Instead of launching a contest, to see what other taxes and fees we should raise, Gov. Paterson should focus on bringing costs down—starting with labor. The MTA spend more than $7 billion on labor next year, including nearly $2.7 billion in pensions and health care benefits no long available in the private sector. These costs are up more than 40 percent in the past five years.

Nobody is saying skilled workers don't merit competitive pay, but there has to be a balance. Paterson and lawmakers should pass legislation getting pension benefits for future workers in line with fiscal reality.

©2009 Newsday