It is easy to see why a skeptic might believe the whole debate over raising the tolls at Port Authority bridges and tunnels was scripted to make Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie look like heroes.
In the original plan, the PA wanted to raise the toll for E-ZPass users by $4 next month. Then the governors come riding in on white horses saying they would not let that happen. A day later the PA backs down. Under the new plan, E-ZPass tolls on tunnels will go up by $1.50 and the PATH fare will go up by a quarter.
Cash customers at the tolls will still get squeezed. They will pay $4 more and four years from now they will be paying $15 to cross over a bridge or pass through a tunnel.
But even before the lower increase was approved, business leaders in Queens supported a hike in tolls.
“The Queens Chamber of Commerce recognizes that the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, in order to fund vital infrastructure projects that generate jobs and economic activity, may have virtually no other choice but to consider imposing reasonable toll and fare increases,” said Jack Friedman, the chamber’s executive vice president.
At the Queens Economic Development Corp., Executive Director Seth Bernstein agreed, “Queens County is home to JFK International and LaGuardia airports, which account for over 85,000 on-airport jobs and thousands more off-airport jobs. … Infrastructure investments in our airports and in the region create jobs.”
Timothy Marshall, president of the Jamaica Business Resource Center, said, “During these challenging economic times, no one welcomes a fare and tolling hike. However, as we understand it, these additional funds will be used to continue much-needed capital and infrastructure investment projects.”
They make a compelling argument, but the painful toll hikes must be conditioned on getting spending at the Port Authority under control. The salaries paid PA executives are excessive. And, while we welcome the building now underway at the World Trade Center site, the sad truth is that the cost is many times higher than it might have been had that building begun nine years ago.
