NY Senate seeks ideas to privatize infrastructure

State Sen. Charles Fuschillo is seeking ways New York state could reduce its costs of maintaining highways, bridges and tunnels through partnerships with private operators.

In other states, that has taken the form of leasing a toll bridge to a private company which then collects tolls, and leasing the operation of lotteries for a lump sum payment and a cut of the proceeds.

The Long Island Republican held a hearing Tuesday on private partnerships specifically for infrastructure.

The testimony could be used to develop legislation for action in the session beginning in January.