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Pols outraged over possible transit cuts


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Pols outraged over possible transit cuts

News that Albany was considering further cuts to the state's mass transit system outraged city lawmakers Sunday and left many wondering who would bear the brunt of it.

 

"It's clearly a concern, given the fact that you've just seen an increase," said City Comptroller Bill Thompson. "Before anybody slashes funding to the MTA, they should go back and look at fairness and equity to the transit authority here in the city."

 

Gov. David Paterson proposed on Friday a plan to cut state funding to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority by $60 million as part of a 2 percent across the board reduction for all state agencies

 

Full story: amny_logo.gif icon_offsite.png - March 31, 2008

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If you look at the proposed capital program amendment for the budget of 2005 - 2009, You'll notice that the MTA Board approved a revised 2005-2009 Capital Program totaling $21.145 billion. They had some issue with it to the point were $17.987 billion were submitted to the CPRB and approved with minor program modifications in July 2005. The problem was that the budget exceeded the 10 percent margin allowed by the Public Authorities Law. This is why it had to be approve by the (CPRB) Capital Program Review Board. If they coming down on the MTA now, I have a good feeling it's because of that. They may say that the MTA is over budget so why not cut them first. MTA will retaliate by cutting down cost, perhaps get rid of some programs that are not too useful.

 

The real problem is not the 10% increase that is above the budge. The real problem is INFLATION. The MTA will not be the only organization that will get cut. If the economy continue this way, you'll see more public sector programs lining to get cut. It is an attempt to prevent a recession.

 

They say a recession is described as two consecutive negative growth in a countries GDP. I'm no economist but if you ask me, I'll say it's BS ...to me, we already are in a recession.

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This is totally unacceptable. The people up in Albany better find another to cut funds somewhere else or get money from somewhere else. There is huge demand for improvement to the system and they can't cut people off like that.

 

Agreed. Stop throwing money at "education" aka the richest school districts get new soccer and lacrosse fields, and put some of that money towards transit.

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Agreed. Stop throwing money at "education" aka the richest school districts get new soccer and lacrosse fields, and put some of that money towards transit.

 

I say keep throwing money to education esp for inner city high schools which need the money. And that money for new soccer fields is an good thing because it keeps kids out of trouble like drugs drinking etc.. All the MTA is going to do with that money is waste it on hybrids and new tech trains and they are not going to spend it wisely....

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I say keep throwing money to education esp for inner city high schools which need the money. And that money for new soccer fields is an good thing because it keeps kids out of trouble like drugs drinking etc.. All the MTA is going to do with that money is waste it on hybrids and new tech trains and they are not going to spend it wisely....

LOL... This is off topic, but if it was up to you trainfan22, what new buses would you order? What new trains would you order?

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LOL... This is off topic, but if it was up to you trainfan22, what new buses would you order? What new trains would you order?
Probably keep everything besides the hybrids now. Bring alot buses from the grave. Go get trains that in the ocean. Keep every train before the NTTs. Basically running everything to the ground and have very little options to get anything new to his liking.
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LOL... This is off topic, but if it was up to you trainfan22, what new buses would you order? What new trains would you order?

 

I would just GOH those RTSs/MCIs classics in storage and put them in service. And GOH the R32-R42 fleets again other transit companies have railcars that are over 60 years old in service why not the MTA???

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Probably keep everything besides the hybrids now. Bring alot buses from the grave. Go get trains that in the ocean. Keep every train before the NTTs. Basically running everything to the ground and have very little options to get anything new to his liking.

 

That's exactly what I'm thinking, but I can't wait to see his response!

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I would just GOH those RTSs/MCIs classics in storage and put them in service. And GOH the R32-R42 fleets again other transit companies have railcars that are over 60 years old in service why not the MTA???

 

I would go for that too, except for the fact that all city vehicles have to employ clean air technology in the future, so the RTS's and MCI's wouldn't work. If it was up to me I would order Low Floor Hybrid RTS's in both 40ft and 42.5ft lengths.

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I say keep throwing money to education esp for inner city high schools which need the money. And that money for new soccer fields is an good thing because it keeps kids out of trouble like drugs drinking etc.. All the MTA is going to do with that money is waste it on hybrids and new tech trains and they are not going to spend it wisely....

 

Except for one problem - money doesn't fix the problem. Better teachers does. And soccer fields don't happen in the inner city, they happen in rich suburbs that don't need it. Most "increases" to education don't actually benefit the inner cities AT ALL.

 

Every year spending goes UP test scores go DOWN...

 

At least spending money on transit you will actually get results.

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I would just GOH those RTSs/MCIs classics in storage and put them in service. And GOH the R32-R42 fleets again other transit companies have railcars that are over 60 years old in service why not the MTA???

 

Mr. fan ...let me remind you now, we are no longer in the 60s. This is 2008 we've got to move alone with technology. It seems like you want to raise the dead ..the MTA is not just any other transit company ....maybe you need to go to the MTA website so that you can read they vision and mission statement.

 

know it seem like we off topic ...one minute we talking about federal cut to MTA and the next we talking about education. but it's OK since I have nothting to do, I'll comment anyhow.

 

Any talk about public education reflect the no child left behind act pass by our favorite president Mr. George W Bush. Under this act, every school district must generate a report card so that parents and community members knows which school need improvements or which school should I not send my child. Under this system, you can easily eliminate those schools that fail to improve.

 

Why the schools are not improving, is a different story. Statistic shows that the school districts where high income families are situated have in they possession the best qualified teachers. Where as in the poor communities the teaches are less qualified. Another study proved that the school district with the higher income families not only has the best qualified teachers but also has a wider range of programs among which include more advance courses. Another study from a different source showed that the higher income families spend more time with their kids, help out with homework and reading. That's very important because you don't see that too often in the poorer communities. And that must have an impact on those students who succeeds.

 

Nonetheless, they is still a sense of economic segregation goring on between the higher income school district and the lower income ones. That economic segregation limit the learning capacity of students who attend the lower income district by not providing them with the best qualified teachers. It seems like we need another Brown vs Board of Education all over again.

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Agreed. Stop throwing money at "education" aka the richest school districts get new soccer and lacrosse fields, and put some of that money towards transit.

 

Very well said, indeed. Helping the districts with 98% graduation rates isn't really helping education. The New York City public school system is in disarray, and if the state is going to appropriate any funding for education, it ought to come here.

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