Riders Alliance "Fix the Subway" Campaign

[Mysterious2train]

I will post about events from Riders Alliance's Fix the Subway campaign in this thread.

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http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50801/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=97009

Tomorrow: Rally protesting the upcoming fare hike.

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Join the Riders Alliance this Wednesday November 14th at 11AM at Bowling Green station for a "Fair Funding, No Fare Hike Rally!" Cuomo's MTA wants to charge New Yorkers more to access failing buses and subways. Instead of hitting New Yorkers with yet another fare increase, we're calling on Gov. Cuomo and Albany to work together to pass a fair funding plan to #FixTheSubway. 

 

[RailRunRob]

1 hour ago, Mysterious2train said:

I will post about events from Riders Alliance's Fix the Subway campaign in this thread.

-------------------------------------------------------

http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50801/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=97009

Tomorrow: Rally protesting the upcoming fare hike.

 

I can never get a straight answer when it comes to this. Didn't the State Legislators vote the fare hikes Mandatory as a part of the bailouts? If so what Choice do they have?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

10 minutes ago, RailRunRob said:

I can never get a straight answer when it comes to this. Didn't the State Legislators vote the fare hikes Mandatory as a part of the bailouts? If so what Choice do they have?

That’s correct, but it’s not sustainable and the service sucks, so ultimately you keep pushing riders out of the system and into cars, hence the insane traffic.

[RailRunRob]

55 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

That’s correct, but it’s not sustainable and the service sucks, so ultimately you keep pushing riders out of the system and into cars, hence the insane traffic.

Do you know how long they were required to raise fares?

[MysteriousBtrain]

2 hours ago, Mysterious2train said:

Instead of hitting New Yorkers with yet another fare increase, we're calling on Gov. Cuomo and Albany to work together to pass a fair funding plan to #FixTheSubway. 

So why didn't you not vote for Cuomo then? Because that was so hard. (Even though he is not the one, but one of the main ones to blame)

Anyways, the way the system is performing, they definitely do not deserve to push a fare increase to the customers. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

1 hour ago, MysteriousBtrain said:

So why didn't you not vote for Cuomo then? Because that was so hard. (Even though he is not the one, but one of the main ones to blame)

Anyways, the way the system is performing, they definitely do not deserve to push a fare increase to the customers. 

Because they really think Cuomo is going to fix this mess. At best he'll push through Congestion Pricing, and even that won't be enough because they are so far in debt.  Their debt keeps snowballing because they have no choice but to borrow and as their (credit) rating goes down, borrowing will become more expensive. Factor that in with their other growing costs, and it seems as if the fare hikes every two years will be inevitable without some miracle.

1 hour ago, RailRunRob said:

Do you know how long they were required to raise fares?

I would say at least until they get some sort of stable funding source, since by law, they must have a balanced budget each fiscal year.  There's no lock box for the  , so that means every Joe Schmo (or at least it seems that way) can reach their hand into monies earmarked for transportation and direct it elsewhere, which has been going on for years.  You have to understand that paying riders should be fuming because they pay out to the  several different ways each and every month, not just the fares that they pay.  There are numerous surcharges on your cell phone bill, for every Uber or taxi you take, bridges and tunnels, and surcharges on a number of other bills IN ADDITION to the taxes you directly pay that all should be going to the  , so it isn't that the riders aren't paying their fair share.  Mismanagement of monies, and redirecting of monies is the big problem... That and the  's inability to become more fiscally sound.

[RailRunRob]

1 hour ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Because they really think Cuomo is going to fix this mess. At best he'll push through Congestion Pricing, and even that won't be enough because they are so far in debt.  Their debt keeps snowballing because they have no choice but to borrow and as their (credit) rating goes down, borrowing will become more expensive. Factor that in with their other growing costs, and it seems as if the fare hikes every two years will be inevitable without some miracle.

I would say at least until they get some sort of stable funding source, since by law, they must have a balanced budget each fiscal year.  There's no lock box for the  , so that means every Joe Schmo (or at least it seems that way) can reach their hand into monies earmarked for transportation and direct it elsewhere, which has been going on for years.  You have to understand that paying riders should be fuming because they pay out to the  several different ways each and every month, not just the fares that they pay.  There are numerous surcharges on your cell phone bill, for every Uber or taxi you take, bridges and tunnels, and surcharges on a number of other bills IN ADDITION to the taxes you directly pay that all should be going to the  , so it isn't that the riders aren't paying their fair share.  Mismanagement of monies, and redirecting of monies is the big problem... That and the  's inability to become more fiscally sound.

I agree on making sure transportation money is spent solely on Transportation. I also agree on accountability and yes riders are paying there share. What I don't understand is why we think and expect  Transportation to be profitable when the reason so many other aspects of NY are profitable and possible is because  of Transportation itself.  I never hear anyone ask about how much Water Tunnel number 3 is going to bring in ? Or how long it's taking? Why should we view Transportation any differently?   Let's not be wasteful with money but let's also hold all of our foundational Infrastructure to the same standards. Electrical, Water , Waste , Transportation and so forth. 5 cent fare for 44 years? This was never meant to be a full cash cow!

