Senator Bonacic Says "AX THE TAX"

Posted by John J. Bonacic on Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

  • Hudson Valley families may never use the New York City subway or Metro North trains, but each day families are paying to operate these services.

    •  


  • This year, the Legislature in Albany voted to tax payrolls of businesses large and small.  In addition to taxing businesses, these same Legislators voted to tax the payrolls of local governments, non-profits, and schools accross the Hudson Valley - all to pay for New York City's subway services and Metro North trains.

    •  


  • Any time a tax is levied on the payrolls of your school, county, town, city, or village, that cost is borne by property taxpayers.  The MTA claimed they needed the money, and the tax and spend Legislature gave it to them - I voted against the MTA tax.

    •  


  • It can take more than two hours to take an MTA train from Orange County to New York City.  Thruway drivers pay the full cost of running the Thruway.  Those who use the MTA should pay for the costs of operating that service.  We now pay mortgage tax, sales tax, and now a payroll tax to fund a mass transit system that Hudson Valley families overwhelmingly do not use.  It's outrageous.

    •  


  • Along with other Hudson Valley State Senators, I have introduced legislation to repeal the MTA payroll tax.  My plan would keep the MTA's revenue collection intact by requiring the MTA to include in their operating agreement with Connecticut an equitable distribution of the debt service burden.  With Connecticut paying their fair share for the New Haven line and the establishment of a fare increase, a balanced approach has been offered to remove the job killing payroll tax on Mid-Hudson Valley counties.

    •  


  • I will continue to fight the MTA payroll tax and the big spending appetite of the Legislators who forced it on us.  To join our campaign to "AX THE TAX" please sign up below.
    • Sign up

    Your Comments

    The MTA taxes smell of socialism by SaveNYS

    As a life-long resident of Orange County, I find that every move made by the MTA in recent years has been in a backward movement.  The MTA is a major contributor to the reason why myself and my family will never be able to live in this county long-term.  My mother's family has lived in Orange County since the 1700's, so leaving the county really uproots our life.  Recently, the MTA continues to spend money in areas (such as countdown clocks) that are additional conveniences.  Conveniences and mandatory operating equipment need to be viewed properly.  If my household is operating in a deficit, I am not going to continue to spend money on a addition project.  The MTA continues to petition for socialistic taxes that defeat the very foundation of our mixed free-market economy that made the
    U.S. the dominant economy in the world.  In the rural counties of New York State, we have no option but to drive our own vehicles from point A to point B.  There is no MTA service that would transport me to or from my place of work within the borders of Orange County.  There is no MTA service that would bring me to see my family within the borders of Orange County.  I am required to drive.  

    The taxes imposed by the MTA require me to pay for someone else's ride to work, and on top of it all I still need to pay for my own ride to work.  Those that choose to commute long distances to and from their place of employment should pay for it.  Those that choose New York City jobs and choose to commute 1.5-2 hours to work should pay the full tab for their own commutes.  The school district taxpayers in New York City should pay their own portion of transporting children to and from school.  Otherwise, I should deserve a tax payout from New York City taxpayers on the transportation costs involved in bussing my children to school.  As we know, this is not the case.  Instead, my school taxes pay for my child to get to school, and thanks to the payroll tax imposed by MTA on the schools,
    now my school taxes pay for somebody else's children to get to school in New York City.  This is over-the-top to charge a payroll tax to our schools and then Gov. Paterson cuts school aide.  This is a double-edge sword.

    When my children are grown, I fear there is no way they will be able to live around the corner from our family.  The MTA imposes a mortgage sales tax which increases closing costs into the thousands of dollars.  The MTA imposes a sales tax which increases the cost of everything we purchase in Orange County.  Finally, the MTA imposes a payroll tax that forces local businesses to charge more money for their goods to cover the increase in payroll.  I have no choice but to drive from my home to work or the grocery store.  The MTA also imposes a surcharge now on vehicle registrations which I must pay for but someone in New York City has the luxury of not owning a car.  Once again, in all four cases I am left covering the bill for others to get to work and school.

    I am making my voice heard by forwarding my message to every newspaper editorial and elected government official in Lower New York State.  I am also a small business owner, and if the MTA does not take steps to curb this spending and follow through with the cuts to stabilize imposing any more taxes, fees or surcharges, I will move my buisiness out-of-state and New York will no longer get any business revenue from me.

    AXE THE TAX by hunter11343

    Don't want to pay for everyone else's transportation. It's outragous.