ICYMI: ‘New York Now’ on Kolb’s proposed Thruway-DOT merger

Here’s the most recent episode of WMHT’s “New York Now,” featuring a plus-sized installment of the Reporters Roundtable featuring Karen DeWitt of New York State Public Radio, Glenn Blain of the Daily News and Joseph Spector of Gannett News Service discussing the latest skirmishes in the battle for control of the state Senate, and the state’s long look at hydrofracking.

Also, DeWitt talks with Assembly Republican Leader Brian Kolb on his hopes to merge the Thruway Authority and the state Department of Transportation, and what the legislative session ahead might bring.


Watch Kolb Proposes Thruway Authority Merger on PBS. See more from New York NOW.

  1. Rog Murdock says:

    Gee, isn’t this what the Governor talked about last year? This cannot be done, as the Thruway Authority has tens of billions of dollars of extra-constitutional debt that cannot be taken over by a state agency.

  2. johnmichael says:

    DOT should take back the canal system, foisted on Thruway toll payers by the Gov’s daddy.

  3. Authorities says:

    Authorities are where to hide non-bonded and unfettered borrowing, and a whole bunch of political patronage jobs.

  4. Just an Observer says:

    More than once Mr. Kolb called the Thruway Authority an agency. They are not an agency, they are an authority. There is a significant difference in law between the two. Agencies report to the governor and are run by a commissioner, and are budgeted by the State. Authorities have boards who are generally appointed as political favors. They do not report to the governor, and they can create their own budgets.

    My suggestion would be to dump the entire Thruway workforce, turn the work over to the Department of Transportation, and keep the Thruway Authority around in name only to pay off the bonds. Many of the staff would be hired off preferred recall lists at DOT, but at significantly lower pay levels.

  5. Walt says:

    Authoorotoes were created by state government to do the things it couldn’t legally do by the state constitution. First and foremost is the ability to borrow billions of dollars a year without needing taxpayer approval. Remember how the last two Bonding referendums on the ballot were soundly defeated by the voters. Well the state government found a legal way around borrowing with voter approval. The thruway authority and dormitory authority have more public debt outstanding than the rest of state government. Taxpayers are on the hook to pay back these borrowings even though the public did not authorize them. The laws need to be fixed to close these loopholes. In some cases, authorities are created for the purpose of being a funding source for state government. Authority borrowing skirts the intent that the public should need to approve debt incurred by its government.

  6. Barbara says:

    Just an Observer, your suggestion makes too much sense and therefore it will never be done. Only someone who is actually interested in an effective, efficient government would enact such a plan. In other words, someone who understands what the job of governor entails. At least, if you want to do it right.

  7. johnmichael says:

    I predict that in order to pay off the tag for replacement of the Tappan Zee Bridge and keep those bridge tolls in a reasonable range, the Gov will merge the Thruway Authority and the NY Bridge Authority and spread the repayment cost of the new bridge over the system wide tolls of the merged Authorities. DOT management knows how to spend money, not bring in revenue.

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