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Rider groups demand MTA fix as tone-deaf Albany legislators relax

Trainspotter

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in New York City Subway

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Trainspotter

Trainspotter

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As straphangers rolled closer toward a train wreck of fare hikes and service cuts on Tuesday, supporters of an MTA bailout were turning up the heat on the state Senate.

 

Legislators remained on a break that began last Wednesday and aren't expected back in Albany until Monday.

 

There was no progress - or even significant talks between the key players - according to sources familiar with failed efforts to hammer out legislation providing new funds to support the bus, subway and commuter train system.

 

"Albany must find ways to hold down transit fares, prevent ugly service cuts and continue rebuilding the transit system," Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign said. "And time is running out."

 

The Straphangers Campaign, Environmental Defense, Transportation Alternatives and the Campaign for New York's Future is targeting 10 state senators with full-page newspaper advertisements in local newspapers.

 

The ads prod voters to tell the senators - seven Democrats and three Republicans - to "stand up for subway and bus riders."

 

Former MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch is urging labor, civic and business leaders to redouble their lobbying efforts promoting a transit-funding proposal.

 

The bailout features an employer-paid payroll tax, tolls on East and Harlem river bridges and scaled-back fare hikes.

 

Ravitch led a state commission that recommended that the Legislature implement the plan.

 

Gov. Paterson and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) endorsed the "Ravitch Rescue" but it has gone nowhere because some state senators oppose tolling while others oppose the payroll tax.

 

Ravitch said there's going to be another "big push" for the plan - including tolling the East and Harlem river spans - which sources said Paterson still supports.

 

The MTA last year projected a 2009 operating budget gap of $1.2 billion, saying it needs tens of billions of dollars for its next five-year construction and upkeep program.

 

That gap has since grown by hundreds of millions of dollars because of the recession and plummeting tax revenues.

 

Fare hikes up to 30% are schedule to hit late next month and in early June.

 

The MTA already has authorized widespread service cuts, including elimination of dozens of bus routes and two subway lines.

 

Most of the cuts would take place between June and the end of the year.

 

Transit officials, however, warned Monday that deeper cuts may be necessary absent a bailout.

 

BY Pete Donohue

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

April 15th 2009

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Igor Gaysinsky

Igor Gaysinsky

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i we had enuff of there excuses lets just not use there bus or subway 2 show them how much more money they will loose i wish i can say it 2 there face so they can see and here me i wish i can go down there my salf and just argue and argue with them about it and demand answers from them my opionen if they won`t do then people like me or u should just do it for them and demand answers

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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i we had enuff of there excuses lets just not use there bus or subway 2 show them how much more money they will loose i wish i can say it 2 there face so they can see and here me i wish i can go down there my salf and just argue and argue with them about it and demand answers from them my opionen if they won`t do then people like me or u should just do it for them and demand answers

If you deliberately walkout from the subway or the bus, not only will you hurt the agency, but also yourself (time consuming as you have to find another method to commute) and if this is a mass protest, it could affect the city as a whole.

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MattTrain

MattTrain

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This news is really bad, how worse can it get. In my opinion both the (MTA) and the New York State politicans are really not doing a good job at all. I can understand the frustrations displayed here. Keep in mind that fare hikes and tolls do not take into effect until May 31, 2009. In my opinion, however I'm sure that the politicans will set aside their differences and work out a plan to resce the (MTA) New York City Transit, the Railroads, and bridges and tunnels. There's about a month left, and although things have been leading to a stalemate (using the term from the board game of chess) this one month stretch from now until the end of May is really critical. We have to root for our politicans to come through, and if they are not coming through for us, then we have to intimidate them, and force them to support our ideas and goals. If they don't go along with our views, we can kick out the politicans via the elections, (providing we're old enough to vote)

 

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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Or protest. Or move out in protest. These days it just doesn't pay to be nice anymore.

 

And even if they do save NYC transit, I wonder if they'll still try to save the LIRR and LI Bus, two very important things for me and most commuters.

As we are all very reactionary to what they are doing, who shall we protest to? And will they listen?

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7LineFan

7LineFan

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The government is not doing their proper jobs now! They need to rescue the (MTA) now! I may have to move to New Jersey if they are going to put damn tolls on the banged up East and Harlem River Bridges! Brooklyn is fine for tolls but Manhattan, Williamsburg, Queensboro and the extremly small Harlem River Bridges is a No-No! $2.00 to cross a bridge? How about give a Pepsi to each person who paid per toll! It is still a New York Company!

 

You move to New Jersey, you have to pay the trans-Hudson crossing tolls to get into NYC... and those are more than $2, IIRC.

 

I say, bring congestion pricing back!

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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The government is not doing their proper jobs now! They need to rescue the (MTA) now! I may have to move to New Jersey if they are going to put damn tolls on the banged up East and Harlem River Bridges! Brooklyn is fine for tolls but Manhattan, Williamsburg, Queensboro and the extremly small Harlem River Bridges is a No-No! $2.00 to cross a bridge? How about give a Pepsi to each person who paid per toll! It is still a New York Company!

Move to Jersey? You think that's better off than here?

Sounds like you think GWB, Lincoln and Holland are all free.

 

Gee, I don't know what the heck are you talking about when it comes to the tolling thing. Give every tolled person a free Pepsi? Lord help my soul.

Give me a (tax) break, here.

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7LineFan

7LineFan

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Well, moving to Jersey is the best deal to avoid the damn tolls on the East River Bridge!

Well, GWB, Lincoln and Holland are not free inbound!

 

Well, I am also talking about giving a free Drink from New York so it could stimulate New York economy, :)!

 

Move to Jersey to avoid the East River tolls, and pay the higher Hudson River tolls. Smart move, dude. Smart move.

 

Giving out free drinks to drivers will only decrease profits. Each drink costs money, and if they don't make money on those drinks...

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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Why? I am just going to use the Car-Pool advantge if I am going to Westbury. If the tolls go to 5-bucks, I am going to New Jersey!

 

Well, if congestion pricing is back, it is great! New York is mostly congested, -_-...

 

 

 

Well, moving to Jersey is the best deal to avoid the damn tolls on the East River Bridge!

Well, GWB, Lincoln and Holland are not free inbound!

 

Well, I am also talking about giving a free Drink from New York so it could stimulate New York economy, :P!

If you want to move that desperately, kiss goodbye to the US and move to Canada. You still have to pay tolls in Jersey. As a matter of fact, everywhere. Not just the Hudson tolls. You have to pay for the Turnpike. Now what good is that?

Go ahead and give everyone a Pepsi. That will kill the company.

 

Please think before you post.

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MTR Admiralty

MTR Admiralty

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Why do I have to pay tolls everywhere? I can just take Route 1 down NJ without having hassel to pay a damn toll. At least, I don't have to pay an additional toll to go out of state, :)!

Okay, honestly, this moving thing is inane as it is, this thread is not about moving (due to the MTA raising fares). If you want to move, just turn your monitor off and pack your bags. We don't need to hear about it.

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