Thruway Toll Hike Protest

[Son of Liberty]

OK folks, are you pissed off enough yet or do you just want to wither away and let these bastards get their way?

We can do two things here...one is ineffective but you'll feel better and the other could send a message IF enough of us do it.

First, write those idiots we sent to Albany demanding that I-84 and I-287 be set up with tolls...there's been enough discussion on this forum about that so I won't get into it. Also tell them that Buffalo is the only Upstate city that imposes a commuter tax on its residents with the Ogden and Brekenridge toll barriers and demand they should be removed. Here's the links to their contact information:

http://www.buffaloteaparty.info/NYSAssembly.htm
http://www.buffaloteaparty.info/nyssenate.htm

Secondly, we need to protest these hikes by causing a traffic jam at the tolls. Since we just can't stop on the Thruway (Lackawanna and Williamsville) without getting into some sort of hot water, I propose this tactic.

Select a given day/time within the next week and pay your toll with $5, $10 or $20 dollar bills. This will cause extra time to be spent for each car at the toll barrier and ultimately will back up traffic. If the toll takers don't have the change, guess what...either your stuck at the toll or they let you go thru (I think?).

Do this say, between 8am-8:30am and 5pm-5:30pm on May 5th (Cinco de Mayo...no significance really).

We would need to publicize this naturally to get attention...send a press release after the fact claiming responsibility would be appropriate.

Thoughts?

[cabb5560]

Well Son I agree with you. I heard something on the radio this morning about how NYS is breaking the law with these tolls. I didn't catch it all but it has something to do with John LaFalce getting money for thruway improvements but the condition was the tolls were to end in 3 years. The gentleman said it was about 10 years ago. I'm trying to research it, but haven't found anything yet.

The thing I will do is get off the thruway at Ontario Street, bypass the tolls and get back on at the Peace Bridge. The other thing that bothers me is the discount that EZpass will get (a few cents) but why should people be punished because they don't use a credit card?

[LHardy]

The discount for easy pass users is discriminatory to those who pay cash. The numbers I heard this morning on WBEN is for cars
" If you pay $1.00 in cash it will now cost you 0.25 cents more but, If you use easy pass it will only cost 12.5 cents more."
New York people are so complacient that even outright discrimination doesn't phase them. All they want is the up front money to gain interest. Where will the interest be placed? In the general fund or does the inventor of easy pass get those profits?
Also mentioned was the fact that a large portion of thruway toll money is spent on the canal system.

NYS and three card montey!

Follow the money! Can you see which cup it is under! Is this one? NO! Is it that one? NO! Where oh where did our money go?"

Come on NY get Pissed! Would yah?

[Son of Liberty]

Originally posted by LHardy
Come on NY get Pissed! Would yah?

Now that's what I'm talking about!

[Son of Liberty]

Does anyone think this is a good idea? I have a press release already drafted and ready to send to the media and to the Teamsters, other upstate papers, etc.

Running out of time before May 5...thoughts? Bueller?....Bueller?

[moonshine]

causing traffic jams at the tolls sounds like a non-starter. this form of protest would require a concerted effort over a long period of time to be successful. Nobody wants to sit in a traffic jam every morning on the way to/from work. In the end the beaurocrats will get a good laugh out of the self-induced frustration the commuters caused. It will be business as usual by the end of the week.

Persuading truck traffic to bypass the thruway (or all of yew nork state) would be much more practical. A coordinated tire burning with the indians might provide the necessary spark. One CB radio strategically positioned prior to the 90/86 split would be all the advertisement needed.

[SolarEclipse]

I have to agree. I hate the fact that there is a toll on the 190. I never understood it, even when I was too young to drive. However, I only hit the toll coming home, and I sure as hell don't want to sit in a traffic jam every day on my way home. I have my EZ Pass, I like to keep on moving. Fight this some other way.

[Son of Liberty]

I'm open to suggestions...I felt this tactic would get some attention and really piss some people off, even if it is the commuters.

Really, I'm not being sarcastic or adversarial, I'd like to know.

[moonshine]

Seriously, the only thing that will get their (beaurocrats) attention is money. The more they raise the tolls the less money they will make as people intentionally bypass new york. I think you will need to cut off their flow of dollars at the border.

