Passenger Trains > NYC: Give us more money for transit

WNYC-FM has a recent article about NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer (basically the elected watchdog) demanding more money for transit from NY State, New Jersey, Connecticut, and the federal government. His argument is the city overpays, and all the others use the city's services without paying.  Unfortunately, his argument that "the city pays" counts tolls and subway etc fares paid by city residents as part of his mythical city payment. His real desire is to shake some money out of Albany, where the Mayor DiBlasio versus Governor Cuomo situation is getting nastier by the hour.

Years ago, New York City had a non-resident commuter income tax which was about half the rate applied to city residents. This applied to people who worked in the city but lived elsewhere, or derived some amount of their income from work considered to have been done in the city. A visiting Texas Ranger ball player, a Goldman Sachs banker who lived in NJ, a clothing store owner who lived in Rockland County NY, etc  It was a big chunk of revenue to New York City, and covered things like transit, fire protection, police, street cleaning, etc but not resident services like schools, welfare, etc

In order to tip a close election in suburban Rockland County, a candidate there promised to repeal the commuter tax. Both state parties jumped in, and promised that each would eliminate the commuter tax if their guy was elected. The commuter tax for NY residents working in NYC went bye bye. After a court fight, the NYC tax on NJ and CT etc people also went bye bye.

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