Senator Bonacic Says "AX THE TAX"

Posted by John J. Bonacic [1] 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.

Senator:

John J. Bonacic [1]

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