'Stop this madness'

At a time when New York families are really struggling financially, a toll hike on the bridges that residents of Rockland and Orange counties use every day to commute to work is crippling. Residents of my district who commute to the city daily for work will now be forced to pay an additional $450 a year to cross the George Washington Bridge. That means the average commuter from my district is paying $2,850 a year to get to work. Much like the job-killing MTA payroll tax, this additional burden on New Yorkers is literally driving people and businesses out of New York State. The only bright spot in this news is that the Governor has also called for a full forensic audit of the Port Authority. This is an important and vital first step. Authorities around New York State like the MTA and Port Authority have become financial black holes that New Yorkers continue to throw their hard earned money into. The only way we can stop this madness is if we know exactly where our money is going. State Sen. David Carlucci D-District 38 (Clarkstown)