Revolt Fizzles

Firefighter Tracy Nororian of the Putnam Lake FD instructs Explorers on pumping operations from a pool. The Putnam County Legislature plans to fight the MTA’s recently enacted mobility tax through the courts.

In July, County Executive Robert Bondi vetoed a resolution approved by the nine member governing body calling for the county to refrain from paying the Metropolitan Transportation

Authority a “single penny” for the tax

that will cost businesses in the commuter

Gross ( region millions of dollars.

Bondi agreed with the legislature that the mobility tax was an “onerous tax adversely affecting the businesses and residents of our county.”

Bondi said he vetoed the resolution based on one specific clause that could not be enforced: “Putnam County has no right to say ‘Putnam will not authorize any payment of the unfair and unjust mobility tax.’” Bondi called it “my

fiduciary duty as County Executive

to uphold the laws of New York State

Gross ( whether I agree with them or not. The legislature also shares in this responsibility.”

Bondi urged Putnam to “pay this bill as required by law in a timely fashion to avoid interest and penalties and late filing fees that will adversely affect our taxpayers.”

At Tuesday’s full meeting of the legislature no vote was taken in an attempt to override the executive’s veto.

Instead, Legislator Vincent Tamagna of

Cold Spring called for the county to initiate

Gross ( an Article 78 proceeding against the state and the MTA relating to the tax: “A court of law must make a decision on whether Putnam County has an issue of taxation without representation. I want a judge to decide.”

Tamagna charged the state’s actions were “totally unacceptable because the MTA continues to loot the people of Putnam County since the tax is retroactive to March 1 which will result in a $127,500 expenditure for county government alone. What about institutions like Putnam Hospital Center and our schools? Let’s not forget about the small businessman trying to make a living by operating a restaurant on Main Street in Cold Spring or a deli at the Putnam Plaza in Carmel.”

Tamagna described the tax as being “unconscionable. I hope that every county in the MTA region follows our lead in these proceedings.”

The original resolution to participate in what Legislator Mary Ellen Odell of Carmel described as “an act of civil disobedience” was approved by a vote of 8-1 with Legislator Tony Fusco of Mahopac Falls dissenting. Fusco agreed with his colleagues Tuesday and supported the new initiative making it unanimous.

Under the state’s plan 34 cents of every $100 earned by residents of the counties surrounding New York City will be paid to the MTA.

State Senator Vincent Leibell said he understood the “lawmakers’ frustrations.”

Assemblyman Greg Ball, meanwhile, has demanded the creation of a fiscal oversight control board to increase the MTA’s accountability and efficiency.

Tamagna also blasted the railroad when he held up a large manila envelope during the meeting sent to him from the MTA—a parcel containing $1.73 in postage.

Tamagna called the mailings “outrageous. I receive these pieces of mail each month with postage ranging from $1.50 to $2.25.The same materials are received at the legislative office. Why does a legislator from Philipstown need copies of a train schedule from Danbury? This MTA propaganda is a waste of money. Now it’s a waste of our money: Dollars earned by our residents who are being forced to pay an unfair tax. This must stop!”