Modest $1 Increase for 2021
By Dan Murphy
Far too often the media loves to jump on any politician who makes a promise but doesn’t keep it. But when a politician lives up to their promises, frequently it’s not mentioned, or printed or aired on television or radio.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Thruway Authority have lived up to their promise concerning a toll increase for the Mario Cuomo Bridge – aka the new Tappan Zee Bridge.
When the $5 billion bridge was built, Cuomo promised to freeze the toll at $5 through 2020, and last month, the Thruway Authority came out with its budget for 2020 and its proposed toll increases for the Cuomo-TZ bridge over the next five years. The toll increases vary depending on whether you use an E-Z Pass – and you are crazy not to have an E-Z Pass in your vehicle if you don’t have one. It’s like throwing money out of your car window every time you cross over the Cuomo-TZ, or any bridge.
Here is a breakdown for the proposed Cuomo-TZ bridge toll:
New York residents with an E-Z Pass will pay $4.75 in 2020, $5.25 in 2021, and $5.75 in 2022. Westchester and Rockland County residents with an E-Z Pass will pay the same. However, those with a commuter E-Z pass, in use for at least 20 trips per month, will pay $3 in 2020, $3.15 in 2021, and $3.45 in 2022.
Those without an E-Z Pass will continue to get hit hard, with a $5 toll in 2020, increased to $6.83 in 2021 and $7.48 in 2022. A $2 billion allocation, or subsidy, from Cuomo and the State Legislature have helped keep toll increases and thruway toll increases to a minimum.
For those of us who feared a $10 or $15 Cuomo-TZ toll, can breathe a sigh of relief for the next three years. Some groups, including the Citizens Budget Commission, a fiscal watchdog group, had predicted a $10.50 toll next year.
The Thruway Authority said that it was able to keep the toll increases low by refinancing some of the $4 billion debt on the bridge.
The biggest financial issue for the new bridge is a lawsuit, filed by a number of construction companies that built the bridge, who claim that they are owed another $900 million.
State Sen. David Carlucci, who represents both sides of the bridge in Albany and who is running for Congress, spoke out against the proposed toll hike.
“Rockland and Westchester County taxpayers should not be footing the bill for the new Tappan Zee Bridge,” he said. “The Thruway Authority is going to place a regressive fee on residents with little regard and zero transparency. We can have a beautiful new bridge, but if people can’t afford to cross it, then our economy will be crushed. We need to ensure there is a real resident discount and that a toll-payer advocate is in place to address current problems with cashless tolling.”
While we appreciate Carlucci for speaking up for his constituents, this time around we will take the toll hike as proposed. A $1 per year increase for as long as it can happen is acceptable – anything to avoid forking out a $20 bill to cross the Hudson River, like you have to do on the George Washington Bridge.
And the Bear Mountain Bridge remains a bargain at $1.50.
