By the way, the current tunnel and bridge tolls do not go to fund our subway system. They subsidize the rather pleasant (indeed, luxurious, compared to any subway line) Metro-North and LIRR rail system–most of which services people well outside of New York City (Connecticut, New Jersey, and Upstate). The tolls Russianoff supports would come from the pockets of New Yorkers from Brooklyn and Queens, i.e., those who already pay city taxes and tolls for tunnels. If we could make sure OUR money from the current tolls stayed within OUR system first, then he might have a case. Until then we should assume he is irrelevant (or worse).

I also have to wonder why Russianoff always describes himself as the “Senior Attorney” (sometimes just “Staff Attorney”) for the Straphangers Campaign, which suggests he’s just a guy on the staff. In fact, as far as I can tell, Russianoff is the Straphangers Campaign. In the years I’ve been following it, I’ve never heard of anyone at Straphangers that outranks Russianoff. So why can’t he just say that he’s the head of the Campaign, instead of perpetuating this farce that he’s merely an attorney on the staff?