From Speakupwny.com

Taxes and Fees
Fight to Remove Grand Island Tolls Exposes Perks
By Gary S. Howell
Feb 15, 2007, 17:54

Rus Thompson is leading a one-man crusade to remove the Grand Island Bridge tolls. His online petition drive garnered over 5,500 signatures. (The petition is posted at his website, No Grand Islands Tolls)

Thompson, a Grand Island resident, not only believes it’s unfair impose tolls on Island residents, he claims it’s illegal. “Many of our elected representatives ignore the fact that there is a Federal Law making it illegal to charge people to get to their homes,” he writes on his website.

“In order for Western New York to come back from years upon years of economic instability, our representatives need to be held accountable for their continued taxation, via commuter taxes on the thruway in and around the region,” Thompson contends.

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While studying the issue, Thompson learned the following:

1. Fringe benefits for Thruway Employees total 36.75% of the employee’s salary

2. The employee non-revenue pass program gives every employee with five years on the job a free EZ Pass for life, for his or her private vehicle

3. Certain Board members get an authority vehicle for no apparent reason

4. Mr. Fleischer, Executive Director of the Thruway Authority, and senior staff members also get vehicles some of which are probably justified

5. Tollbooth managers receive about $68,000.00/year and toll takers receive approximately $20.00/hour. When the Niagara Section tollbooths were closed the Authority announced that they were not laying off any permanent toll collectors

6. Benefits include a liberal health insurance plan, vision care, dental insurance, free EZ Pass, 401k, long term care insurance, flexible spending accounts and life insurance

7. Senior executive compensation ranges from $115,000 for a Network Affairs Acting Director to Mr. Fleischer’s compensation of $164,000

8. All employees get a tuition assistance program that pays 90% of the tuition in advance of the course starting date. Employees can take up to 15 credit hours per semester

9. Employees get 12 holidays a year, 4 of which are floating holidays, which may be used whenever they want

10. After seven years of employment, the vacation leave policy allows 13.5 days of vacation. They can turn in 10 of those days for payment

11. After 5 years of service employees get 12 sick days

12. Employees get additional sick leave at half pay

13. Employees get 5 personal leave days a year

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In a telephone conversation with Speakupwny, Thompson said that this information was obtained from the Thruway Authority under New York’s Freedom of Information Law.

Mr. Thompson said that he had more information that might interest the public. He will be passing it on in the future.

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