To The Reader’s Forum:

When a bureaucracy is established, what is the first purpose, responsibility, or goal of that office? Answer: the perpetuation of that office, forever and ever, in secula seculorum.

I believe that the New York State Thruway Authority is a prime example of a bureaucracy that illustrates that truism.

As Governor Al Smith used to say, “Let’s look at the record.” The Thruway was built in the 1950’s and 1960’s with financing by a NYS bond issue. We were told at the time that tolls would be collected to pay the bond issue and as soon as the bonds were paid, the tolls would disappear. I guess we know what happened to that promise – bureaucratic amnesia, governmental dementia, it just sipped our collective governmental minds.

In addition, Senator Moynihan in 1978 brokered a deal whereby the federal government gave New York a big pile of money to reimburse New York for the cost of building the Thruway in return for which the Thruway was supposed to remove the tolls and the road would be toll free like all the other national defense highways. According to one story in the New York Times in 1978 and another in 1982 the Thruway tolls were supposed to expire and disappear in 1996. What happened to that deal?

Furthermore, when was the last time a barge carrying freight traveled on the Erie-Barge canal system? As I understand it, the Barge Canal is strictly a recreational waterway. Why are cars and trucks on the Thruway compelled to subsidize the entertainment of people who own boats?

When I go to my local gas station and buy gasoline, a big part of that purchase is a tax that is supposed to pay for highway maintenance. Thruway tolls were supposed to pay for operation and maintenance of the Thruway. Since we are already paying tolls, why do Thruway gas stations collect gas taxes? It looks to me that the Thruway Authority is robbing us twice. Is that what they call double dipping?

Now the Thruway Authority says they need an increase in the tolls. The question under discussion at this time should not be, “By how much do we raise the tolls?” The question should be, “Why do we have tolls at all?”

Sincerely,

South Dayton