Frank Lautenberg: “New York state legislature exempted New York state residents from paying the New York City commuter tax. But…”

“New York state legislature exempted New York state residents from paying the New York City commuter tax. But out-of-state residents--including people who live in New Jersey-- are not exempt. They're supposed to keep paying the tax. Commuting between states is an inescapable reality of modern life. As our population grows, the physical boundaries that used to divide one city from another are breaking down. More and more everyday, our country is becoming a collection of regions. And that's especially true on the east coast, where urban populations are already closer together than they are anywhere else. Should we punish people for this? Is it fair to single people out for harsher tax treatment just because they live in one state and work in another? Of course not. It's economic discrimination. And even worse, it's unconstitutional. It's especially unfair in the case of New Jersey residents who work in New York City. Those people work hard. And their work brings real, tangible benefits to New York--benefits that translate into a stronger economy for New York City and the rest of the state. New York needs those commuters. But that fact seems to escape the state's lawmakers. Their message to New Jersey residents is this-- 'You're second-class citizens. You don't live on our side of the state line, so you don't count.' In 1996 alone, nearly 240,000 New Jersey residents paid $75 million in commuter taxes to New York.”