Letters against the toll hike from NY legislators

11. The Honorable Thomas J. Madison, Jr.
Executive Director
New York State Thruway Authority
200 Southern Blvd.
PO Box 189
Albany, NY 12201-0189
Dear Mr. Madison:
I write today concerning the 45% toll increase for trucks and commercial vehicles that the
Thruway Authority is proposing. Such and increase would have a devastating affect on
businesses throughout New York, and would have a severely negative impact on our economy. I
urge the Thruway to abandon this misguided plan, and instead focus on improving operations at
the Thruway Authority which could save millions each year.
Comptroller DiNapoli recently released a report that found many troubling things happening
with finances of the Thruway Authority. The report shows that during the last ten years,
operating costs at the Thruway Authority have increased by over 36%. On top of that, the
Comptroller found that costs have been ballooning for the State’s canal system, revenues have
not kept up with expenses, and debt payments have doubled in the last ten years. All of this news
paints a very grim picture of what is going on at the Thruway Authority. Rather than pursue a
45% toll hike that would be disastrous for our economy, the Thruway Authority should put the
time and effort into cutting costs and improving efficiency. In addition, the Thruway Authority
should look at good ideas being put forth, in particular an idea from Governor Cuomo’s
Spending and Government Efficiency Commission. The commission, appointed by the Governor
last year, found that a consolidation of the Thruway Authority and the State Department of
Transportation could save over $50 million per year. These are the types of ideas the Thruway
Authority should be focused like a laser on. Raising tolls by 45% on trucks and commercial
vehicles is a gimmicky short-term fix, not a well thought out long-term solution.
Again, I urge the Thruway Authority to come up with a better plan to improve its fiscal health.
This proposed toll hike is just the kind of action that makes people distrustful of government, and
makes businesses wary of growing in our state. Every effort needs to be made to improve
efficiency and cut costs, before even the idea of a toll increase is thought of. I look forward to
hearing from you on this important matter.
Sincerely,
Sean M. Ryan
Member of Assembly

12. Dear Brian:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the New York State Thruway Authority’s proposed 45
percent toll increase. I appreciate your initiative in writing me with your concerns.
It is without hesitation that I am in full opposition to the recent proposal made by the NYS
Thruway Authority to increase commercial tolls on trucks by 45 percent. While this could be
characterized as a tax on trucks, this toll increase is in reality yet another tax on consumers in
disguise, as the trucking industry will be forced to pass these increased costs from the products
which they transport, on to consumers. Additionally, I value your suggestion that the Thruway
Authority should submit to an in-depth, independent financial analysis before implementing a
toll increase.
In my almost four years as a State Senator, I have been an advocate for lowering taxes and fees
in New York, and the last two State Budgets, which I voted in favor of, made a commitment not
to raise taxes on families, small businesses, manufactures and senior citizens throughout our
community. I appreciate your comments and will certainly keep your thoughts in mind for the
future as I continue to monitor the progress of this proposal, and make my strong opposition to
this proposal known to the NYS Thruway Authority. Also, I am aware of the public hearing
being held tomorrow, August 16, 2012 in Buffalo, and I appreciate you taking the time to inform
me of the dates and locations of these three hearings.
Again, Brian, thank you for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to call or write me should you
have any further questions or comments regarding this or any other State matter.
Sincerely,
MICHAEL H. RANZENHOFER
State Senator

20. The following is my public comment submitted to the Thruway Authority on Friday expressing my
strong opposition to its proposed
45 percent toll hike on trucks:
PUBLIC COMMENT FROM NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MINORITY LEADER BRIAN M. KOLB AGAINST
THE PROPOSED
45 PERCENT THRUWAY TOLL HIKE ON TRUCKS:
I write to add my strong opposition to a growing public record of New Yorkers opposing the Thruway
Authority’s proposed 45 percent toll hike on trucks. Without question, a 45 percent toll hike on trucks is
fiscally irresponsible and will likely result in fewer private sector jobs, a less competitive economy and
New York families paying more for basic necessities.
As the first Legislative Leader to speak out publicly against the Thruway toll hike, I have since heard from
numerous constituents and private sector job creators – along with taxpayer and business advocacy
organizations – who share my belief that if the proposed toll hike goes forward, New York’s economy
will become less competitive. This is exactly the wrong message to send at a time when so many New
Yorkers are unemployed, underemployed and our state is supposed to be “open for business.”
The proposed 45 percent toll hike is expected to cost trucking companies $20 million for 2012 and $86
million in 2013. Such dramatic cost spikes will hurt trucking businesses – many of whom already
operate on the razor’s edge of profitability and pay the nation’s second-highest State and Federal user
fees annually per truck. If the toll hike goes forward, it may force many trucking companies to leave for
other states, resulting in even more lost jobs for New Yorkers.
Additionally, increasing Thruway tolls is a massive unfunded State mandate that will result in greater
truck traffic on local roads, causing a negative impact on their safety with increased road maintenance
costs borne directly by local taxpayers. Such a significant unfunded State mandate is yet another reason
why the 45 percent toll hike is a bad idea that New York’s overburdened taxpayers cannot afford.

