New York, NY – New York State Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF, Manhattan) strongly opposed the Governor’s plan announced earlier this month to recalculate the MTA’s “Mobility Tax” that 12 New York State counties are subject to that would increase the share of overall revenue provided by New York City residents.

Funding is currently generated through a consistent 0.34% tax on employer payrolls in New York City and the neighboring suburban counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, Orange, Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess – all counties that benefit from the regional transportation infrastructure provided by the MTA.

“These regions might not have subways, but the Metro North lines provided by the MTA offer them access to New York City jobs and economic opportunity,” said Assemblymember Rosenthal. “We all share the benefits of the MTA so I think it’s fair we pay the same rate.”

This latest proposal is especially galling in light of the extreme and regressive MTA cutbacks that have been borne exclusively by New York City residents.

Assemblymember Rosenthal said, “Do my constituents deserve to have their student MetroCards, Access-A-Ride service, and crucial bus lines like the M10 slated for elimination, all so that other regions can avoid this tax? The only possible explanation for this is election year politics. This decision won’t be forgotten by New York City residents watching their public transportation network deteriorate.”

In response to this harmful proposal, Assemblymember Rosenthal suggested that the Governor support bill A. 5959, her legislation that would restore the commuter tax on the earnings of non-New York City residents that expired in 1999. Rosenthal first introduced this legislation in 2007, which would ensure an adequate revenue stream for the city’s public transportation network and help offset the costs generated by non-New York City commuters.

“Reinstituting the commuter tax is a compelling alternative to slashing my constituents’ public transportation services, eliminating free student MetroCards and simultaneously requiring New York City residents to pay a pay a greater share of the MTA budget. This form of cynical political appeasement will only bring further pain to our city and state,” she said.