Focus on Electric Car Infrastructure, Free Transit Cards for Teenagers and Multi-Mode Public Transportation on the New Tappan Zee Bridge
Anna Sterne, Democratic candidate for the New York State Assembly in the 92nd District in southwestern Westchester County discussed her transportation initiatives with Noah Kazis today. Kazis is a reporter with Streetsblog, the transportation news website. http://www.streetsblog.org/
Electric Car Infrastructure: Since Westchester County has dropped the ball on electric car infrastructure, Sterne will push New York State to work with local officials to get its fair share of Federal funding for the build out of the electric car infrastructure. To date, the Federal Government has given out grants worth more than $250 million and none of it has benefited Westchester County. Companies like Ecotality and Coulomb Technologies will be installing 10,000’s of fast chargers in New York City, Florida, Texas, California, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington State and DC. Southwestern Westchester County is a natural for electric vehicles because commutes are less than 100 miles, the round trip range of the Nissan Leaf to be launched this winter.
New Tappan Zee Bridge: The new Tappan Zee Bridge should be built to accommodate both train and bus public transportation. Though the multi-mode public transport option for the new bridge is more costly, it is exactly the type of infrastructure project that New York State should be pursuing aggressively to create jobs and improve energy efficiency. Sterne is convinced that the bridge can be financed now through the issue of government bonds backed by the State of New York.
Free Teenage Public Transportation Cards: To encourage the use of public transportation and make it a ‘cool’ option, Sterne advocates issuing free public transportation cards to teenagers in the 92nd District – kids between the ages of 14 and 18. Public transportation is safer than driving a car and it is more environmentally friendly. Having kids on the buses would make public transportation more fun and the next generation would get into the habit of using public transportation. Since buses and trains are rarely at capacity, this initiative would be cost free, except for the cost of issuing the passes.
Repeal the MTA Payroll Tax: Public transportation should not be subsidized by a payroll tax like the MTA tax. Sterne knows firsthand that the MTA tax cost the Dobbs Ferry School District the equivalent of one new full-time teacher. Extrapolated to the twelve school districts that make up the 92nd District, that translates into 14 teachers who lost their jobs to subsidize the MTA last year. [More than 100 teachers were laid off in the 92nd District last year due to budget constraints.] Plus the MTA tax has hit small businesses and not-for profits hard. If the New York State and City governments which control the MTA want to subsidize public transportation, they should provide direct subsidies funded by income taxes, not shift the burden to the employers of New York State and cost people their jobs.
MTA Sources of Revenue by Percent of $11 Billion 2010 Budget. Source: http://www.tstc.org/101/mta.php
About the NYS 92nd Assembly District
The NYS 92nd Assembly District consists of the Towns of Greenburgh and Mount Pleasant and parts of northern Yonkers. It includes the Villages of Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry, Elmsford, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown and the Hamlets of Hartsdale, Thornwood and Valhalla and communities of Edgemont, Fairview, Pocantico Hills and North Yonkers.
For more information, please visit http://www.annasterne2010.com/ or email info@annasterne2010.com or call +1 914 332 6444.