toll.jpg
Tolls for driving across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge are collected on Staten Island.
(Advance file photo)
Our leaders united on behalf of Staten Islanders today and delivered a historic message. To protest the misuse of tolls over the decades, they joined to boycott the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
We're proud of this bipartisan decision by the Island's top elected officials: the borough president, the six members of the state Legislature, the three local politicians who serve on the City Council and our congressman.
The Advance fully supports their unprecedented action. For what they did, or actually refused to do, our office-holders deserve respect and thanks from all of us.
Their absence from the pomp and circumstance at the Verrazano wasn't just a symbolic rejection of the way the Metropolitan Transportation Authority does business.
It was a strong new signal to the MTA about the outrage created by diverting millions of Island-paid toll dollars from the Verrazano to help fund mass transit and other huge public projects elsewhere in the region.
Especially since the "Forgotten Borough" has been deprived for decades of the major rail and roadway links that would improve the daily lives of Islanders.
Shunning the Verrazano's anniversary, BP James Oddo of Staten Island faulted "the predatory tolling that has been so much a part of this structure's history."
The MTA shamelessly announced just days ago that, as part of a plan for wider revenue hikes, it is ready to boost the one-way cash toll for cars on the V-N Bridge from $15 to $16.
When the span opened on Nov. 21, 1964, the cash toll each way between Brooklyn and Staten Island was 50 cents.
Higher tolls?
Under the current proposal, the Island resident E-ZPass discount toll for cars making more than two trips per month on the VNB would increase from $6 to $6.24.
But that did nothing to deter the Staten Island elected officials who refused to join the VNB celebration.
"For decades, revenue from the Verrazano Bridge has been misused, subsidizing other parts of the MTA's service territory while Staten Island received crumbs," said Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis. "The necessary investment in infrastructure and transportation options have not been made and in 2014 we are still fighting for basic transit options like North and West Shore links."
Ms. Malliotakis (East Shore-Brooklyn) and Mr. Oddo were among the Republican elected s who chose to boycott the anniversary of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
The GOP's other refusers: Rep. Michael Grimm (Staten Island-Brooklyn), State Sen. Andrew Lanza (Staten Island), Assemblyman Joe Borelli (South Shore), and Councilmen Steven Matteo (Mid-Island) Vincent Ingizio (South Shore).
The Democrats who agreed to stay away were: State Sen. Diane Savino (North Shore/Brooklyn), Assemblyman Matthew Titone (North Shore), Assemblyman Mike Cusick (Mid-Island) and Councilwoman Debi Rose (North Shore).
"The bridge is a symbol of Staten Island, and we regret that not all of Staten Island's elected representatives will be there to celebrate its 50th anniversary," said an MTA spokesman.
In a typically arrogant pronouncement, he added: "We encourage all Staten Island drivers to open E-ZPass accounts and take advantage of the special resident discounts and significantly lower tolls available to them on the bridge."
This unsolicited advice, coming as the MTA marks what amounts to 50 years of tolling, is disingenuous and insulting.
Nearly 90 percent of the 200,000 daily crossings on the Verrazano take place with the use of E-ZPass discounts, which have been made available only reluctantly.
What better choice do our disgruntled drivers have?
The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is the only direct road link from Staten Island into the rest of the city. No residents or businesses in the other four boroughs face such a challenge.
Captive customers
We are captive customers of the MTA, which in 2013 used money it collected at the toll plaza on Staten Island to help subsidize regional mass transit to the tune of almost $1 billion.
By the way, there are no city tolls on the East River bridges, a stark contrast to the way the MTA exploits Staten Islanders and treats the Verrazano as a virtual ATM.
No wonder the tight-fisted MTA and its political backers in Albany have been notoriously slow and reluctant limit the toll increases here over the years.
Mr. Oddo bemoans the plight of Islanders, who are constantly being "shaken down" for tolls on the Verrazano.
"I have no illusions that my absence or that of my Staten Island colleagues in elected office will cause the MTA to have an epiphany and change its plans," the BP said. "They won't because they can't, and they can't because the system is broken."
For how much longer is anybody's guess.
Mr. Oddo said: "As toll payers and New Yorkers, we can only hope that those in position to make the necessary and inevitable changes do so sooner rather than later. If not, this ridiculous cycle will continue, and the resulting harm will grow exponentially."
Happy Anniversary to the Verrazano? Bah! Humbug!