Vito Fossella, Staten Island’s pretty-boy right-wing congressman (Fossella’s full voting record), arch-enemy of public school education, and the third most conservative congressman in New York State (according to the American Conservative Union), has a campaign finance track record that would make any Hollywood villain envious. During his 2004 re-election campaign, the bull-necked Fossella spent $20,000 on meals and $53,000 in campaign funds on trips to luxury resorts in Las Vegas, tickets to a Jets playoff game in Pittsburgh, 18 holes of golf in Key Biscayne, and ski school for his wife and kids. Yet, the Republican rep has gotten his blow-dried hair in a knot over all that cash the Verrazano Bridge generates in tolls. Most of the money goes to upstate transportation projects, as well as to the city’s subway and bus system
Fossella--running for reelection against an opponent who proposes eliminating the $9 toll for all Staten Island residents—wants at least half of the money to fix the bridge’s perennial traffic nightmare. To help thousands of Staten Island-bound drivers who do anything to avoid crossing the bridge (the bridge is free going into Brooklyn)—including, tragically, driving through New Jersey—Fossella has made several daring proposals: divert about $100 million--of the $267 million collected annually--to install EZ-PASS lanes on the Brooklyn-to-Staten Island side, widen exit lanes and allow right-hand turns at red lights on both sides. Strangely, Fossella has not yet written legislation for his proposal.
-- Ricky Sit