This week, a New York Supreme Court Justice declared unconstitutional a tax covering a 12-county area including the city of New York and its surrounding suburbs, creating a $1.26 billion hole in this year's MTA budget.
In ruling in favor of a lawsuit brought by Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and other suburban communities against the Payroll Mobility Tax, which was adopted by the State Legislature in 2009 to rescue the indebted Metropolitan Transportation
Authority (MTA), "Judge R. Bruce Cozzens Jr. held the levy violated a so-
called home-rule provision in the state constitution," reports Esmé E. Deprez.
In a statement, the MTA claimed that, "Removing
more than $1.2 billion in revenue from the Payroll Mobility Tax,
plus hundreds of millions of dollars more from other taxes
affected by yesterday's ruling, would be catastrophic for the
MTA and for the economy of New York state." It continues, "Without the Payroll Mobility Tax or another stable and reliable
source of funding, the MTA would be forced to implement a combination of
extreme service cuts and fare hikes."
According to Deprez, "Mangano, a Republican who led the plaintiffs in the suit
filed in 2010, celebrated today alongside state and county
legislators at a news briefing in Mineola. He called the
decision as a 'victory for taxpayers and job creators
throughout the state.'"
FULL STORY: New York MTA’s Payroll Tax Rejected in Blow to Agency
MTA Commuter Tax Pits New York City Against Suburbs
The 12-county downstate commuter tax is vilified by many living outside New York City - forced to pay a payroll tax to support transit that they may not use. They sued the MTA and won last August, but MTA had the ruling reversed on appeal on June 26.
New York Officials Back Down on Bus Lane Plans
Proposed bus improvements in the Bronx are the latest casualty of opposition.
Fancy New Subway Cars Join the New York Subway System
New York has been planning on adding these new subway cars for years, finally achieving their goal in March 2023. More than a thousand of the new R211 trains will be running in New York within two years if all goes according to plan.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research