A CLEAR CHOICE FOR STATEN ISLAND:

FERRER: RAISE BRIDGE TOLLS

WEINER: DON’T

Staten Island, NY – At Tuesday’s debate, former Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer endorsed higher tolls on bridges like the Verrazano.

"Asking for higher tolls on bridges and tunnels, as the MTA has begun to do, is the appropriate thing to do," Ferrer said.

This despite the fact that Staten Islanders already have to pay up to $9.00 to cross the Verrazano Bridge back onto Staten Island, the highest bridge toll in New York City.

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Queens & Brooklyn) takes a different view. He knows Staten Islanders already pay enough in tolls, so as Mayor he won’t raise them.

“Fernando Ferrer is a good man, but he and I have different approaches to helping the middle class,” said Rep. Weiner. “He sees a problem like this and suggests raising tolls. I’ll cut taxes on the middle class and I won’t raise tolls on the hard working residents of Staten Island.”

Staten Island residents who use the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to return home from work pay up to $9.00 in tolls ($4.80 with E-Z Pass).

A resident traveling home from Manhattan through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and over the Verrazano pays up to $13.50 in tolls (with E-Z Pass: $8.80).

Beyond the Verrazano Bridge, there are three other ways to drive onto Staten Island: three bridges from New Jersey -- the Goethals Bridge, the Outerbridge Crossing, and the Bayonne Bridge. Travel without E-Z Pass costs $6.00. With E-Z Pass, the cost during peak hours is $5.00, and $4.00 during off-peak hours.

By contrast, none of the East River bridges charge tolls.

Weiner was joined by State Assemblyman Michael Cusik.