Office of Borough President James P. Molinaro
Staten Island, New York
Borough President Molinaro presents testimony to the Port Authority
Good Evening and thank you for the opportunity to comment on the toll rate increase.
Let me begin by reminding the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PA) that Staten Island has always tried to be a friend. We have worked together to accomplish positive results, such as the reopening of the New York Container Terminal. Since my days as Chief of Staff for then Congressman Guy Molinari, I have always made it my policy to develop a solid working relationship with governmental agencies.
However I must say that, tonight, I am very disappointed in the direction the PA is going.
Why?
Well, it is no secret that over the last several years, the PA of New York and New Jersey has become the PA of only New Jersey.
For example, flights from Newark Airport continue to disturb our residents. Last summer, the FAA announced that placing Newark air traffic over Staten Island is inefficient. Yet, in order to spare NJ residents from noise pollution, the PA continues to shift the burden to Staten Island.
Similarly, for years the PA has encouraged traffic between New York and New Jersey to use Staten Island as a conduit. Yet, we receive none of the transportation benefits such as ferries, tunnels and trains that the PA lavishes on New Jersey communities.
When you look at the numbers, the PA’s interest in collecting our bridge tolls is clear. Each year, 33.5 million vehicles cross the Bayonne, Goethals and Outerbridge. In total, the gross operating revenue created for the PA from these three crossings equals a staggering 184 million dollars.
This money is critical to the mission of the PA which is to “meet the transportation infrastructure needs of the bi-state region, and provide the highest quality and most efficient transportation available.” However, despite this grand mission statement, Staten Island suffers the worst commutes in America.
Simply stated, the PA is moving in an ill-advised Jersey-centric direction and expecting Staten Island to foot the bill. For example, the PA is planning to build a 3 billion dollar train tunnel under the Hudson River for New Jersey commuters. In fact, the PA has allocated billions of dollars to move New Jersey residents using the PATH, the Hoboken Ferry, and the Lincoln and the Holland Tunnels
Are NY residents no longer part of the PA? I have to wonder especially when considering another part of the PA’s mission statement which is to “strengthen the economic competitiveness of the metropolitan region.”
Economic competitiveness? I am curious, has the PA done an economic impact analysis of this major toll increase for Staten Island’s economy? We know how these tolls will benefit the PA bottom line, but what about Staten Islands? After all, the PA is planning to raise the tolls for businesses delivering goods to Staten Island by 33%. Has the PA considered that theses businesses must either pass the increase to residents or worse, choose to take their business elsewhere?
The PA has clearly taken the economic well being of other communities into consideration. In fact, the PA recently broadened its mission to include expensive real estate ventures.
That’s correct ladies and gentleman, the PA has now made commercial real estate development a priority while thousands of Staten Islanders remain without any regional connections.
In Hoboken for example, 17 million dollars of PA funds will go toward creating public spaces. Another 50 million dollars will be allotted toward restoring estuaries. A whopping 1.3 billion dollars will be used by the PA to bring top notch retail space to the World Trade Center.
After listening to these projects, it is easy to see why Staten Islanders balk at yet another toll increase. Why are we being neglected?
Does the PA have any idea how many bi-state transportation connections could be made between Staten Island and New Jersey for even a fraction of this money?
Now the PA is proposing raising our tolls from 6 dollars to 8 dollars every time we travel to New Jersey. Even with the so called “Staten Island Bridge Discount Plan” residents will still pay 4 dollars. This is not even a true resident discount plan. To qualify for the 4 dollar discount, Staten Islanders must travel at least 20 times a month to New Jersey.
Tonight, I am calling on the PA to rectify this egregious oversight and create legislation allowing a flat rate discounted EZ Pass charge for Staten Island residents. If the MTA can do it, so can the PA.
Another project I continue to ask the PA to deliver is the park-and-ride at the foot of the Bayonne Bridge. For 6 years, my office had an understanding with the PA to create this parking lot when bus service over the Bayonne Bridge was developed.
However, now that the S89 is in efficiently taking close to 1,000 people a day over the Bayonne Bridge to the Hudson Bergen Light Rail, the PA has decided to walk away from this project.
In fact, I have received word that the PA no longer considers building a modest park-and-ride within the purview of its mission. Yet, they are building a 403,000 dollar parking lot in Queens to enhance and I quote “the marketability of two vacant industrial buildings.”
Once again, Staten Island commuters are left paying and waiting --while non-transportation projects are funded with our tolls.
And finally, let me end by mentioning the proposed Goethals Bridge Replacement Project. Certainly, I was one of the first supporters of this venture. It is long overdue in my opinion.
However, I will absolutely not entertain the notion by anyone at the PA that the Bridge Replacement Project should somehow to be viewed as Staten Island’s compensation for the toll increase. This bridge was built nearly a century ago. It has paid for itself and its maintenance repeatedly. In fact, the tolls collected at the Goethals no doubt funded many other PA projects.
Given the circumstances, I oppose any toll increase for Staten Island residents.
* Give us a flat rate discounted resident EZ Pass.
* Build our Bayonne Bridge Park and Ride
* Remove the needless air flights over our Island.
* And finally, do what you do in New Jersey; develop real mass transit improvements residents.
Then we’ll talk.
Thank you
December 13, 2007