Have you considered finding a cross-country trucker (independent or franchised) and do a cost comparison on using the 90 as opposed to using I-80, I-86, or I-76? Cost of fuel, topography, tolls, etc should all be considered. I bet if you came up with a good analysis that showed a cost savings in using alternate transportation routes the trucking companies would listen. Plus, it will be easier distributing this information to a handful of companies that are profit driven than millions of commuters who are more interested in convenience. Don't limit your vision to the western new york tolls. Take into account the money that would be lost if the thruway authority lost the tolls of a cross-country or regional driver from Erie, PA to NYC.

If you could cut the amount of cross-country/regional truck traffic that uses the thruway in half you would force the thruway authority into an endless cycle of raising rates. The higher the rates the less competitive they are.

[WestCoastPerspective]

Love him or hate him, Paladino is taking charge:

Businessman will challenge Thruway toll hikes
James Fink
Business First
A prominent Buffalo business leader will be taking his effort to eliminate two toll booth barriers along the Thruway to the courts.

Carl Paladino, one of the region's largest property holders, said Wednesday morning he has retained private counsel to fight the pending toll increases for the Ogden and Breckenridge toll booths -- and to ultimately have the two barriers removed from the New York Thruway Authority system.

"We think the case is pretty clear," Paladino said.

Paladino has at least one ally in his legal battle. Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello said he will instruct the city's legal department to join ranks with challenge.

Paladino, who has been a long time advocate of removing the Ogden and Breckenridge toll booths, said the final straw was the decision by the Thruway Authority on Monday to raise the fees motorists pay at the booths from 50 cents to 75 cents, effective May 15. The increases are part of system wide toll hike by the authority to raise money for repairs to its network of roadways.

Paladino noted the two toll booths collectively bring in about $11 million in revenues while operational costs for those operations run approximately $4 million.

"We've got Western New York subsidizing other parts of the state," Paladino said.

Cities like Rochester, Syracuse and Albany have no toll booths in their network of highways around the respective cities.

Paladino contends the tolls amount to a commuter tax and hurt the effort to bring businesses into Buffalo.

[stevenco]

Originally posted by LHardy
The discount for easy pass users is discriminatory to those who pay cash. The numbers I heard this morning on WBEN is for cars
" If you pay $1.00 in cash it will now cost you 0.25 cents more but, If you use easy pass it will only cost 12.5 cents more."

If that's the case, then I was discriminated against at Tops because I didn't have my shoppers club card on me and got charged retail for a few things. Did they charge me more? Or do you just get a discount when you participate in a promotion?
Discrimination. You sound like a lawyer.

Protest the toll by not taking the thruway.

[LHardy]

Stevenco:

At tops it is not discrimination because everyone is given a free tops card. Wether you use it or not is up to you.

The thruway users are not all being given the easypass for free. Nor will everyone outside of our state be able to get an easypass.
That is discrimination. Nor is there a need for everyone who uses the thruway to keep a ten dollar balance towards tolls on those passes. This is just another way for NYS to take money from you ahead of time so they can bank it and earn interest off your money.
If anyone is going to earn interest off my money it is going to be me first. Not the State of NY.

[stevenco]

Originally posted by LHardy
Stevenco:

At tops it is not discrimination because everyone is given a free tops card. Wether you use it or not is up to you.

Laureland Hardy:


Really? Everyone is given one? I had to sign up for mine and complete an application to include personal information.
The thruway is an option that can easily be avoided.

[LHardy]

Stevenco:

Did you have to pay for it?
NO!
Was it free?
YES!
Do you really need it?
NO!
Is it affordable/available to everyone?
YES!
Is it a government program?
NO!


Easypass!
Do you have to pay for it?
YES!
Was it free?
NO!
Do you really need it?
YES! If you travel the thruway!
Is it affordable/available to everyone?
NO!
Is it a government program?
YES!

[stevenco]

Originally posted by LHardy
Stevenco:

Did you have to pay for it?
NO!
Was it free?
YES!
Do you really need it?
NO!
Is it affordable/available to everyone?
YES!
Is it a government program?
NO!


Easypass!
Do you have to pay for it?
YES!
Was it free?
NO!
Do you really need it?
YES! If you travel the thruway!
Is it affordable/available to everyone?
NO!
Is it a government program?
YES!

You said, Yes you really need it if you travel the thruway.
First, you don't have to travel on the thruway, second you can pay cash.