Previously Published in The Messenger
By Raheem Soto
New Yorkers are fed up. Sky-high taxes, rising utility costs, and a cost of living that continues to climb make it harder for families and businesses to stay afloat. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is now looking for another bailout, pushing to reinstate the full MTA payroll tax to cover its massive budget shortfall. State Senator Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue) is not standing for it.
Murray, a vocal advocate for fiscal responsibility and small business growth, is taking a strong stand against Governor Kathy Hochul (D) and legislative Democrats pushing for another tax hike. He is urging residents to fight back by signing a petition opposing the payroll tax, which he argues will hurt hardworking New Yorkers while rewarding an agency that has failed to manage its finances.
“We did not mismanage the MTA’s budget—their leadership did,” Murray said. “We are not going to foot the bill for their incompetence.”
The MTA is facing a $33 billion deficit. Instead of fixing its long-standing mismanagement, waste, and fraud, its solution is to demand more money from taxpayers and small businesses.
Wall Street executives or massive corporations will not pay this tax. The MTA payroll tax primarily affects small businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers struggling with New York’s high taxes and soaring costs.
Murray and the New York State Senate Republican Conference have sent a clear message to Governor Hochul and legislative leaders. They are demanding a full forensic audit of the MTA’s finances and the creation of a Financial Control Board to enforce strict oversight and transparency.
“Enough is enough. How can we know how much more is needed when we have not yet identified how much is being wasted?” Murray said. “We desperately need a full forensic audit to uncover how much is lost due to mismanagement, fraud, and abuse. Then, we need a Financial Control Board to take over the MTA’s finances and eliminate wasteful policies. The MTA must clean up its fiscal mess before demanding more money from New Yorkers.”
Raising taxes on businesses has real consequences. When costs increase, businesses cut hours, delay hiring, or relocate to other states. The result is fewer jobs, lower wages, and slower economic growth.
Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R-Malverne) criticized the proposal, arguing that it unfairly burdens taxpayers instead of holding the MTA accountable.
“The MTA’s long history of fiscal mismanagement is in need of real reform,” Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said. “We must continue to hold them accountable and ensure that taxpayers and businesses are not forced to foot the bill for ongoing failures.”
Senator Rob Rolison (R-Poughkeepsie) added that if Governor Hochul and the MTA want more taxpayer money, they must start improving services.
“If the governor wants to impose another tax on hardworking New Yorkers, we need to see the MTA expand services,” Rolison said. “Especially in Orange County, where commuters do not even have continuous single-seat train rides into New York City for work, medical care, and other essential travel. A return to the MTA payroll tax is not a solution—it is just another burden on the backs of Hudson Valley residents.”
Murray and his Republican colleagues believe the MTA should not receive another cent from taxpayers until it can prove it is managing its budget responsibly.
To ensure financial responsibility, they are calling for two immediate reforms.
First, they want a full forensic audit of the MTA’s finances to uncover waste, inefficiencies, and fraud. This would give taxpayers a clear picture of where their money has been going and whether the MTA has been using it effectively.
Second, they are pushing to create a Financial Control Board to oversee the MTA’s budget. This board would impose strict financial discipline, close budget shortfalls, and implement necessary reforms to put the agency on a sustainable path.
“These are the steps we need to take if we want to restore fiscal integrity to the MTA,” Murray said. “Taxpayers are not an ATM. The days of the MTA treating us like a bottomless source of cash need to end.”
Murray is not just speaking out—he is taking action. He has launched a petition to give New Yorkers a way to voice their opposition to the MTA payroll tax hike.
“This is our chance to send a clear message,” Murray said. “No more blank checks. No more punishing small businesses. No more rewarding failure.” New Yorkers who want to take a stand can sign the petition on Senator Murray’s official website.
Will Albany Listen?
The Senate Republican Conference is united against this tax increase. Even Governor Hochul has stated that raising taxes should be a last resort. However, many New Yorkers are skeptical, knowing that in Albany, a last resort often becomes reality sooner than expected.
New Yorkers deserve real solutions, not more political games. The MTA’s financial problems are not new, and taxpayers should not be expected to keep bailing out an agency that refuses to reform itself.