Without Action From Cuomo, Subways Doomed to Endless State of Disrepair

[Turbo19]

Governor Andrew Cuomo is pushing for $2 billion in tax cuts in his next budget, citing growing surpluses. But a new report on New York City’s infrastructure from the Center for an Urban Future makes it clear that there is no surplus — the state is responsible for billions in unfunded infrastructure repairs to city subways.

Like his toll cuts, Cuomo’s planned tax cuts will hurt New Yorkers who depend on transit. Photo: AP/SI Advance

All told, the city faces a $34 billion gap between basic repairs and maintenance and the amount of money available over the next five years. Surprisingly, a large chunk of this funding gap is attributable to New York’s subway system, which has a $10.5 billion backlog of needed maintenance and repair.

Thirty-seven percent of subway signals have exceeded their 50-year useful life, and 26 percent are over 70 years old. Signal upgrades are essential because modern signals dramatically increase the number of trains that can run in an hour. When the L train’s system was upgraded, the MTA increased the number of rush hour trains from 15 to 26.

Subway stations have gotten to such a state of disrepair, says the report, that a former MTA spokesman confesses, “The MTA has basically conceded that you will never get to a state of good repair… It’s simply not possible.” Under current funding levels, at least.

Funding the subways isn’t the city’s responsibility. The MTA is under the control of the governor, who appoints the authority’s president and nominates its board members. But the governor has largely ignored the MTA’s needs. Instead, Cuomo threatens to take $40 million in dedicated revenues from the MTA in the next budget.

 

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[N6 Limited]

They really do need to update the signals the trans have to be so far apart for no reason. Take Canal Street IND. Southbound a could have already completely crossed over to the express track, but the till can be held outside of the station. Same thing northbound. A could have completely crossed over to the local track, but the signal is still red preventing an from entering the station

[Mtatransit]

They should title the next press release "Cuomo Due to lack of funding more Fare increase and Budget Cuts"

[AndrewJC]

They really do need to update the signals the trans have to be so far apart for no reason. Take Canal Street IND. Southbound a could have already completely crossed over to the express track, but the till can be held outside of the station. Same thing northbound. A could have completely crossed over to the local track, but the signal is still red preventing an from entering the station

 

Canal Street interlocking was completely replaced a few years ago. It's brand new.

[Snowblock]

If this was a NY Post article it would have read "TA workers demand that money for repairs be used for raises instead"

[N6 Limited]

Canal Street interlocking was completely replaced a few years ago. It's brand new.

[Culver]

There are only two Transit modes for Cuomo: "Cut" and "Do Nothing". I'm really tired of this Norquist-obsessed a**hole being called liberal or progressive or whatnot. He understands (nor cares) nothing about transit, or much of any part of government other than how he can rob it to give out tax cuts to corporations and his wealthy donors. Of course he's going to ruin the state's finances (and with it, transit) into the ground. He doesn't give a shit about the state's future since he plans to run on a "DURR I CUT TAXES CAUSE IT WORKED SO GREAT FOR GEORGE BUSH" platform (because he assumes we're all illiterate morons who can be bought off with tax cuts) and come flying into the 2016 primaries, where he for some reason thinks he has a shot against Hillary. I'm no fan of Hillary Clinton (she has her share of corporate sellout issues), but it will be nice to see her destroy Andy Cuomo in the 2016 primary.

[Missabassie]

Faathah andy's a d-bag anyway... him and mangano need to be run out of town on the next thing smokin'.

[N4 Via Merrick Rd]

There's a lot to fix: Infrastructure and many other things like; Elevator replacements, renewal of many stations (Sea Beach primarily)

 

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

 

[TeeLow]

He doesn't give a shit about the state's future since he plans to run on a "DURR I CUT TAXES CAUSE IT WORKED SO GREAT FOR GEORGE BUSH" platform (because he assumes we're all illiterate morons who can be bought off with tax cuts) and come flying into the 2016 primaries, where he for some reason thinks he has a shot against Hillary. I'm no fan of Hillary Clinton (she has her share of corporate sellout issues), but it will be nice to see her destroy Andy Cuomo in the 2016 primary.

