N.Y. Governor Proposes Freeze on Toll Rates, Calls for Tax Credits for Agricultural Haulers
In his annual State of the State address, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed freezing tolls on the Thruway until 2020.
The governor also wants to eliminate tolls for agricultural vehicles by offering farmers income tax credits. Nearly 1 million businesses and frequent Thruway drivers would save between $97 and $1,872 a year with tax credits worth 50% of the Thruway tolls they paid, according to the governor’s office. The toll plan is part of a large-scale proposal to upgrade aging infrastructure over the next several years.
“This will show upstate businesses and citizens that we are on their side. We owe it to them. Let’s do it, and let’s do it this year,” Cuomo said during his address to the Legislature on Jan. 13.
The governor’s 50% reduction would apply to nearly a million business, farm and passenger vehicles, including 976 commercial trucks.
The governor also announced $700 million in Thruway infrastructure spending, after last year’s $1.285 billion commitment, as part of a $22 billion, multiyear capital plan to upgrade critical roads, bridges and other transportation infrastructure.
“Upstate’s roads and bridges, broadband and other infrastructure must be upgraded also,” Cuomo added.
The multiyear transportation proposal includes $1 billion each to replace, repair and/or maintain at least 200 bridges and to pave up to 1,300 miles of roads. He also called for $500 million for disaster mitigation for roads that have been susceptible to flooding and extreme weather-related events.
The governor also called for the removal of the state’s Canal Corp. as a subsidiary of the Thruway Authority and including it as part of the New York Power Authority.
Kendra Hems, executive director of the New York State Motor Truck Association, praised the governor’s push to upgrade infrastructure and was pleased with the proposal related to the Canal Corp.
“We applaud the governor for taking bold steps toward upgrading our aging infrastructure, freezing tolls for four years and moving the Canal Corp. out from under the Thruway Authority,” Hems said. “With these actions, Gov. Cuomo has done more for transportation than any governor in the past 20 years. We hope the Legislature approves these proposals, which show a real commitment to motorists across the state.”
