The business advocacy groups Unshackle Upstate and the New York chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business are pushing back on a statement from Thruway Authority chief Tom Madison that the 45 percent increase in tolls for briges is due to previous mismangement.

In a joint statement, NFIB and Unshackle say that past failures shouldn’t be blamed on the toll increase.

Here’s their statement:

“In a statement released yesterday, Thruway Commissioner Tom Madison is quoted as saying: ‘The financial problems the Thruway Authority now faces were created by years of poor management and reckless financial decisions which were left completely unchecked by every part of state government…’ We agree with him that this situation was not created by him.

The simple fact of the matter is that trucks do pay more to travel the New York State Thruway than highways in our neighboring states of Massachusetts, Ohio and Pennsylvania. A review of websites indicates that for a 150-mile trip, the cost for a truck is $22.50 in Massachusetts, $27.75 in Ohio and $38.65 in Pennsylvania. The cost of that trip in New York State.? A whopping $45.85, 18 percent higher than the next most expensive of these states.

Both an internal audit recently conducted by the Thruway Authority and an independent audit conducted by the Comptroller back in 2008 identified wasteful spending habits at the Thruway Authority. Before asking hard working New Yorkers to foot the bill for that spending, the Thruway Authority simply must stop reckless spending and get its financial house in order.

Financial mismanagement on the part of the Thruway Authority does not warrant a bail out by taxpayer and toll payers. In fact, saying it was someone else’s fault is simply an excuse.”

. In fact, saying it was someone else’s fault is simply not an excuse.”

Share|