Published: March 06, 2008 02:33 pm      

TOLLS: Holiday Inn loses its lunch over bridge tolls

It’s official.



After weeks and weeks of Grand Island business officials claiming the tolls stifle Island business in addition to numerous political officials saying the Thruway Authority’s $1.00 tolls aren’t necessary, there’s finally some tangible evidence of it.



An e-mail between the Holiday Inn and a potential client shows the deal falling apart due to the tolls and the perception of hassles at the bridges.



But meanwhile, politicians are also working to turn the bridges and the whole I-190 over to the state Department of Transportation. “Keep the Authority on the mainline” is what Assemblyman Sam Hoyt said at a recent Town Hall press conference announcing new legislation in the Assembly and State Senate.



That may lead to the elimination of the tolls, but right now that’s doing nothing to make Teresa Costello’s job easier at the Grand Island Holiday Inn.



While it’s very much a fact of life for her — that the tolls and the bridges are reasons for numerous lost accounts — that was the first time somebody actually put that in writing.



It was a series of e-mail exchanges between Costello and a company representative planning a lunch for 170.



“Thank you for being so patient with us.,” the potential client wrote. “Due to cost and concern about the tolls, we will not be able to use the hotel.”



Officials and business owners have said it’s the $1.00 reality and $100 perception that has area consumers often staying off the Island.



“All things else being equal, the business will go elsewhere,” said Costello.



Recently, she and others from Grand Island’s business community were among the first to show up at a recent tolls press conference.



But Grand Island Chamber of Commerce President John Bonoa, present there as well as the Town Board’s Monday workshop session, called on Hoyt to bring relief to the Island’s businesses sooner rather than later.



“There’s no immediacy to his approach,” Bonora said.



“I’m saying we’re losing business now; if there’s a way to get it done, do it now.”



“Just because there’s a new way to approach the issue doesn’t mean that it’s time for everybody to relax,” Bonora said.



“We’re losing Abraxis, and by 2009 they will be gone. If we are going to attract any business to come to this island we don’t need to have tolls as an issue.”



In other bridge and tolls news, Rus Thompson had this to say: “Today I received this letter of support for removal of the tolls from the Grand Island Bridges from Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco.”



The Assembly Bill number is A.10003 and the senate bill number is S.6824.



“We now have bill numbers for both houses in Albany so we will be able to track them as this important legislation moves forward,” he said.



“This is great news for all of us here in Western New York, not only will this help Grand Island out economically, this will save the taxpayers of Western New York over $25 million a year. This legislation will stop the insane commuter tax forced upon the people simply wanting to get to and from work.”