Dear Hon Elliott Spitzer:

This letter was sent the Governor Spitzer earlier this year concerning the Grand Island Tolls by Carl Paladino CEO of Ellicott Development Co. Carl has a way with words and doesn’t hesitate telling the governor exactly how he feels.

We are still awaiting a response but in the mean time our battle continues.

Eliot Spitzer, Governor
State Capital
Albany, NY 12224

Re: New York State Thruway Authority Grand Island Bridge Issue

Dear Hon Elliott Spitzer:

The Grand Island Bridges and the Tappan Zee Bridge tolls are the only specific bridge tolls on the New’ York State Thruway System. The roads on both sides of the Grand island Bridges are toll free.

The Thruway Authority has hundreds of other bridges in its system, all of which are maintained out of general revenue.

Someone decided that the Grand Island Bridges should have specific toll charges ostensibly because of extraordinary upkeep costs that they thought WNY residents should pay.

Despite Thruway Authority statements that all users of the Thruway System should pay fairly for its use, Western New York has historically been a second cousin. “Some pigs are more equal than others.

Equal protection under the constitution demands that the Thruway Authority remove the selectively imposed tolls on the Grand Island and Tappan Zee Bridges, but not the many other bridges maintained by the Thruway Authority.

The Thruway Authority receives from the Federal Highway Fund a per lane mile allocation of Federal Highway monies for maintaining non-toll interstate highways and bridges. For the upkeep and maintenance of those roads it appears that the DOT act on behalf of the Thruway Authority in applying for those funds annually from the Federal Government, receives the money, and the money is then used for the upkeep of New York State DOT roads and in some cases some monies are forwarded to the Thruway Authority. It all makes sense to someone. Why let the Federal Highway Fund pay for Bridge upkeep when we can have tolls on those lease WNY residents so we can have toll collectors and they can get 90% of their tuition paid for up to fifteen (15) credit hours per semester and all Thruway employees can get a free E- Z Pass for their personal vehicles afler five (5) years of employment.

The federal reimbursement does not discriminate as to how big the bridges might be. Why then does the Thruway Authority feel compelled to charge a specific toll for the Grand Island Bridges? Why are we selected the burdensome $.75/trip when the State should be getting money from the feds to operate the bridges.

Our useless legislators delegation has __?__ some that we feel Western New York, primarily because it has had bad legislation representation has been given the back seat when it comes to fairness. DOT and other State agency apportionments to Western New York per capita have been deficient compared to other parts of the State. There are no toll roads in Albany, except for the main line thruway, nor are there any toll bridges or interstate roads crossing the Hudson in Albany. Likewise in Utica, Schenectady, Syracuse, and Rochester, DOT bridges are non-tolled. The Skyway Bridge in Buffalo is non-tolled. Why does the State punish residents of Grand island and Niagara County than above the operating cost across its entire system. Why were the tolls on the Grand Island Bridges raised 50% instead of the 20% uniformly raised across the Thruway System?

Was it so that all Thruway employees can ride free in their private cars on the thruway for the remainder of their lives? Was it so that we can pay 90% of the tuitions of all Thruway employees up to 15 credit hours per semester at the school of their choice? Why do we put up with this nonsense from our “State Agency” class? Why are we at the bottom of the class system in New York State?

It all kind of stinks.

Very truly yours,
Ellicott Development Company

Carl P. Paladino
Chief Executive Officer

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