Hillary?! Cuomo wouldn't stand a chance against Chuck Woolery in 2016!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

There are only two Transit modes for Cuomo: "Cut" and "Do Nothing". I'm really tired of this Norquist-obsessed a**hole being called liberal or progressive or whatnot. He understands (nor cares) nothing about transit, or much of any part of government other than how he can rob it to give out tax cuts to corporations and his wealthy donors. Of course he's going to ruin the state's finances (and with it, transit) into the ground. He doesn't give a shit about the state's future since he plans to run on a "DURR I CUT TAXES CAUSE IT WORKED SO GREAT FOR GEORGE BUSH" platform (because he assumes we're all illiterate morons who can be bought off with tax cuts) and come flying into the 2016 primaries, where he for some reason thinks he has a shot against Hillary. I'm no fan of Hillary Clinton (she has her share of corporate sellout issues), but it will be nice to see her destroy Andy Cuomo in the 2016 primary.

The fact of the matter is Cuomo understands that if the state doesn't cut taxes, New York will continue to lose residents to other states.  The problem is that New York has some of the highest taxes already in the country. This deters new businesses from starting here, which means fewer jobs.  That, along with the high cost of living is deterring people from coming to New York and driving New Yorkers to move elsewhere.  The end result is less tax revenues overall, so take your pick.  You think it's bad now in terms of what the gets. If he doesn't do something about the tax problem here, there will be even less tax dollars for the and a lot of the other things as well.

 

This article pretty much sums it up:

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/high-taxes-ny-unfriendliest-business-article-1.1481382

 

 

 

“One of the biggest hindrances to New York’s score is the progressive and high individual income tax,” said the Tax Foundation’s Scott Drenkard. “It is pretty high for the region and certainly high against the rest of the country.”

[MHV9218]

The fact of the matter is Cuomo understands that if the state doesn't cut taxes, New York will continue to lose residents to other states.  The problem is that New York has some of the highest taxes already in the country. This deters new businesses from starting here, which means fewer jobs.  That, along with the high cost of living is deterring people from coming to New York and driving New Yorkers to move elsewhere.  The end result is less tax revenues overall, so take your pick.  You think it's bad now in terms of what the gets. If he doesn't do something about the tax problem here, there will be even less tax dollars for the and a lot of the other things as well.

 

This article pretty much sums it up:

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/high-taxes-ny-unfriendliest-business-article-1.1481382

 

This has NEVER been a problem for New York. There is literally zero evidence that we lose people due to tax rates. You are pulling this out of nowhere. In fact, past studies have found that raising taxes actually has zero to no effect on people leaving the state where they are raised. Plus, where's everybody going to go? You think Wall Street is going to move to Newark? Give me a break. 

[B35 via Church]

The fact of the matter is Cuomo understands that if the state doesn't cut taxes, New York will continue to lose residents to other states.....

 

That, along with the high cost of living is deterring people from coming to New York and driving New Yorkers to move elsewhere.

- NYC is losing residents to increased cost of living, flat out.... I'd argue increasing gentrification in this city in part as to why that is, but that's yet another topic....

- Our tax rate is why new businesses aren't setting up shop here (thus leading to a decrease in the amount of new jobs); it's not a reason we're losing residents....

---

 

 

In short, Cuomo can opt to cut taxes all he wants & people are still gonna leave this city in droves for cheaper cost of living (and quite frankly, better QoL)..... The fabric that is being torn from this city is a large reason why people are fed up with what's going on in this city; saying that another way - Natives here feel like outsiders in their own damn city, and our tax rate doesn't have a thing to do with that...... Never has, never will....  Too much focus on/catering to migrant yuppies & tourists, instead of natives.....

 

As far as the MTA is concerned, this crap is all propaganda, talking about subways doomed to endless state of disrepair - As if the subway system is gonna collapse on itself..... It all ties in to that doom & gloom mentality that existed from these sensationalists when Walder was in tenure (and after he left as well), regarding the subways reverting to the way they were back in the 70's & much of the 80's.... Where was that talk/mentality during the 90's & most of the '00's (2000's)? No where to be found, that's where....

