ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. — Two Grand Island residents are speaking out after being unexpectedly removed from a special E-ZPass program that dramatically reduces tolls for islanders — and they’re warning others to double-check their accounts before it’s too late.
At the end of May, the New York State Thruway Authority began removing people from the Grand Island Resident Plan, which drops the standard $1 toll to just 9 cents for those who live on the island. The change is part of a recertification process that was announced earlier this year, but some residents say they followed the rules and still lost their discount.
“You know, when you’re paying a dollar to go to the grocery store a couple times a week, it does add up,” said Jackie Vollmer, a longtime Grand Island resident…