Pay As You Go: New York City Commuters May Be Hit With Yet Another Travel Tax

Over the weekend my husband and I took a drive around Long Island and through some neighbourhoods that were reminiscent of what Long Island use to be when mom first moved here a little over two decades ago. Replete with trees and greenery and homes on quiet streets with plenty of acreage for privacy and play room (for the kids) it was truly a serene scene. But, a scene that comes at a price, and a high price at that for many. Besides the cost of continued crowding and congestion and many of the other extravagant expenses such as high taxes, now Long Islanders may also likely look forward to another nearly $10 a day mandatory out-of-pocket-expense.

Mayor Bloomberg has recently suggested imposing an $8 fee on drivers who enter The City below 86th Street.

And, while for many this is a point of contention, others are actually okay with it noting that it would encourage mass transit, keeping commuters and congestion to a minimum, helping traffic flow in and out more smoothly.

And, officials note that this is one of many measures proposed to help curb the influx of residence and commuters, a number that is expected to reach 9 million by 2030.

They add that as the population and city grows so do concern about congestion and their effect on our health and economy and that we need to take a stand before it gets out of hand. And, they note, that the real issue, since we will be “paying” one way or another is not whether people will pay, but how much (is reasonable), and finding incentives for commuters to use mass transit.

With that goal in mind, the Mayor has also suggested a city-state transit authority for regional projects, which would come up with funding for regional projects such as the Nassau County Hub, East Side Access and a Long Island Rail Road link into lower Manhattan.

And, many Long Island politicians show support for the plan noting that it “will” help raise funding for regional projects. Yet, some remained highly opposed noting that it was an unfair toll on commuters and that it was forcing already overtaxed Long Islanders off The Island.

Yet, the Mayor’s plan is expected to take up to 1 ½ years to implement and it’s expected to generate $380 in the first year alone; a figure that’s expected to grow to $900 million by the year 2030, an amount paid half by city dwellers and the other half by those who live outside The city.