By Joyce Kryszak
Grand Island, NY –
Years of hollering to have the Thruway tolls removed in Buffalo fell on deaf ears. That was until prominent developer Carl Paladino added his substantial voice and money to the chorus.
Now, Paladino is linking arms with Erie County lawmaker Michelle Iannello to have the Grand Island tolls eliminated. The two held a press conference near the south Grand Island bridge Monday night to announce their joint effort.
Until now, Paladino has put little stock in assistance from lawmakers - at least at the state level. He recently referred to the Western New York delegation as "useless" in the effort.
But Iannello said a unified front will be more effective. She sent a letter to Governor Eliot Spitzer last week, and has contacted her legislative colleagues at the local and state level to solicit their help.
The information the two are using as ammunition includes data obtained by Paladino through a Freedom of Information Act request.
It shows that in 2006 the New York State Thruway Authority spent $10.6 million for toll operation and bridge maintenance on Grand Island.
But the Authority collected more than double that, $22 million in tolls from Grand Island.
The bridges are among only three in the Thruway system that have tolls. Iannello said it's unequal and unfair.
She and Paladino said the tolls are an especially unfair burden on Grand Island residents. Tolls there were raised fifty percent in 2005.
However, Authority officials have pointed out that Grand Island commuters pay significantly lower toll rates. And officials said bridge replacement in the near future is expected to top $500 million.
But Iannello said they will be doing their own assessments, based on addditional information they expect to receive through other FOIA requests.
She said they will then decide whether or not to launch a legal fight to have the tolls removed.
It was a lawsuit initiated by Paladino that finally helped end the I-190 tolls in Buffalo. But in that case, there was law mandating that the state stop collections.
Still, Iannello and Paladino said there is strong momentum on their side in the Grand Island battle against Thruway tolls.
Click the "listen" icon above to hear Joyce Kryszak's story now or use your podcasting software to download it to your computer or iPod.