Nassau County is suing New York’s transit agency over a tax that subsidizes train and bus service on Long Island. 
County Executive Ed Mangano said he wants the agency to return $3 million collected from the tax.
The lawsuit filed in State Supreme Court Thursday comes a day after the agency said it could no longer fund bus service in the county because of an about $800 million budget shortfall.
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The New York State Legislature last year enacted an MTA tax intended to fill the budget gap by requiring employers in 12 suburban counties. The county alleged that the tax is unconstitutional.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says it is the county’s responsibility to pay for Long Island Bus, Nassau’s bus service, and they have not paid their bill in full since 1999. The MTA recently eliminated routes and cut service in the county.
“Everyone’s doing more with less but the MTA wants more and wants to give you less,” Mangano said.
MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said the county only paid $9 million this year for the bus service that costs $133 million.
“It’s a shame that Nassau County is using this lawsuit to distract attention from its failure to fund its bus system,” the MTA said in a statement.
MTA board member and Deputy Nassau County Executive Patrick Foye says the county may privatize bus service if a deal is not reached.
With Associated Press.