 

FWIW, when it comes to money matters, I do not trust the MTA... One day they're crying broke, needing funding... and the next, they have this surplus.....

[MHV9218]

- Our tax rate is why new businesses aren't setting up shop here (thus leading to a decrease in the amount of new jobs); it's not a reason we're losing residents....

 

 

Disagree with this one...

[bobtehpanda]

FWIW, when it comes to money matters, I do not trust the MTA... One day they're crying broke, needing funding... and the next, they have this surplus.....

 

The argument for more sources of funding has always been about a lack of capital funding (which we don't really fund with state or city money any more; the last capital plan had its last three years funded with debt) , and a lack of stability in regards to the operational funding (since most of the "dedicated tax" is real estate and sales, both of which were hit extremely hard during the recession)

 

Since the taxes are based on economic forecasts, which are about as accurate as the weather forecasts, I don't doubt that the MTA couldn't have foreseen the surplus. The recovery has been strange, to say the very least.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Disagree with this one...

You're right, we've always had high taxes here, but the cost of living wasn't as expensive as it is now... The high taxes only help to make it easier for people to leave... As for businesses not leaving, let's look at what type of jobs we used to have here and what we have now... We've become a city dependent upon Wall Street and service jobs... That's about it.... Very little manufacturing done here.... We've created a small tech industry here, but most of that has been due to tax breaks... New Yorkers are moving to New Jersey, Connecticut or heading south.  I have several family members that have now moved to New Jersey.  They're trying to convince me but I have no desire to leave, though I will admit that I am rather sick of where this city is headed... Sick of the damn tourists... I feel like a damn transplant in my own city... In the case of my relatives, they left primarily because they could get more bang for the buck in New Jersey and the quality of life is better... I have no idea why anyone would pay to live in Manhattan being as filthy as it is these days...

 

- NYC is losing residents to increased cost of living, flat out.... I'd argue increasing gentrification in this city in part as to why that is, but that's yet another topic....

- Our tax rate is why new businesses aren't setting up shop here (thus leading to a decrease in the amount of new jobs); it's not a reason we're losing residents....

---

 

 

In short, Cuomo can opt to cut taxes all he wants & people are still gonna leave this city in droves for cheaper cost of living (and quite frankly, better QoL)..... The fabric that is being torn from this city is a large reason why people are fed up with what's going on in this city; saying that another way - Natives here feel like outsiders in their own damn city, and our tax rate doesn't have a thing to do with that...... Never has, never will....  Too much focus on/catering to migrant yuppies & tourists, instead of natives.....

 

As far as the MTA is concerned, this crap is all propaganda, talking about subways doomed to endless state of disrepair - As if the subway system is gonna collapse on itself..... It all ties in to that doom & gloom mentality that existed from these sensationalists when Walder was in tenure (and after he left as well), regarding the subways reverting to the way they were back in the 70's & much of the 80's.... Where was that talk/mentality during the 90's & most of the '00's (2000's)? No where to be found, that's where....

 

FWIW, when it comes to money matters, I do not trust the MTA... One day they're crying broke, needing funding... and the next, they have this surplus.....

I agree with you 100% on why people are leaving... Being from here, and at my age, I'm not ready to go anywhere yet... It could be due to me living outside of New York City for a while... That has given me a certain appreciation for the place, but Manhattan is really not as hip as it used to be... Just too many damn tourists and it lacks the vibrancy that it once had....

[B35 via Church]

Disagree with this one...

You have that option....

 

The argument for more sources of funding has always been about a lack of capital funding (which we don't really fund with state or city money any more; the last capital plan had its last three years funded with debt) , and a lack of stability in regards to the operational funding (since most of the "dedicated tax" is real estate and sales, both of which were hit extremely hard during the recession)

 

Since the taxes are based on economic forecasts, which are about as accurate as the weather forecasts, I don't doubt that the MTA couldn't have foreseen the surplus. The recovery has been strange, to say the very least.

I honestly think they knew they were getting a surplus... Just not to the exact dollar figure.

