contributions prior to this or had changed my tune, then I believe this would be a conversation worth having.”

Only a true politician will leave his treasure chest wide open for anyone to toss their contributions in and then look the other way when such money is put into question. That’s not what’s in the best interest of the people he represents… it’s putting his election cycle first, plain & simple.

You’re only as good as not getting caught with your hands in the cookie jar.

When is the madness going to end? I think my picture says it all…

Western New Yorkers speak up about thruway toll hikes

GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WIVB) - Western New Yorkers finally got their chance to speak up about planned toll hikes along the thruway.

News 4’s Melissa Holmes has more from the south Grand Island tolls.

The price of tolls, like the ones at the Grand Island Bridge, are a huge subject of debate these days.

Supporters and opponents of the toll rate hikes came face to face Tuesday night in downtown Buffalo.

Buffalo developer Carl Paladino said, “They’re using money that is sent to operate upstate New York Thruway down to New York City. That’s wrong.”

Western New Yorkers didn’t hold back during Tuesday night’s public hearing at the Buffalo Public Library.

Some drivers are furious over the Thruway Authority’s plan to raise tolls another five percent each year over the next two years.

Some local lawmakers say the authority is not using enough federal money given to the state for road maintenance. Most of that money stays with the State Department of Transportation.

At the same time, some drivers say they are willing to pay a little more if it means roads will continue to be maintained.

Ron Klinczar said, “For the reason of continued safety, for me as a motorist and everybody out on the highway, I support the toll increase.”

New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Michael Fleischer said, “We have been trying to develop a plan that’s fair, to provide a safe transportation facility.”

We want to know what you think about the rising toll prices. Leave your comments below the story.

Tolls at the Grand Island Bridge are now a dollar, and Thruway Authority leaders say these will not go up.

They also say they are looking into the idea of creating discount programs, especially for commercial truck drivers.

Story by Melissa Holmes, WIVB.

Dear Governor Paterson,

I watched as you were sworn in as the newest Governor of New York State. I heard you generalize several times about how NY’ers are embarking on a new day…

“Regardless of the circumstances, we move forward.”

In taking the concept of “moving forward”, I repost from March 7th, 2008

Governor ——-, as a life long New Yorker from Buffalo, I also urge you to sign Senate Bill S.6824 & Assembly Bill A.10003 which will remove the Grand Island tolls. Governor ——-, I urge you to consider “upstate” as an equal part of New York State.

“Moving forward” means being the influence to have the sign in this picture taken down once and for all.

Sincerly,
Fed-Up in WNY

Rus Thompson says it best:

Now we have to get Governor Spitzer to expedite this legislation and sign it into Law. The Governor has promised to help rebuild the economy in WNY, this would be a great commitment by him to do just that.

Governor Spitzer, as a life long New Yorker from Buffalo, I also urge you to sign Senate Bill S.6824 & Assembly Bill A.10003 which will remove the Grand Island tolls. Governor Spitzer, I urge you to consider “upstate” as an equal part of New York State.