The New York Thruway Authority was created with a promise that it wouldn't cost the state a single penny. Now it could end up taking billions in state subsidies.
State lawmakers are considering a proposal from Gov. Andrew Cuomo to use $1 billion from settlements with financial institutions to help the authority pay for a budget-busting replacement for the Tappan Zee Bridge and for toll tax credits.
If approved, it would mark the second year in a row such settlement funds have been tapped, following a similar $1.3 billion transfer last year.
Critics say the toll tax credits undermine the historical concept of a self-supporting Thruway.
The Cuomo administration says it makes no apologies for using settlement funds for projects that would otherwise be paid for by toll payers.
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