The saga involving the Thruway Authority, a proposed toll hike, and lawmakers across New York took another step late-Thursday with one lawmaker calling for serious action.
State Sen. Jim Tedisco (R-Glenville) is requesting that legislation be acted on to take away tolling power from the Thruway Authority.
The move comes after the Thruway Authority announced a major price increase that would take effect in early-2024. While E-ZPass users wouldn’t see a huge spike in cost, those without the pass would.
Sen. Tedisco said he wants to see any increases proposed by the Thruway Authority to be approved by the legislature.
“New Yorkers already have it tough this holiday season with the highest inflation in over 40 years causing higher prices for gas, home heating, groceries, computers, automobiles, lumber and just about every good and service,” he said. “The last thing they need is a giant lump of coal under the Christmas tree in the form of higher Thruway tolls – especially for those who can least afford it, our middle-and-lower-income drivers.”
Spokespeople for the Thruway Authority told media outlets across the state as this story began gaining traction earlier in the week that tolls are the only way the entity generates revenue to make infrastructure improvements. Without them the highway will fall into a state of disrepair.
Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara (D-Rotterdam) reacted to the proposed rate hike, which would be subject to a series of public hearings, by introducing a bill that would freeze tolls for two-years.
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