21. This latest proposed toll increase continues a troubling pattern of toll hikes by the Thruway Authority.
In 2005, there was a 25 percent increase on passenger vehicles paying cash, a 12.5 percent increase on
E-Z Pass passenger vehicles, a 35 percent increase on commercial vehicles paying cash, and a 28.3
percent increase for Commercial E-Z Pass users. For 2008, motorists saw a 10 percent toll increase; in
2009, motorists faced a five percent increase and, in 2010, drivers endured another five percent
increase. This multi-year pattern of rising tolls leads to one conclusion: the Thruway Authority is an
unaccountable and grossly mismanaged public authority in need of adult supervision.
Taxpayers were promised that the New York State Thruway would be “toll-free” once the construction
bonds were paid off in 1996. Yet, some 16 years later, New York motorists are still paying for the
Thruway. This is outrageous!
If the Thruway Authority does not rescind its proposed 45 percent toll hike, the State Legislature should
exercise its oversight prerogative and cut the Thruway Authority’s 2013 operating budget by the same
amount of revenue expected from the toll hike. Because the Thruway Authority has continually
demonstrated itself unable to manage finances in a responsible manner, the State Legislature should
explore disbanding the Thruway Authority and transferring its functions to the State Department of
Transportation in order to protect motorists from continued toll hikes.
BRIAN M. KOLB
MINORITY LEADER, NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
AUGUST 24, 2012

22. August 24, 2012
Howard Millstein, Chairman
NYS Thruway Authority
200 Southern Blvd.
Albany, NY 12209
Dear Chairman Millstein:
I want to express my strong opposition to the New York State Thruway Authority’s
proposed 45 percent toll increase for commercial vehicles. A toll hike of this magnitude is
unconscionable at a time when New York is struggling to emerge from a recession and claims
to be “open for business.”
I think I can state with certainty that the cost hike will be passed along to consumers in
the form of higher prices on all goods, including food which is a necessity. A toll increase will kill
jobs, hurt our economy even further and send a clear message New York is neither open for
new business development nor helping our existing businesses. As many as 20 business
groups, including the New York State Motor Truck Association, National Federation of
Independent Business, Unshackle Upstate, Business Council of New York, Manufacturers
Association of Central New York (MACNY) and New York Farm Bureau have joined in a chorus
of protests against the toll increase. If this proposal is approved, there’s no doubt it will hurt our
state’s agricultural community, manufacturers and small businesses, while devastating our
state’s trucking industry and killing jobs.

23. New York is already one of the most expensive states in the country in which to operate
a truck. A toll increase would only exacerbate the negative connotation. The trucking industry
provides a vast number of jobs – 277,710 in New York in 2010, which is one out of every 25
jobs in the state. Many trucking companies are small businesses already burdened with hefty
permit and user fees, in addition to escalating gas prices. In 2009, the New York trucking
industry paid approximately $1.4 billion in federal and state roadway taxes and fees. A 45
percent toll hike would break the backs of small
businesses. Many trucking companies will likely close up shop in New York and move to other
states. In the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes region where my Assembly district is located, it is
very easy for small businesses to move a few miles south into
Pennsylvania. Small trucking firms in my district have expressed strong opposition to the toll
hike and made it clear to me this could be the last straw for them and they will move south. This
is not the message we need to be sending to businesses at this very critical time.
If the Thruway Authority believes the huge toll increase being proposed will simply be
absorbed by the trucking industry, you are mistaken. Consumers will be hit with the increased
cost with higher prices on everything from food to durable goods. The negative impact this
increase will have on businesses, farmers and consumers is unacceptable and sends the wrong
message in an already struggling economy.
In addition, I predict a Thruway toll increase will force even more trucks to seek
alternative, less costly, non-toll routes, resulting in higher traffic on county and local roads.
Many of these roads and communities are not equipped to handle the increased truck traffic and
the damage to local roads this proposal will create. At a time when local governments are
already facing challenging budgets, this will indeed lead to greater damage to local roads
resulting in increased costs to local property taxpayers. We should be encouraging big trucks to
travel on the Thruway and Interstate highways. Unfortunately, this proposal will do just the
opposite. In addition to the higher costs of road repairs, I also fear for the safety of local
motorists on secondary highways. Furthermore, the increased truck traffic will surely disrupt
many quiet, scenic communities nestled along these secondary roads.
As a legislator, I am often asked by constituents and local business owners why we still
pay tolls on the Thruway. The bonds were supposed to be paid off around 1996, but 16 years
later New Yorkers are not only still paying Thruway tolls, they are asked to pay more -- time and
time again. In fact, the Thruway Authority has increased tolls four times in the past seven years.

24. Just as our small businesses, manufacturers, farmers, consumers and taxpayers have
been making difficult decisions to cut their spending and budgets, I think it’s finally time for the
Thruway Authority to seriously looks at its own costly operations and make necessary internal
cuts and structural changes to its budget. To continue to ask individuals and businesses to be
the ATM for the Thruway Authority’s out-of-control
page 3 – Thruway toll hike comments/Palmesano
operations is unconscionable, in my opinion, especially at this crossroads in our state’s
economy.
This proposal is bad for business, bad for manufacturers, bad for farmers, bad for
truckers, bad for consumers, bad for taxpayers and definitely bad for New York. Therefore, I
strongly urge this proposal to be defeated.
Sincerely,
Philip A. Palmesano
Member of Assembly

25. PP/rkl
Cc: Gov. Andrew Cuomo