The WTC will generate about $5 billion in tax revenue a year. There's your money for mass transit etc. So shut the fuck up, Bloomberg.

ANGRYGOD11 - Taxation without representation was a slogan. It was excessive taxation - ie the Stamp Act of 1765 - that pissed off the Americans. Privacy is another. Privacy is something we Americans are losing at a rapid pace.

Taxes killed this city once before. By 1973 the city had lost 600,000 jobs. The WTC helped pull NYC out of economic trouble and is needed to save the city again. NJ is actively seeking to steal jobs from NYC. Lehman Bros has accepted $20 million in tax incentives from NJ to move 400 jobs from Manhattan and create 100 more in NJ. NYC is going in the wrong direction. The city cannot sustain itself. Congestion pricing and tobacco taxes are just noise.

He's inspired me to start smoking again.

Bloomberg is such a cunt...

Under Supreme Court rulings, states *can* collect taxes on the sale of cigarettes but only on sales to non-Indians. But there is no way to enforce such collections due to the sovereign immunity of tribes. The feds can come in but it would take something major for that to happen.

In other states, the tribes and the governor have negotiated agreements to address these issues. This can happen in New York, but only until the state agrees to some concessions, which so far it has not.

So when people like Bloomberg come out with "tough talk" it makes tribes even less reluctant to negotiate. Spitzer tried to bully the tribes and now he's gone.

Pataki was probably the only governor in recent history who truly understood the situation but of course he failed to implement his policy just like any good politician would.

How about increasing the cost of vehicle registration with say an additional $5-10 to go to the MTA in the counties served by the MTA.

agdthefan... have you even been in the subway? They carry advertising over every inch. They have goddamn LCD TVs over half of the entrances. banners along every inch of the train cars. So how are they not getting revenues from the trains?

About the only ad angle not explored is branding the stations themselves. And who the hell will even notice if it's "Brooklyn Museum" or "Snapple Antioxidant Water Station". I doubt any company really sees a reliable conversion rate from paying the kind of money it would take to see "Astor Place, Presented By Starbucks".

But you can bet your ass they'd be bringing in more money if they started putting in vendor stands for the 'bucks and Jamba Juice down there. Or at least increased the number of news/concession stands.

I think the reservations are considered sovereign land and exempt from US and state laws, which would include taxation.

I'm confused, I thought cigarettes sold on reservations weren't taxed because they weren't allowed to be for some reason. If that's not the case, I don't see why they aren't already.

i have never been in favor of term limits, until now. get this assclown out of town as fast we can.

Either way, the MTA should not be run by the British Parliament. We need to get that fixed ASAP, *then* we can talk about war bonds.

I think we all should review the reasons why the Americans wanted to become independent from England. Excessive taxation was one of them.

What? Last week the MTA was too badly run to deserve any extra money, now they fixed that and will get some tax money to play with?

That must be the fastest turn-around of a government run body in history. Bloomberg is a hero!

Now that's out of the way, let's have:

* more than 2 vandalized maps per car.

* a sign that says when the next train is coming like every other subway on Earth has.

* a bucket for people to piss in, instead of all over the floor stinking up the place (feel free to upgrade the bucket to something better, but if you're strapped for cash the bucket will work fine).

I've got more but we'll start with those 3 and take it from there. No sense walking before you can open your eyes and drool.

I'd rather pay the extra pence than extort this tax, personally.

Also,

"Or... crazy out there idea - collect the fees and fines those stupid, useless diplomat assholes run up all over NYC. "

FUCKING AGREED.

I think we all should review the reasons why the Americans wanted to become independent from England. Excessive taxation was one of them.

You should read this too. Scary.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/07/24/2008-07-24_traffic_plan_will_live_despite_spineless.html

You know what else would close the gap? Some marketing. Why are stations not using corporate sponsorships? Why aren't they selling adspace like crazy - it's ideal, the target audience is captive for god's sake. There is so much income possibility within the MTA that I won't vote for any nitwit too stupid to think up the solutions I come up with I'm high as a kite.

Fuck Bloomberg and his useless ideas. I thought that troll was supposed to be a business wizard. Taxing the shit out of smokers isn't really that creative.

Or... crazy out there idea - collect the fees and fines those stupid, useless diplomat assholes run up all over NYC.

After your people take our land and rape our women, now you want to tax our smokes?!

How dare he. HOW DARE HE.