[Via Garibaldi 8]

48 minutes ago, RailRunRob said:

I agree on making sure transportation money is spent solely on Transportation. I also agree on accountability and yes riders are paying there share. What I don't understand is why we think and expect  Transportation to be profitable when the reason so many other aspects of NY are profitable and possible is because  of Transportation itself.  I never hear anyone ask about how much Water Tunnel number 3 is going to bring in ? Or how long it's taking? Why should we view Transportation any differently?   Let's not be wasteful with money but let's also hold all of our foundational Infrastructure to the same standards. Electrical, Water , Waste , Transportation and so forth. 5 cent fare for 44 years? This was never meant to be a full cash cow!

I don't think anyone expects transportation to be profitable.  It was never set up to be profitable.  I think you're confusing profitability with being fiscally responsible. The two are not one and the same.  Spending 1 billion on one station and 180 million on another is absurd when we have hundreds of stations that need to be rehabbed.  Meanwhile the agency pats itself on the back with such spending habits.

[RailRunRob]

7 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

I don't think anyone expects transportation to be profitable.  It was never set up to be profitable.  I think you're confusing profitability with being fiscally responsible. The two are not one and the same.  Spending 1 billion on one station and 180 million on another is absurd when we have hundreds of stations that need to be rehabbed.  Meanwhile the agency pats itself on the back with such spending habits.

I don't think there's any confusion at all.  Just the fact that the MTA is set up as a public benefit Corporation. Maximizing profits is still very much a part of the equation. Again im for accountability but the way the MTA currently set up along with America's capitalistic undertone it's not a easy fix.  The regional needs to rethink how transportation is run and possibly bring it back downstate.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

28 minutes ago, RailRunRob said:

I don't think there's any confusion at all.  Just the fact that the MTA is set up as a public benefit Corporation. Maximizing profits is still very much a part of the equation. Again im for accountability but the way the MTA currently set up along with America's capitalistic undertone it's not a easy fix.  The regional needs to rethink how transportation is run and possibly bring it back downstate.

Maximizing profits where?? They’ve been borrowing to pay their expenses for years. There’s nothing to maximize.

[Mysterious2train]

14 hours ago, RailRunRob said:

I can never get a straight answer when it comes to this. Didn't the State Legislators vote the fare hikes Mandatory as a part of the bailouts? If so what Choice do they have?

That's what we hear. I browsed through the bill the state legislature passed back in 2009 a little while ago and I don't recall seeing any language expressly requiring the authority to raise fares every two years, but don't quote me on that. I'll have to recheck the law again when I have time. If the authority is already forced to raise fares every 2 years, then holding hearings and a board vote about fare hikes as they do seems a bit superfluous.

Anyway, I was a bit pressed for time this morning so I wasn't able to make a more detailed OP, but I will elaborate on Riders Alliance's activities soon.

[RailRunRob]

10 hours ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Maximizing profits where?? They’ve been borrowing to pay their expenses for years. There’s nothing to maximize.

My point if that's not case why have it Legally structured that way? The current set up was put together by a Rockefeller of all people.  To be fair the  is borrowing because upstate is borrowing from them. Sking anyone? 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

2 minutes ago, RailRunRob said:

My point if that's not case why have it Legally structured that way? The current set up was put together by a Rockefeller of all people.  To be fair the  is borrowing because upstate is borrowing from them. Sking anyone? 

Well it goes back to when the City was running transit and they went BROKE (lol). Then the State came to the rescue and they’ve had City taxpayers by the balls ever since. It’s kind of understandable. Without the State stepping in, who knows where things would be today. I think when elected officials from the City say OH we should be running the  for more accountability, they leave out that little fact.

[RailRunRob]

2 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Well it goes back to when the City was running transit and they went BROKE (lol). Then the State came to the rescue and they’ve had City taxpayers by the balls ever since. It’s kind of understandable. Without the State stepping in, who knows where things would be today. I think when elected officials from the City say OH we should be running the  for more accountability, they leave out that little fact.

Point is the City isn't broke anymore. With a GMP of 1.3 Trillion NYC is carrying the State and good amount of New Jersey as well. It needs to be run by people/Counties in the Metro Area period. Transport in the NYC area as more than paid NYS back and then some. Amazon point and case. How long are we going to hear the story of 1968? Time to write a new chapter.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

19 minutes ago, RailRunRob said:

Point is the City isn't broke anymore. With a GMP of 1.3 Trillion NYC is carrying the State and good amount of New Jersey as well. It needs to be run by people/Counties in the Metro Area period. Transport in the NYC area as more than paid NYS back and then some. Amazon point and case. How long are we going to hear the story of 1968? Time to write a new chapter.

Well take it up with the powers that be. I just roll with the punches. I don’t see much changing for the time being in that area. I was contacted by someone in the media regarding my Advocacy Group asking if I’d agree to do an interview. I said yes. We’ll see what becomes of it.

[RailRunRob]

4 minutes ago, Via Garibaldi 8 said:

Well take it up with the powers that be. I just roll with the punches. I don’t see much changing for the time being in that area. I was contacted by someone in the media regarding my Advocacy Group asking if I’d agree to do an interview. I said yes. We’ll see what becomes of it,

Not saying we shouldn't. Just pointing out before we can burn the  at the stake and get up and arms about fare hikes. We should at least understand how it all works and who's in control. Too often these conversations are had in echo chambers not saying this convo in particular.  Folks are mad and don't even know the City doesn't have a say or that state voted for the hikes.  That's awesome with the interview We that have a better understanding have an obligation to get the word out or were just as much a part of the problem if not bigger.