Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
B.P. Molinaro to Port Authority: “No more toll hikes: Staten Islanders suffer enough!”
Demands commuter rates remain the same on Staten Island bridges
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – Borough President James P. Molinaro today sent a letter to the Port Authority opposing its planned toll hikes on its Hudson River crossings, including the Outerbridge, Bayonne and Goethals bridges, to raise $300 million a year for the agency’s long-term construction projects.
In a letter to Port Authority Executive Director Anthony E. Shorris, and copied to New York Governor Elliot Spitzer and New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, Molinaro wrote: “Staten Island is geographically isolated and does not have the same access to public transportation as other municipalities. We are the only borough without a subway, and our residents have the toughest and longest commute to work each day -- over two hours in many cases.
“Due to the Staten Island Expressway’s popularity as a conduit for traffic between Long Island, New York City and New Jersey, Staten Islanders bear the brunt of traffic, air pollution, and noise,” Molinaro continued.
“For these reasons, I demand that Staten Island be held harmless when Hudson crossing toll hikes are considered, and that our commuter rates remain the same.”
November 1, 2007