New York State Democratic Get together chairman Jay Jacobs backed Gov. Kathy Hochul’s controversial $9 congestion toll as a “good concept.”
Jacobs defended the brand new payment on New Yorkers and different commuters driving into Manhattan beneath sixtieth Avenue — all whereas saying he opposed elevating taxes on rich residents as a result of they’ll flee the state.
“Pals of mine. Folks I do know with a number of cash. They’re leaving New York,” Jacobs stated throughout a Capitol Pressroom radio interview.
“New York is a really excessive taxed state. They will’t stand the property taxes. You go all the way down to the state of Florida — completely different sport.”
He stated it’s “rubbish” for pro-tax advocates to argue in any other case.
“There are folks I do know who’ve moved out of New York for six months plus of the yr to simply to keep away from paying these taxes …The extra you improve the tax fee, the extra folks depart. What are you going to do? You’re going to decrease tax receipts,” Jacobs stated.
“If you happen to elevate [the income tax], they’re going to go away in bigger numbers.”
The mixed state-and-New York Metropolis revenue taxes on the best earners is sort of 15% and Jacobs stated they pay a disproportionate chunk of taxes to fund the federal government.
Hochul has dominated out broad-based tax hikes, however she additionally pledged to give you revenues to pay for the MTA’s newly proposed, $68 billion, 5 yr capital plan.
Hochul’s finances director Blake Washington stated final week, “I believe taxes typically will probably be a part of the dialogue.”
In the meantime Jacobs, an ally of the governor who can be the Nassau County Democratic chief, defended Hochul’s revised, first-in-the-nation congestion pricing plan as a “good concept” — moments after opposing greater taxes on the rich.
“It’s not a tax. It’s a person payment,” Jacobs stated of the $9 toll, which is ready to launch Jan. 5 and may very well be hiked to $15 by 2031.
“I gained’t stand for the Republicans telling us it’s a tax as a result of it isn’t.”
He rattled off the identical arguments for the toll that Hochul and transit advocates have made: curbing visitors and air pollution and producing a brand new income stream to assist fund mass transit capital enhancements on the Lengthy Island Railroad and Metro-North commuter rail traces in addition to the New York Metropolis subway and bus system.
He stated “visitors will get worse and worse” in Manhattan.
“If you’ve got a coronary heart assault in Manhattan — good luck,” Jacobs stated, referring to ambulance response instances.
Hochul, the MTA and Dems should do a greater job explaining to suburbanites that the “person payment” will profit them by serving to fund capital enhancements to public transit, he added.
He stated lower than 25% of Lengthy Island residents drive into Manhattan, whereas most take the LIRR — and so they can afford to pay the toll.
“These aren’t folks on the decrease finish of the financial spectrum,” Jacobs claimed.
Jacobs, throughout a Publish interview Thursday, defined his differing opinions — opposing greater incomes on the rich whereas supporting the congestion toll.
“I don’t assume anybody is leaving New York over congestion pricing,” he stated.
“No one likes to pay extra for something.”
He stated congestion pricing opponents by no means got here up with another.
Nassau County Govt Bruce Blakeman, a Republican looking for re-election subsequent yr and toll opponent stated, “The quickest technique to turnaround the funds of the MTA is to get severe about regulation and order on our subways.”
Critics together with Blakeman have lengthy complained that the MTA loses a staggering $700 million from subway and bus fare evasion.
“The one ones pushing for congestion pricing are elitists who both don’t take the subway or don’t drive themselves,” Blakeman stated.
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