The MTA is also quietly screwing freelancers.

You know: along with everyone else. So Governor Paterson was glad-handing folks outside the subways this morning, and it's a miracle no one took a swing at him. Last night the New York State Senate passed the heinous stupid MTA bill, which no one likes. Here's one more reason to hate the MTA taxing jobs: there's an additional self-employment tax! Yes, make sure you kick all the people who just got laid off who are trying to start small businesses. (Cough!) Spotted by an eagle-eyed smart friend, the self-employment tax is ludicrous.

Yes, okay, it's only .34% of everything you make if you are self-employed and make over $10,000 a year. (Though annoyingly, it also demands quarterly payments. Yes! Separate quarterly payments!) Still: nickel-and-diming self-employed people is an outrageous mistake.

For further evidence of the MTA's stupidity, enjoy this little bit of legal mind games about the taxi fares tax:

ALTHOUGH THE TAX IS IMPOSED ON THE TAXICAB OWNER, THE TAXICAB OWNER MUST PASS ALONG THE ECONOMIC INCIDENCE OF THE TAX TO THE PASSENGER BY ADJUSTING THE FARE FOR THE RIDE, AND THE PASSING ALONG OF SUCH ECONOMIC INCIDENCE MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED BY ANY COURT OR ADMINISTRATIVE BODY AS IMPOSING THE TAX ON THE PERSON OR ENTITY THAT PAYS THE FARE FOR A RIDE.

Got that?