Assemblyman Andy Goodell (R,C–Chautauqua County) recently voiced his opposition to a pair of bills that would force bicycle riders to purchase license plates and insurance. Personal riders would pay a $25 fee with a $5 annual renewal charge, while commercial cyclists would face a $50 levy as well as being forced to sign up for liability insurance.

“This legislation is completely counterintuitive to the kind of policies that will turn our state around in a positive direction,” said Goodell. “Taxing people for riding their bikes is exactly the line of thinking that has Chautauqua County’s families and businesses wondering about Albany’s priorities. State government should be focusing on economic development, mandate relief and real reforms.”

The assemblyman suggested that this legislation represents further evidence that state government is disconnected from the foundations of economics that are found in the private sector.

“No business owner would continually create new means of penalizing their employees; yet, that is exactly the approach state legislators are taking,” he said. “Legislation like this truly begs the question, ‘Is anything safe?’ In a time when legislative leaders are charged with finding ways to do more with less, forcing license plate fees on bicycle riders works against everything this Legislature needs to accomplish this year.”