THE ASSEMBLY

STATE OF NEW YORK

ALBANY
Brian M. Kolb
Minority Leader

January 14, 2015

Mr. Robert Megna
Acting Executive Director
New York State Thruway Authority
200 Southern Blvd.
P.O. Box 189
Albany, NY 12201-0189
Dear Mr. Megna:
I write to extend my congratulations on your appointment to the position of Acting Executive
Director of the New York State Thruway Authority and to convey some of my concerns
regarding the performance of the agency. Considering the numerous challenges that exist at the
Thruway Authority, your new role is not only a career change, but also a rescue mission.
The amount of dysfunction and lack of accountability demonstrated by the Thruway Authority
has been alarming and inexcusable. No spending plan has been released on the $4 billion effort
to construct a new Tappan Zee Bridge. The Authoritys 2015 budget contains a $25 million
revenue shortfall. Despite rampant speculation that tolls are going to rise, no information has
been provided detailing if, when, or by how much tolls might increase.
New Yorkers should not be forced to pay the price for the mismanagement of your predecessors.
There have been four toll hikes since 2004 the same number that took place in the first 50 years
of the Thruways existence. Shifting the financial responsibility onto the backs of New York
drivers cannot continue. I have introduced the New York State Thruway Authority Accountability
Act (A.530) to improve financial stability and operations. This would be accomplished by:

Merging the Thruway Authority with the Department of Transportation (DOT);

Creating a new Thruway Authority Board, the members of which must have
transportation or financial expertise;
Making the DOT Commissioner the Chair of the Thruway Authority Board;
Requiring a comprehensive forensic audit of the Thruway Authority every three years;
Requiring any proposed Thruway toll hikes and the reasons for the requested increases
to be clearly identified in DOT's budget; and
Reducing expenses by consolidating the Thruway Authority's overlapping functions
within DOT and streamlining the Authority through attrition.

In addition, a comprehensive review should be conducted concerning the future of the Canal
Corporation. I steadfastly believe that revenue generated by Thruway tolls should only be used to
fund the operation and maintenance of the Thruway system. The canal system places an
unnecessary financial strain on the Thruway Authority. The time is right to consider
transitioning oversight of the Canal Corporation to a more appropriate agency.
This is an opportunity to implement dramatic changes that create greater efficiency, stabilize
finances, and improve accountability within the Thruway Authority. I wish you well in your new
position and look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Brian M. Kolb
Assembly Minority Leader
REPLY TO:
Room 933, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248, (518) 455-3751, Fax (518) 455-3750
District Office: 607 W. Washington Street Suite #2, Geneva, NY 14456, (518) 781-2030