Chester Town Supervisor Steve Neuhaus stood up for Orange County taxpayers before an MTA panel to register his opposition to the new "mobility tax" proposal from the Ravitch commssion. The proposed "regional mobility tax" is just a brilliant idea. A special tax just to improve regional transportation. Who's against improved regional transportation? Except that the tax money will go to pay past debts. And the new money is being collected to incur even more massive future debts with $35 billion of new borrowing. What is a sales tax for? What are state and city personal income taxes for? What are property taxes for? Obviously, none of that is for the MTA! That's why there's a new "regional mobility tax"! Why not a "regional education tax" for schools? A "regional safety tax" for police and firefighters? Problems solved! The structural imblance of government worker retirements at age 50 with free pensions and health care? Not even addressed! It's like giving the "Big Three" Detroit automakers everything they ask for, with no structural changes whatsoever to correct the problems that started the mess. "Regional taxes" will mean that New York City residents will pay TWICE. For example, no state money (collected from those old-fashioned taxes) will now go to New York City transportation projects. That transporation money will go upstate. So New Yorkers will be paying a special "Regional Mobility Tax" just for them AND the transportation costs of upstate residents through regular taxes. WHAT A DEAL! Oh, and the subway fare will still be going up. Like a bad magazine subscription, fare increases will automatically renew at the inflation rate (no public hearings required). Oh, and subway maintenance will still be cut back. Oh, and unless that $35 billion of new borrowing comes through, you're going to love that permanent hole in the ground on Second Avenue. Oh, and the free bridges that the MTA doesn't even own are going to be tolled-up. Expect wrap-ads for the "Subway "Eat Fresh" Brooklyn Bridge" sometime soon. The whole Ravitch report was only 19 pages long. Larry Littlefield's analysis has been spot-on. It's a tax + borrow + pass the buck (for only five years) report. An MTA hack could have written the whole thing in a weekend. What should have been done? Bankruptcy! Instead, New Yorkers got a "Well, you can't afford this house in the long run, but let's patch up the leaky roof for today" report. It's throwing good money after bad. Bankruptcy and reorganization would have (eventually) resulted in a financially sound system going forward. The same thing awaits the "Big Three" automakers. One bailout after another after another ain't gonna work. It's like putting a finger in a dyke to hold back the flood. You have to flame out and then return, like the phoenix. Ravitch sold out New York City. Let's see if New York's politicians and newspapers do the same. LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/nyregion/05transit.html?pagewanted=2&_r... Mixed Reviews on Transit Plan (...) Although the Democrats who control the Assembly blocked the congestion pricing plan this year, Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, expressed broad support for the commission report. (...) Kathryn S. Wylde, the president of the Partnership for New York City, a prominent business group, said that the Ravitch plan was fair and balanced and that it really does merit the support of the business community. (DOES WYLDE OBJECT TO ANY TAX?--B.P.) (...) Mr. Ravitch insisted that all the elements of the plan should be enacted together. (...) The payroll tax would go into effect in the five New York boroughs, as well as Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Dutchess Counties. (THEY'RE GONNA LOVE IT!--B.P.)
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Steve Neuhaus for Supervisorby joyfulmoments722 views
boring and FIRST COMMENT ON THIS VIDEO
wweduck 2 months ago