State Senator Michael Balboni (R-East Williston) recently introduced legislation that would prohibit agencies that administer E-ZPass in New York State from charging monthly surcharges. Balboni authored the bill after hearing complaints from numerous constituents about an unwarranted $1 administrative service charge being tacked on to their E-ZPass account bills each month.

Three different agencies authorize E-ZPass within the state - the New York State Thruway Authority, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The Port Authority and the MTA charge the $1 fee, the Thruway does not.

"E-ZPass is supposed to provide efficiency by both easing congestion at toll plazas and by offering discounts for account holders. While the program has helped to alleviate traffic jams, this unnecessary fee defeats the purpose of the account holder discounts. Adding to the outrage felt by E-ZPass customers is the fact that the MTA is sitting on a more than $1 billion surplus," said Balboni.

According to the MTA's website, the $1 monthly account service fee was instituted last summer to "help defray the administrative costs of managing our customer's E-ZPass accounts." MTA estimates that the monthly surcharge will generate $13.2 million annually. The MTA recently announced that it had a budget surplus of over $1 billion.

The legislation (S.6331) will be sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblywoman Adele Cohen (D-Brooklyn).