 

side note: It's amazing how this agency can come up with money for the changes they want (not necessarily need) to have done/implemented.....

 

You're right, we've always had high taxes here, but the cost of living wasn't as expensive as it is now... The high taxes only help to make it easier for people to leave... As for businesses not leaving, let's look at what type of jobs we used to have here and what we have now... We've become a city dependent upon Wall Street and service jobs... That's about it.... Very little manufacturing done here.... We've created a small tech industry here, but most of that has been due to tax breaks... New Yorkers are moving to New Jersey, Connecticut or heading south.  I have several family members that have now moved to New Jersey.  They're trying to convince me but I have no desire to leave, though I will admit that I am rather sick of where this city is headed... Sick of the damn tourists... I feel like a damn transplant in my own city... In the case of my relatives, they left primarily because they could get more bang for the buck in New Jersey and the quality of life is better... I have no idea why anyone would pay to live in Manhattan being as filthy as it is these days...

 

I agree with you 100% on why people are leaving... Being from here, and at my age, I'm not ready to go anywhere yet... It could be due to me living outside of New York City for a while... That has given me a certain appreciation for the place, but Manhattan is really not as hip as it used to be... Just too many damn tourists and it lacks the vibrancy that it once had....

1) Pretty much.... A simple search on those job sites (careerbuilder, monster, etc) is indicative of this..... Just got through talkin to my sister about that.... Luckily for her, she's venturing into finance.....

 

2) I try not to disclose too much personal info on here, but now that the opportunity presents itself (sort of), Me & the misses are seriously talking about moving out of NYC (NYS really).... We both want to move to NJ (although she wants to move to Hoboken, for what I think to be a stupid reason, but w/e... and I've always had a bit of a soft spot for central Jersey; namely w/i Woodbridge Twp).... Well, being a little more accurate, she's done bought into the Washington DC hype (much like her soror's), and I told her flat out, the ethnic utopia a lot of people is painting DC to be, is BS.... Blacks & Hispanics aren't all down there ballin out of control with 6 figure incomes, FOH..... I am NOT moving down there - besides, the Wizards & the Capitals suck worse than the Knicks & Islanders do ....

Forest Glen (remember him) bought into that hype too (talkin about goin into Law & moving out of NYC down to DC with some of his law friends, or something to that effect), and I was laughing then when he would bust allll kindzsa nuts (lol... hodge twins reference, if you didn't get that) about the WMATA....

 

Anyway, I don't like where this city (Brooklyn in-particular) is headed - said a couple times on here that Brooklyn, from downtown & points south, spreading, is becoming like this funky extension of lower manhattan.... Kinda saw this coming with the MetroTech BS, just not to this extent..... The misses however, lives in janky high bridge (sorry Cotb16.... dude probably don't come on these forums no more anyway) and is vehemently opposed to the whole SoBro thing (kinda similar to how I feel about the BoCoCa [boerum hill, cobble hill, carroll gardens] & NoLiTa [north of something that barely exists anymore; Little Italy] shit)....

 

eh, not to bore anyone here with all this, but yeah, the only thing I really have to say as far as Manhattan goes, in regards to what you said, is that, I never saw it as a hip place (to the extent that the vast majority of folks that do, do)... Matter fact, I've grown to hate the term "hip", as it's indicative of an inherited lifestyle that did not exist here when I was a wee young lad (Lol).... We have let damn transients & migrants take over & define just what the hell it means to be a "New Yorker".... The gall some college dropout from bumf**k, nebraska got the cojones to lay out to me what being a New Yorker is all about.....

 

Oh, not to mention, is this what it takes to be a New Yorker nowadays?

