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Rockland cites $40M 'value gap' with MTA (New York)


mark1447

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Rockland County residents and businesses paid $40 million more to the MTA than they received in transit services and funding in 2010, meaning the “value gap” has not changed much since 2005, a new report has found.

 

The county-commissioned MTA Value Gap analysis also determined that Rockland received back about 62 cents in value for every dollar it paid to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates New York City’s subways, buses, tunnels, bridges and two suburban railroads, including Metro-North.

 

The MTA’s value to county residents has increased 9 cents since 2005 and 18 cents since 1998, the report said. But Rockland and Orange are the only two counties in the 12-county Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District that have a value gap. The others in the MTA region — Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties, New York City and Long Island — get more for their money.

 

County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef said Rockland needs to take a realistic look at withdrawing from the MTA and managing its own transit system, perhaps in partnership with Orange County.

 

“We need to see a path where we are better treated and get better service from the MTA or look for an alternative,” Vanderhoef said. “It’s not a question of being angry. It’s a question of fairness.”

 

This is not the first time the county has threatened to pull out of the MTA.

 

According to the report, released last week, the MTA provided $68 million in service and allocations to Rockland. However, county taxpayers paid to the MTA $72 million in taxes and $38 million in tolls and fares. The difference between what was paid and what was received makes up the value gap, in this case, about $40 million. The consultants factored in the MTA’s recent bridge and tunnel toll increases and the partial repeal of the MTA payroll tax in December. The changes removed about $2 million from the value gap.

 

The MTA disagreed with the report’s conclusions, saying its transportation network connects Rockland to a “$1.26 trillion regional economy, bringing enormous value to its residents and businesses in ways that are ignored by this flawed study.”

 

Read more (Starting at Page 2)

 

Rockland cites $40M 'value gap' with MTA | The Journal News | LoHud.com | LoHud.com

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Either way, commuters still use the Harlem, Hudson, PVL and PJL so paying a share of the payroll tax is fair, they are just playing typical politics, SMGDFH!

 

 

PVL and PJL are part of the (MTA) network so Rockland residents should pay the payroll tax. However since they are the only county in Downstate NYC metro area without a 1-seat subway/railride to/from Manhattan, an argument could be made that they should be paying less of the payroll tax.

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I wouldn't be surprised if the county is planning to use this as an argument for express bus service over the new Tappan Zee.

 

They may have a one seat ride to the city- but it's with at least one transfer and a ridiculously long commute based on the distance. Trains take roughly 75 minutes to reach Spring Valley, whereas it's 45 to Tarrytown- same distance north.

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Yeah they are accepting bids for new operators as Coach USA isn't bidding to operate TOR this year. Curious to see who wins. One of the requirements is automated fare collection (it's about time!) but a local school bus operator who wanted to bid took them to court saying the county alienated all operators in Rockland from bidding due to the requirements. We shall see!

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