The new mobility tax that was just passed in New York State, taking 34 cents out of every $100 of payroll paid in Orange County, has a lot of people fuming over the thought of having to pay for something that they don't even use. State Senator John Bonacic has been venting his frustration over the situation, saying that "less than 4 percent of Orange County residents use it, yet 100 percent of Orange County businesses will pay the payroll tax."

Now, even if this statistic is true, that only 4 percent of Orange County's population takes advantage of the MTA's services, Senator Bonacic is leaving out the enormous benefit that the MTA provides to the county's residents — namely, that of relieving the roads and bridges that lead into New York City from the traffic they would bear if the trains, buses, and subways went away. Many Orange County residents work in the city and get there by driving, a task which is only possible if the MTA continues to run.

Let's take it a step further, however. What if a similar tax were levied on residents of counties further removed from New York City? Even New York State residents who don't work or commute to the city benefit from a continually operating MTA. All of New York State has been propped up by the city's contribution to state coffers since at least the first decade of the 20th century. If you doubt this, then consider the current bust, which is the result of the overly fat financial sector losing its marbles and then all of our money. When Wall Street tanked, it took down 20 percent of the state's revenues.

Furthermore, residents of New York City pay for the maintenance and upkeep of state roads — most of which they rarely, if ever, use. It's been said that New York City pays much more into the state than it receives. If that's the case, is righteous indignation towards the city for their need of the MTA truly justified?

We're moving out of an era of individualism and moving toward one of collectivism. The state has been scrambling for months to close the budget deficit that cropped up when Wall Street went down the tubes late last year, and we're all feeling the pinch in the form of higher taxes and cut government services. Many have rushed to blame Wall Street's irresponsibility for the problem — and that blame is not unwarranted. But we should not forget the benefits that we've reaped from New York City's largesse for so many years prior to our current financial mire. One such benefit takes the form of maintained and sprawling roads which connect our spaced out communities in the upstate region, and as such, if we want to continue enjoying our way of life, we'd better be prepared to spread the wealth to our beleaguered and crowded neighbors to the south. Think of that next time you want to take a drive through the Holland Tunnel.

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