Mid-Hudson News reports that several Lower Hudson Valley-based state legislators are voicing opposition to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposal to have the Thruway Authority take over the New York State Bridge Authority. The Bridge Authority oversees five Mid-Hudson bridges: The Rip Van Winkle, the Kingston-Rhinecliff, the Mid-Hudson, the Newburgh-Beacon, and the Bear Mountain bridge. State Senators James Skoufis and Jennifer Metzger, and Assemblyperson Jonathan Jacobson, all Democrats, criticized Cuomo's proposal, which followed the Thruway board recently announcing 2021 toll hikes to cover the cost of the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge at Tappan Zee. Skoufis called the proposal “a backdoor attempt” to subsidize the Thruway Authority. “I can’t help but think that this proposed merger is intended to simply use the strong finances of the Bridge Authority to subsidize the not-so-good finances of the Thruway Authority including the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge,” he said. So far, officials in the northern Hudson Valley have not made their opinions on the issue known. Read more about this story at the Mid-Hudson News website.