NOVEMBER 14, 2007

COUNTY LEGISLATOR KENNEDY CALLS FOR STATE AUDIT OF THRUWAY AUITHORITY SPENDING PRACTICES

Erie County Legislator Timothy M. Kennedy (D-South Buffalo) is requesting New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli to conduct a comprehensive audit of the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), with a focus on the Authority's expenses.

Legislator Kennedy, who is sponsoring a resolution at the Thursday, November 15, County Legislature session calling for the audit, noted that the recently approved toll hikes of 10 percent by the NYSTA in 2008 and 5 percent toll hikes in each of 2009 and 2010, are blamed by the authority on revenue shortfalls, while information provided by Congressman Brian Higgins (D-Buffalo) pointed out that the NYSTA is looking at a revenue shortfall of only 1.4 percent.

"The Authorities of New York State continue to operate in the best interests of themselves instead of the taxpayers who fund them," Legislator Kennedy said. "Hopefully, by getting the State Comptroller to audit the Thruway Authority, we will see how excessive their spending has been and hopefully eliminate their call for a toll increase."

Legislator Kennedy, who is joining Congressman Higgins in calling for the audit of the NYSTA, expressed dismay with the Authority not responding to a Freedom of Information Law request by Higgins on its expenses, adding that while the NYSTA said it would let more than $132 million in contracts for its Buffalo division in 2007, less than $7 million in such contracts were let as of late September.

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