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Budget Battle: MTA Wants On-Duty Finest To Pay Up

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Sep 17, 2008 10:16 am US/Eastern

Budget Battle: MTA Wants On-Duty Finest To Pay Up

MTA Resolution: Police, Fire And Other City Departments To Pay Tolls, Even When Responding To An Emergency

Reporting
Magee Hickey

NEW YORK (CBS) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 1: the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board is expected to vote later in September on a resolution requiring payments for all official-duty travel, including firefighters and police responding to emergencies or calls to service.
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Imagine the situation where an ambulance or a fire truck rushing to the scene of a catastrophe has to stop and pay a toll. Well, that's what the MTA is proposing of the Police, Fire and other city departments.

It's the start of a budget battle, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board is expected to vote later in September on a resolution requiring payments for all official-duty travel, including firefighters and police responding to emergencies or calls to service.

There are approximately 300,000 trips made each month across the MTA's nine bridge and tunnel crossings that are totally free, by drivers using special E-Z pass tags. The MTA wants to change all that.

There are as many as 11,000 free E-Z passes for police and firefighters. Having them pay tolls would be one way to get $10 million more a year.

Both the MTA and the city have big budget gaps, partially caused by the collapse of Wall Street firms. The MTA also blames higher fuel prices and lower tax revenues for their fiscal woes as they ask for another fare hike next year. But city officials are crying foul, saying "it's an underhanded attempt to increase the city's already large subsidy of the MTA by charging the city for responding to emergencies or performing other essential services," said Marc La Vorgna, a spokesperson for Mayor Bloomberg.

The MTA sent out letters this week alerting city agencies to the proposal which is expected to be voted on by the full MTA board later in September.

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