ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the Thruway Authority needs to "get creative" to try to avoid raising tolls on the 570-mile highway.
Cuomo made the comment Tuesday in an interview on an Albany radio station. He said any toll increase would be "detrimental." Business groups oppose the authority's proposed 45-percent toll hike for truckers, saying it will hurt the state's shaky economy and drive up consumer costs.
The Thruway Authority says the toll hike is needed to raise $90 million annually and keep the agency solvent.
Cuomo has defended the agency's planned toll increase in the past, saying it could face a bond rating downgrade if it didn't come up with ways to increase revenue. He said Tuesday that a toll increase is the last resort after everything else is explored.
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