THE FACTS: COMPTROLLER THOMPSON’S PROPOSAL

In November, Comptroller Thompson proposed a way to bridge much of the MTA’s budget gap – a weight-based vehicle registration fee in the 12-county MTA region.

His proposal has the potential to add $1 billion to the MTA’s coffers and help avoid huge fare hike and service cuts that would make everyone’s commute worse. It would also protect New York City residents, who already contribute more than their fair share to transit.

HOW COMPTROLLER THOMPSON’S PLAN WOULD WORK

The Comptroller’s proposal would impose a new weight-based transit-dedicated assessment of $100 for vehicles weighing 2,300 pounds or less, plus a 9-cent charge for every pound of curb weight over 2,300. Under such a fee structure, a Toyota Yaris, a light and fuel-efficient vehicle with a curb weight of 2,293 pounds, would cost an additional $100 to register annually, while a Lincoln Navigator, one of the heaviest and least fuel-efficient vehicles with a curb weight of 5,963 pounds, would cost an additional $430 to register.

This fee structure would impact moderate- and low-income New Yorkers much less than a fare hike would.

SHARING THE BURDEN

Comptroller Thompson’s proposal spreads the burden to support transit more fairly across the entire region – and it’s easier to implement than bridge tolls. It would not require new infrastructure or chasing down drivers who don’t have E-ZPass.

While drivers would still end up paying, the vehicle registration fee proposal would apply to vehicles registered across the entire 12-county MTA region. In other words, if your vehicle is registered in Westchester County or Nassau, you’ll pay a bit more to support transit. But that makes sense, since Metro-North and the Long Island Rail Road serve those communities and keep potential drivers on the trains and off the roads.

The Comptroller’s proposal could be phased in, so that those who use particularly heavy vehicles might be able to make different purchasing decisions for their next vehicles. By making these choices, drivers would benefit the environment.

BACKGROUND

Does the MTA really need more money?

The MTA budget crisis is real. The operating budget gap for 2009 is $1.2 billion, in part caused by heavy MTA borrowing when State and City funding sources dried up.

Beyond that, the MTA’s vital capital program – which has brought new cars and other key improvements over the past three decades – needs $9.3 billion between 2010-2014.

It is imperative to our economy and our quality of life that our mass transit system remains efficient, clean and safe.

The MTA does need to do a far better job of responding to public concerns and cutting waste. Unfortunately, those actions alone will not be enough to save subway and bus lines or keep the fare affordable.

Who should pay to support transit?

Over the next several weeks, the state legislature and Governor Paterson will consider a broad plan that would call on employers (payroll tax), riders (possible fare hike) and drivers to pay more to keep the region’s transit system going.

Among the proposals the Legislature will be considering is a plan to institute tolls on the East River and Harlem River Bridges. Comptroller Thompson’s view is that these tolls would disproportionately burden drivers in the boroughs outside Manhattan. They are very inequitable.

For example, research shows that 60 percent of the proposed Ravitch bridge tolls would be paid by Brooklyn and Queens residents, even though these residents make only 36 percent of car trips into the CBD.

Comptroller Thompson’s proposal would not only bring in more revenue than bridge tolls, but would share the burden more equitably among all those who benefit from New York’s mass transit system.

• Drivers benefit from transit because of less congested highways and roads;
  
  
• Employers benefit from transit because that is how many of their workers get to work (2.2 million New York City residents travel to work by transit daily. There are a total of 7.8 million rides every weekday on the subways and buses.) They also use the roadways to transport goods.