How about a 20% payroll tax on new hires and the payroll of new business, 10% on those hired in the last few years, and none on existing large (campaign contributing) corporations and their existing employees? And, of course, no tax on retirement income no matter how high. Now THERE is something the state legislature would love!

Seems pretty straightforward to me, and I don’t even drive. That line down the middle makes it look more like a speedway than a residential street. They could narrow the street too, or–and this is radical–bring that streetcar back.

Congestion pricing went down for many reasons but the reason given most frequently by Silver’s conference was that it was insufficiently “broad-based”. So they have come back with a broader base that will probably go down because it is too broad based. What is not broad-based at all are fare increases and service cuts. Only eight million daily riders will have to deal with that.

Even though it is going to be hard, and my company will need to reduce some other expenses, I don’t have a huge problem paying such a tax for transit as long as others are paying their fair share. This is why it is essential that freeloading drivers pay as well. The Ravitch plan only adds fees for people driving in to Manhattan from Brooklyn and Queens. In addition to these fees, the legislature should consider taxes on vehicle registration in the same areas as the payroll tax is being considered, as well as parking fees in Manhattan. By doing so, we distribute the costs of transit more equitably.