MF-ers goin out gettin facial hair transplants... Shit's disgusting - and I don't mean the facial hair (although it certainly qualifies) - I mean the fact that having facial hair represents what it means to be a male in NY[C] these days.....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I try not to disclose too much personal info on here, but now that the opportunity presents itself (sort of), Me & the misses are seriously talking about moving out of NYC (NYS really).... We both want to move to NJ (although she wants to move to Hoboken, for what I think to be a stupid reason, but w/e... and I've always had a bit of a soft spot for central Jersey; namely w/i Woodbridge Twp).... Well, being a little more accurate, she's done bought into the Washington DC hype (much like her soror's), and I told her flat out, the ethnic utopia a lot of people is painting DC to be, is BS.... Blacks & Hispanics aren't all down there ballin out of control with 6 figure incomes, FOH..... I am NOT moving down there - besides, the Wizards & the Capitals suck worse than the Knicks & Islanders do ....

Forest Glen (remember him) bought into that hype too (talkin about goin into Law & moving out of NYC down to DC with some of his law friends, or something to that effect), and I was laughing then when he would bust allll kindzsa nuts (lol... hodge twins reference, if you didn't get that) about the WMATA....

 

Anyway, I don't like where this city (Brooklyn in-particular) is headed - said a couple times on here that Brooklyn, from downtown & points south, spreading, is becoming like this funky extension of lower manhattan.... Kinda saw this coming with the MetroTech BS, just not to this extent..... The misses however, lives in janky high bridge (sorry Cotb16.... dude probably don't come on these forums no more anyway) and is vehemently opposed to the whole SoBro thing (kinda similar to how I feel about the BoCoCa [boerum hill, cobble hill, carroll gardens] & NoLiTa [north of something that barely exists anymore; Little Italy] shit)....

 

eh, not to bore anyone here with all this, but yeah, the only thing I really have to say as far as Manhattan goes, in regards to what you said, is that, I never saw it as a hip place (to the extent that the vast majority of folks that do, do)... Matter fact, I've grown to hate the term "hip", as it's indicative of an inherited lifestyle that did not exist here when I was a wee young lad (Lol).... We have let damn transients & migrants take over & define just what the hell it means to be a "New Yorker".... The gall some college dropout from bumf**k, nebraska got the cojones to lay out to me what being a New Yorker is all about.....

Well the only place I could go to in Brooklyn would be Bay Ridge or maybe parts of Dyker Heights.... Other than that most of Brooklyn holds no interest for me because you don't have the old school Brooklynites in most other parts... I've been thinking about where I would move if Riverdale changed too much and for now I can't answer that... New Jersey is certainly NOT an answer for me... I would have to stay in New York... Just too much that I don't care for there and while it's nice to go there and "escape", I can't see myself living there.... Staten Island is NOT an option... Too many of the trashy Brooklynites there for my taste, hence why I left... Manhattan is completely OUT of the question, and Queens is just not my cup of tea AT ALL... Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for "immigrant experience"... 

 

SMH at "hipster" beards....

[traingoat]

Arguments go back and forth  but the simple fact is no business pays a tax, customers pay it.  Why is it that you need to make 100,000 to live as good as 75,000 in upstate but only need 65,000 for NJ  and a lesser amount for PA.  Taxes.

[Culver]

The fact of the matter is Cuomo understands that if the state doesn't cut taxes, New York will continue to lose residents to other states.  The problem is that New York has some of the highest taxes already in the country. This deters new businesses from starting here, which means fewer jobs.  That, along with the high cost of living is deterring people from coming to New York and driving New Yorkers to move elsewhere.  The end result is less tax revenues overall, so take your pick.  You think it's bad now in terms of what the gets. If he doesn't do something about the tax problem here, there will be even less tax dollars for the and a lot of the other things as well.

 

This article pretty much sums it up:

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/high-taxes-ny-unfriendliest-business-article-1.1481382

 

