Staten Island Chamber of
Commerce hears Islanders suffer endless discrimination from unfair
toll burdens
Saying Staten Island has been neglected far too long on
transportation matters, business leaders joined a College of Staten
Island professor yesterday in calling for a regional transportation
planning group to study and advocate for the needs of the borough.
Jonathan Peters, a CSI finance professor, said Staten Island is
always shortchanged when it comes to transportation money, planning
and attention from agencies such as the Port Authority of New York
and New Jersey and the Metropolitan Transit Authority.
Peters believes a coalition focused entirely on the so-called
southern corridor – the first entry point into New York City from
the south – could play a major role in changing that bias.
“I’d like to see funding for a southern corridor coalition to
study infrastructure and development needs,” Peters said. “A
research group that would change the focus. The whole northern
discussion – PATH and cross-Hudson ferries – dominate” the region’s
transportation debate.
Citing facts and figures, Peters told the Staten Island Chambers
of Commerce that Staten Islanders suffer endless discrimination from
unfair toll burdens – and are shortchanged on their share of mass
transit dollars by the agencies collecting tolls from the borough’s
motorists.
The trend is especially terrible considering the borough’s
population growth, which ranks first in New York state and third in
the New York metropolitan area, including New Jersey, he said.
“Staten Island is the fastest growing borough in New York City.
Right here. Right around us,” Peters said. “But when you look at the
transportation planning documents, there’s nothing.”
“There is no east-west mass transit south of Battery,” he added.
“Staten Islanders have no options.”
Peters highlighted the contrast between the Island’s $3.20
resident discount – or 54 percent break – on the Verrazano – Narrows
Bridge and the discounts given residents of the Rockaways on the
Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge (100 percent) and the Marine
Parkway – Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge (62 percent).
“This is the same agency that’s running your Verrazano Bridge,”
Peters said.
Peters has been working for more than a year on an analysis
linking toll collection to air pollution. He emphatically opposes
tolls, calling them a regressive tax that hits the poor far harder
than the middle or upper class – an issue sure to come up when the
MTA comes to Staten Island on Feb.12 for a public hearing on the
toll and transit fare hike.
Most of the members of the Transportation and Economic
Development Committee of the Chambers echoed Peters’ analysis – and
agreed to help the college form a research institute.
“Now that the dump is closed, this has to be the biggest issue on
Staten Island,” said Marcus Marino, an architect and member of the
committee.
Chamber president Lawrence De Maria suggested the Chamber
consider filing a lawsuit against the MTA and Port Authority to
force larger discounts for Islanders.
