Common Sense: Let’s be fare

The recent toll increase on the Port Authority Bridges — locally the Goethals, Outerbridge and Bayonne – is an absolute disgrace.

These pre-programmed increases, which will continue at a regular pace for years to come, are no better than tax increases. They long ago surpassed the point of affecting business and residents who need to take the additional cost into account before deciding where to shop, or even locate.

Brooklyn residents are some of the hardest hit because they must also pay the insanely high toll on the Verrazano Bridge. So — as everyone from Bay Ridge knows who might be considering a trip to New Jersey for work, shopping or to visit friends or family — even with the discounts, the impact can be several thousand dollars per year for the regular traveler.

Unlike tax increases, in which you can clearly identify the offender who usually is the governor or mayor, the responsible parties in the cases of the toll increases are shielded by the boards that are created to run the agencies.

Please make no mistake about it. These boards are appointed by the governors of New York and New Jersey, in the case of the Port Authority, and by the New York governor and mayor, in the case of the MTA. These boards take 100 percent direction on toll increase issues from these elected leaders. And it’s these elected leaders – the two governors and the mayor — who need to be held accountable.

Locally State Senator Golden, whom I serve as chief of staff, Assemblymember Malliotakis and Congressmember Grimm, as well as most legislators have been very vocal in opposing these increases.

They have spoken out, written, rallied and at least in the case of Malliotakis, sued the agencies. They probably deserve a share of credit for things not being even worse, but they would be the first to tell you that the increases are damaging our economy and hurting people. Now, everyone knows that hurting people and the economy is not what government should be doing.

There will be an election for governor in 2014. It is the perfect time to be loud and maybe even a bit obnoxious about these continuing toll increases. Possibly faced with the tolls becoming a campaign issues in Brooklyn as it has in Staten Island, Governor Cuomo will take notice and do something to roll the tolls back or at a minimal repeal some of the automatic increases that have been put in place.

Plus, there are numerous things that can be done to preserve revenue for the bridges and tunnels. For one, both the MTA bridges and tunnels as well as the Port Authority bridges are used as cash cows by the agencies for other things that have nothing to do with bridges and tunnels such as to cover the subways, buses and debt service on capital projects .

Taking MTA Bridges and Tunnels, which was originally an independent agency known as the Triborough Bridges and Tunnels (TBTA), and returning them as such, would result in the bridges and tunnels being able to function within their budgets without toll increases.

Of course, this would apply greater pressure to the subway and bus fares, but I still think it would be a better way of doing business then is done presently, which has become highly unreasonable for those who must use the bridges and tunnels.

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It was good to hear that the 68^th Police Precinct would be welcoming 10 new officers. The police precinct does a great job keeping us safe, but police staffing levels are significantly lower than just five years ago. And clearly the physical presence of more officers is the single most important thing the city can do to keep us safe. The additional police officers, particularly this time of year, will be a great help.