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Cuomo makes Thruway tax credit proposal
Roger Hannigan Gilson and Katie Kocijanski are reporting in The Daily Mail on a proposal by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to establish tax credits for drivers who frequently travel the New York State Thruway. The plan would cut by 50 percent tolls paid by anyone using the roadway for business, personal and commercial reasons. The plan would refund all tolls for commercial agricultural traffic. The initiative would also invest $700 million in the Thruway system, and keep tolls at the same level until at least 2020. Assembly member Didi Barrett was especially enthusiastic about the proposal to eliminate tolls for commercial agricultural traffic. Barrett fought for a bill with a similar provision establishing tax credits for farm vehicles using the Thruway. The bill passed both the state Assembly and Senate last year, but was vetoed by the governor. Under the governor's proposal, which will be put forward as part of the executive budget next week, passenger vehicles would have to accrue $50 in Thruway tolls to qualify for the credit. According to Cuomo's office, more than 900,000 drivers would benefit under this category, each saving $97 per year. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.