Despite funding gap, MTA sticking with 4% fare hike

[realizm]

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is sticking with its 4% fare increase for next year, though that won't fill a $15 billion hole in the agency's five-year capital budget, its chairman and chief executive, Thomas Prendergast, said Tuesday.

"I'm standing by our financial plan," Mr. Prendergast told reporters after delivering a speech to business leaders at an event of the Association for a Better New York. An aide pointed out that the fare rise would be systemwide, including commuter rail lines, and on par with the rate of inflation.

Last week, a state review board vetoed the MTA's $32 billion capital program because only half of the plan is funded. Mr. Prendergast downplayed the veto, calling it expected.

"The veto was without prejudice," he said, employing a legal term. "The veto was from the standpoint of giving us an opportunity to stop the clock and have that dialogue. We need to get the size, the shape of the capital program right. We also need to get the funding right."

Mr. Prendergast also dismissed the suggestion that the MTA should pare its capital funding requests, indicating that they are needed projects.

"I can guarantee you it's not a wish list," he added.

That said, Mr. Prendergast admitted that megaprojects like the Second Avenue subway and East Side Access are "not the MTA's core competency—nor should it be." He argued in favor of outsourcing such work.

 

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[Via Garibaldi 8]

They need to roll out what the new fares will be and when already. They've been going back and forth with what the fare increase will be for an eternity.  With a 4% increase, it makes the new fares look rather strange. I imagine that they'll round up or something so that folks aren't left with odd amounts to pay.  

[realizm]

We both know that the MTA metrocard scam where the MVMs gives you a 5% bonus when you buy a MetroCard so you automatically end up with this unusable remainder balance that they take back anyway. I'm pretty sure they would like to retain this to rake in more dollars. One of the things I abhor concerning the MTAs practices. Not hearing the 'Well what you pay for is what you get' arguement either.... The MTA heads with the assemblymen upstate in Albany better figure something out before they decide to return to the original 7% fare hike proposed or whatever it was.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

We both know that the MTA metrocard scam where the MVMs gives you a 5% bonus when you buy a MetroCard so you automatically end up with this unusable remainder balance that they take back anyway. I'm pretty sure they would like to retain this to rake in more dollars. One of the things I abhor concerning the MTAs practices. Not hearing the 'Well what you pay for is what you get' arguement either.... The MTA heads with the assemblymen upstate in Albany better figure something out before they decide to return to the original 7% fare hike proposed or whatever it was.

You actually can use that remainder, but you'd have to go to a token booth clerk and come up with the cash necessary to try to create a balance that can be used, and I don't think anyone feels like putting up with that nonsense because it's a PITA.  What irks me is if the is going to give you bonuses with odd amounts left on your card, they should allow you to pay with pennies,  OR better yet, make a credit or debit card transaction that uses "pennies".  That means that if I have say $0.86 left on my card, I could then add $5.14 cents to make an even $6.00, which would be the exact amount for a ride on the express bus and everything would be used. Instead, everything has to be whole cents, even on a credit or debit card, which shows that they are clearly trying to rip off commuters with that bogus 5% bonus that they claim they're "giving everyone".

 

 

I wonder if token booth clerks can take pennies though? I don't see why they wouldn't be able to.

[mine248]

Oh no! Does that mean that the student MetroCard is having a fare hike?

[MTA Dude]

Oh no! Does that mean that the student MetroCard is having a fare hike?

 

Not a problem for me. I got full fare MetroCard. 

[paulrivera]

Well, 4% of $0.00 is still $0.00 after all...

[MTA Dude]

Well, there is half fare Student Metrocards where you pay half the fare back.

[Culver]

They need to roll out what the new fares will be and when already. They've been going back and forth with what the fare increase will be for an eternity.  With a 4% increase, it makes the new fares look rather strange. I imagine that they'll round up or something so that folks aren't left with odd amounts to pay.  

Andy Cuomo won't let those fares be released until after the election, just as he won't tell us how much he'll take from the MTA to pay for the bridge he's building in his own honor until after the election.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Andy Cuomo won't let those fares be released until after the election, just as he won't tell us how much he'll take from the MTA to pay for the bridge he's building in his own honor until after the election.

You don't miss an opportunity to slam Cuomo.  It's obvious that you don't like him, but Jesus Christ.  Can't you leave him out of EVERY discussion?  My bus blew by me.  It's Cuomo's fault too.

[bobtehpanda]

You don't miss an opportunity to slam Cuomo.  It's obvious that you don't like him, but Jesus Christ.  Can't you leave him out of EVERY discussion?  My bus blew by me.  It's Cuomo's fault too.

 

It's an actual concern; all previous March fare hikes have had information released by October, but that clearly hasn't happened, and there's no clear explanation for it. The transportation policy in this state is out of whack; no one knows how to pay for the Tappan Zee, no one knows how to pay for the Capital Plan, and instead of promoting a strong muscular policy as he has seen fit to do nearly everywhere else, Cuomo is kicking the football along and avoiding questions, despite the fact that he basically appoints the entire MTA Board and its chairman.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

It's an actual concern; all previous March fare hikes have had information released by October, but that clearly hasn't happened, and there's no clear explanation for it. The transportation policy in this state is out of whack; no one knows how to pay for the Tappan Zee, no one knows how to pay for the Capital Plan, and instead of promoting a strong muscular policy as he has seen fit to do nearly everywhere else, Cuomo is kicking the football along and avoiding questions, despite the fact that he basically appoints the entire MTA Board and its chairman.

