Gov. Andrew Cuomo has blamed the Thruway Authority's present financial state on past administrations ("Truckers won't pay more," Dec. 18).
It is true that former Gov. Mario Cuomo and the Legislature dumped responsibility of the Canal Corp. on the Thruway Authority in 1992 so the funding would become a burden of tolls. The canal revenue is in the millions, yet maintenance costs the authority about $80 million yearly, which means the authority has spent millions in toll money for canal maintenance since 1992. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said to Gannett News Service, "I think the average person that uses the Thruway, they have no idea that some of that money helps the canals."
And now we are removing from the tolls of the Thruway Authority the payment to State Police, something actually connected to the roadway, and shifting that financial burden to taxes.
The financial state of the Thruway could be corrected by removing the Canal Corp.
GLENN SAMMARCO
Newburgh