I'll say this plainly: you are massively f**king wrong and should never post about anything ever again. Remember when the Bush tax cuts totally created jobs and didn't at all destroy the federal budget? Oh, right. Cuomo is full of shit and so are you. This has zero to do with jobs, it's about cutting taxes for rich folks who contribute to politicians' campaigns. Literally every thing you said is complete bullshit. Taxes don't magically kill jobs and slashing them doesn't magically create successes, it just lets "job creators" (LOLOLOLOLO) freeload and use the state's infrastructure and police, etc. for free. News flash, f**ko: If Cuomo has his way, they'll have to eventually cut your precious express bus service and you might have to interact with non-white people some day. Cuomo is a massive a**hole who couldn't give less of a shit about this state.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I'll say this plainly: you are massively f**king wrong and should never post about anything ever again. Remember when the Bush tax cuts totally created jobs and didn't at all destroy the federal budget? Oh, right. Cuomo is full of shit and so are you. This has zero to do with jobs, it's about cutting taxes for rich folks who contribute to politicians' campaigns. Literally every thing you said is complete bullshit. Taxes don't magically kill jobs and slashing them doesn't magically create successes, it just lets "job creators" (LOLOLOLOLO) freeload and use the state's infrastructure and police, etc. for free. News flash, f**ko: If Cuomo has his way, they'll have to eventually cut your precious express bus service and you might have to interact with non-white people some day. Cuomo is a massive a**hole who couldn't give less of a shit about this state.

Boy, somebody is hostile...  So I guess Cuomo is supposed to be for the rich too now huh... 

[B35 via Church]

Well the only place I could go to in Brooklyn would be Bay Ridge or maybe parts of Dyker Heights.... Other than that most of Brooklyn holds no interest for me because you don't have the old school Brooklynites in most other parts... I've been thinking about where I would move if Riverdale changed too much and for now I can't answer that... New Jersey is certainly NOT an answer for me... I would have to stay in New York... Just too much that I don't care for there and while it's nice to go there and "escape", I can't see myself living there.... Staten Island is NOT an option... Too many of the trashy Brooklynites there for my taste, hence why I left... Manhattan is completely OUT of the question, and Queens is just not my cup of tea AT ALL... Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for "immigrant experience"... 

 

SMH at "hipster" beards....

Dutchess county... Tell that loon ShortlineBus NYCTF said What's up

Then again, you don't drive, so I guess that's out....

 

Never wanted to live anywhere in Manhattan or Staten.... As for the Bronx, NE Bronx (meaning areas east of Woodlawn; east of the ) is straight, except the commute sucks.... As for Queens, while I don't mind the cultural diversity per se, there was never really "that" area of Queens I ever wanted to reside in.... Other areas of Brooklyn, well there's Canarsie I had wanted to move out to at one point & time, but now that's out).... Large part of that is actually due to the being the only subway line in the vicinity...

 

Speaking of hipsters, I want no part of the hipster (L)ocal.....

[SoSpectacular]

Man, corporations get free money in the form of subsidies all the time... And where does that money come from? The taxpayers!

 

Taxes aren't a problem unless you own a house/property within city limits- property taxes will rape you and eventually force you to move out! I wonder though, before our last Mayor, finding a place to live wasn't so hard. Amazing how one guy with lots of money and political power makes his vision a near-reality. Too bad it all didn't come true. We peasants would have been up a creek without a paddle by now!

[Culver]

Boy, somebody is hostile...  So I guess Cuomo is supposed to be for the rich too now huh... 

Cuomo is desperately trying to slash your taxes, so yeah, he kind of is for the rich, and he's outright said it multiple times. I don't get why this is a yes/no question. He's been open about wanting to slash taxes (he proposed $2 billion in cuts this year in case you haven't noticed) and has repeated the (patently false) talking point that we really, really need to cut taxes for the rich in NY. Just remember while you're cheerleading tax cuts that at some point they will affect you. You know what's on the chopping block first if the runs into financial problems again.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Cuomo is desperately trying to slash your taxes, so yeah, he kind of is for the rich, and he's outright said it multiple times. I don't get why this is a yes/no question. He's been open about wanting to slash taxes (he proposed $2 billion in cuts this year in case you haven't noticed) and has repeated the (patently false) talking point that we really, really need to cut taxes for the rich in NY. Just remember while you're cheerleading tax cuts that at some point they will affect you. You know what's on the chopping block first if the runs into financial problems again.

lol... There is nothing wrong with tax cuts for the rich... They do plenty for this city and certainly don't cause a financial burden (via hand outs like other groups do), so I say why not?  What they contribute far outweighs what they take.  As for cuts to the express bus, there isn't much more to cut, as most routes are well used.