Yeah well the doesn't seem to have a clue about its own financial standing.  One day they're improving and the next day they're facing a deficit in the billions.

[realizm]

Yeah well the doesn't seem to have a clue about its own financial standing.  One day they're improving and the next day they're facing a deficit in the billions.

 

There was a project awarded to Lockheed Martin that went wrong (Intrusion detection system), the MTA is actually taking the contractor to court. At the same time Cuomo recently rejected a 32 billion dollar fiscal budget plan. Im not saying that there isnt internal problems within the MTA, there is. But there are ither factors that plays into the MTAs monetary problems.

 

Amtrak and NJT lost millions of dollars because of Governer Christie and his haphazard way of dispersing transit money. So again its not merely an agency keeping a double set of books and mishandling money. There are other things going on here too.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

They need to have an attitude that is cautious.  If their financial situation is fragile then they need to operate in that manner. 

[Culver]

There was a project awarded to Lockheed Martin that went wrong (Intrusion detection system), the MTA is actually taking the contractor to court. At the same time Cuomo recently rejected a 32 billion dollar fiscal budget plan. Im not saying that there isnt internal problems within the MTA, there is. But there are ither factors that plays into the MTAs monetary problems.

 

Amtrak and NJT lost millions of dollars because of Governer Christie and his haphazard way of dispersing transit money. So again its not merely an agency keeping a double set of books and mishandling money. There are other things going on here too.

 

There is no double set of books. This was a made-up talking point. Jackass John Liu still repeats this lie every chance he gets to score political points with morons.

[bobtehpanda]

Yeah well the doesn't seem to have a clue about its own financial standing.  One day they're improving and the next day they're facing a deficit in the billions.

 

The budget for operations is completely fine. The budget for capital projects, which has always been financed from alternate pots of money and the Feds, State, and City, is once again up for renewal, and is the budget that actually lacks funding since we've never come up with a regular way to pay for all of it - the MTA directs a small amount of operations money into the Capital Budget to bond out, but that pot was reduced to pay for LIRR raises.

 

All major companies separate operational and capital funding, so this practice is not abnormal.

[Trainmaster5]

You don't miss an opportunity to slam Cuomo.  It's obvious that you don't like him, but Jesus Christ.  Can't you leave him out of EVERY discussion?  My bus blew by me.  It's Cuomo's fault too.

I see your point but you and others should not overlook the main point. The Governor of New York State is the no matter how you slice it. Doesn't matter if it's Prince Andrew, Pataki, a Dem or a Repub. The organization only exists to deflect blame from the governor's office. Why do you think he can "raid" the agency for money at will? The mayor and the county execs are window dressing at best.The , Thruway Authority, Dormitory Authority, and other similar agencies are all creatures of the governor's office no matter how you look at it. When new services or stations are announced in New York state the Governor frequently makes the announcement even if the defacto head of the , LIRR, NYCT,MN, is standing right there. If he wants to take the credit then surely he can take the blame, right? New Jersey with the Turnpike agency, NJT, Parkway, Meadowlands or AC casino agencies and the like are no different.Of course there's the 800 lb gorilla known as the PANY&NJ for which both will take credit for while neither will take any blame. That's my opinion. Carry on.

[MysteriousBtrain]

Is it just me, or did the make HUGE improvements with NYC transportation after the  got rid of the Long Island Bus Service it once had?

[realizm]

I see your point but you and others should not overlook the main point. The Governor of New York State is the no matter how you slice it. Doesn't matter if it's Prince Andrew, Pataki, a Dem or a Repub. The organization only exists to deflect blame from the governor's office. Why do you think he can "raid" the agency for money at will? The mayor and the county execs are window dressing at best.The , Thruway Authority, Dormitory Authority, and other similar agencies are all creatures of the governor's office no matter how you look at it. When new services or stations are announced in New York state the Governor frequently makes the announcement even if the defacto head of the , LIRR, NYCT,MN, is standing right there. If he wants to take the credit then surely he can take the blame, right? New Jersey with the Turnpike agency, NJT, Parkway, Meadowlands or AC casino agencies and the like are no different.Of course there's the 800 lb gorilla known as the PANY&NJ for which both will take credit for while neither will take any blame. That's my opinion. Carry on.

 

Exactly you laid the smackdown on this discussion, +1!

[MTA Dude]

Is it just me, or did the make HUGE improvements with NYC transportation after the  got rid of the Long Island Bus Service it once had?

 

The Q25 did get a lot better. And, their filling gaps in service!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I see your point but you and others should not overlook the main point. The Governor of New York State is the no matter how you slice it. Doesn't matter if it's Prince Andrew, Pataki, a Dem or a Repub. The organization only exists to deflect blame from the governor's office. Why do you think he can "raid" the agency for money at will? The mayor and the county execs are window dressing at best.The , Thruway Authority, Dormitory Authority, and other similar agencies are all creatures of the governor's office no matter how you look at it. When new services or stations are announced in New York state the Governor frequently makes the announcement even if the defacto head of the , LIRR, NYCT,MN, is standing right there. If he wants to take the credit then surely he can take the blame, right? New Jersey with the Turnpike agency, NJT, Parkway, Meadowlands or AC casino agencies and the like are no different.Of course there's the 800 lb gorilla known as the PANY&NJ for which both will take credit for while neither will take any blame. That's my opinion. Carry on.

I suppose you make some valid points.  Very true.