BILL NUMBER:S4774

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the tax law, in relation to the Metropolitan commuter
transportation mobility tax and to amend the New York city charter, in
relation to the imposition of certain bridge tolls

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To remove the Metropolitan commuter transportation mobility tax,
better known as the MTA payroll tax, from Dutchess, Orange, Putnam,
Suffolk, Rockland, Nassau and Westchester counties and authorize the
revenue to be replaced by tolls on the Brooklyn, Manhattan,
Williamsburg and Queensboro bridges over the East river.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends subsection (a) of section 800 of the tax law, as
added by section 1 of part C of chapter 25 of the laws of 2009 to
exclude the counties of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Suffolk, Rockland,
Nassau and Westchester from the definition of the Metropolitan
commuter transportation district for purposes of the metropolitan
commuter transportation mobility tax.

Section 2: Amends section 28 of the New York city charter by adding a
new subdivision h to authorize the New York City Council to establish
tolls on Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and Queensboro bridges
              

over the East River, for the purpose of providing an additional
dedicated source of funding for the Metropolitan Transportation
Authority.

Section 3: Effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:
The highly partisan, one vote margin which enacted the MTA tax in the
Senate in 2009 is evidence of the divisive nature of this
unreasonable tax from day one. Now, two years later, the MTA has not
demonstrated it is any more efficient or effective in providing
services to the Hudson Valley and Long Island area, which bears a
disproportionate share of the cost of operating the MTA, versus the
services received.

The MTA payroll tax amounts to taxation without transportation. It is
an unwarranted burden on small businesses in the lower Hudson Valley
and Long Island for which they, in particular the Hudson Valley,
receive little or no benefits from. Property taxpayers have also been
impacted by this tax, because property taxpayers have to contribute
to localities, who are subject to the payroll tax.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The repeal of the Metropolitan commuter transportation mobility tax in
Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Suffolk, Rockland, Nassau and Westchester
counties will have a negative impact on revenues to the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority. However, this will be able to be offset by


revenues from tolls on the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and
Queensboro bridges if the New York City Council authorizes the same.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act would take effect immediately.