NEW YORK—The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) passed its long feared “doomsday budget” Wednesday morning in the face of a $1.2 billion debt. The MTA board approved fare hikes, toll increases, and service cutbacks throughout New York’s five boroughs in a 12 to 1 vote.
In the new budget, subway, bus, and commuter rail fares will be increased from $2 to $2.50, monthly MetroCards will now cost $103.00, the W and Z lines will be shut down, 35 bus routes will be eliminated, and there will be service cuts during off-peak hours on weekends.
Subway and bus lines in New York City and Staten Island will experience the fare increases starting May 31. Fare increases on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will be enacted on June 1. MTA bridges and tunnels will see toll increases beginning July 11.
Service reductions will begin in May.
During the board meeting, MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger thanked the groups and people who understand the situation of the MTA. “Our customers may not be 100 percent happy with us, but this time many clearly understood there are other—external—players who have helped cause our dilemma,” Hemmerdinger said.
“We have been brought to the brink of decision-making, but we refuse to bring this system, your MTA, to the brink of disaster,” he said.
MTA executive director Elliot Sander also gave a few words about the decision. “Believe me, neither the Board nor the senior staff of the MTA would be advancing these measures if we had any other choice.”
Sander explained that hope to avert the fair increases and service cuts is in the hands of the legislature. “I hope that the State Legislature will soon reach agreement on a plan that not only helps us avert the fare-and-toll increases and service cuts, but also provides a long-term solution to the MTA’s operating and capital needs.”
Although some sympathize with the MTA’s situation, several residents and city officials spoke out against the approach being taken. Hope is being placed in New York Governor Paterson and the legislature to find an alternative.
New York City Comptroller William Thompson Jr. spoke at a press conference to announce his opposition to the MTA’s fare hikes and service cuts.
“This is going to be an incredible weight on the backs of New Yorkers and those who rely on mass transit to get to work, to get around. The ‘doomsday budget’ that the MTA is putting in place today doesn’t have to occur,” Thompson said in a video of his speech.
“We need the legislature and the governor to take action, stop the clock, move forward.”
Sharing that opinion, members of Transportation Alternatives gathered in Union Square Wednesday morning to encourage commuters to call their state senators and demand they save the NYC transit system with an MTA bailout.
The group, each dressed in a tuxedo gave willing commuters a script and phone number to call their senators on the spot. “If they didn’t have [a cell phone] we gave them ours,” said Wiley Norvell, communications director of Transportation Alternatives in a phone interview.
“People were fired up and reaching for the phones. We had close to 400 calls in the four hours we were there,” he said.
“We’re not that particular about what compromise passes, but to leave this giant hole in the MTA’s budget is leading to disaster and there are only so many ways to fill it. We think that the ways that have been proposed by Dick Ravich and Sheldon Silver are probably the only ticket in town right now because there’s just no money anywhere else.”
They weren’t the only who stepped forward amid the enactment of the new budget.
Members of the Straphangers Campaign were among many who came to the MTA meeting in protest, holding signs calling for New York Governor David Paterson and the Legislature to step forward with an MTA bailout.
“These fare hikes and service cuts can’t stand. This can’t be the end of the story. We’re encouraged by our discussions in Albany to think that, in a classically messy way, the legislation will come to our rescue,” said Gene Russianoff, staff attorney for the Straphangers Campaign in a phone interview.
He added that despite their protest the Straphangers understand the situation of the MTA.
“I don’t think they had much choice here. To me, the focus has to be on the state—the governor and the legislative leaders. It’s their responsibility to come to the decision,” Russianoff said. “I’m not criticizing the MTA. We don’t support fare hikes and service cuts, but they’re broke.
A full list of fare increases and service reductions can be seen at http://mta.info/mta/09
In the new budget, subway, bus, and commuter rail fares will be increased from $2 to $2.50, monthly MetroCards will now cost $103.00, the W and Z lines will be shut down, 35 bus routes will be eliminated, and there will be service cuts during off-peak hours on weekends.
Subway and bus lines in New York City and Staten Island will experience the fare increases starting May 31. Fare increases on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will be enacted on June 1. MTA bridges and tunnels will see toll increases beginning July 11.
Service reductions will begin in May.
During the board meeting, MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger thanked the groups and people who understand the situation of the MTA. “Our customers may not be 100 percent happy with us, but this time many clearly understood there are other—external—players who have helped cause our dilemma,” Hemmerdinger said.
“We have been brought to the brink of decision-making, but we refuse to bring this system, your MTA, to the brink of disaster,” he said.
MTA executive director Elliot Sander also gave a few words about the decision. “Believe me, neither the Board nor the senior staff of the MTA would be advancing these measures if we had any other choice.”
Sander explained that hope to avert the fair increases and service cuts is in the hands of the legislature. “I hope that the State Legislature will soon reach agreement on a plan that not only helps us avert the fare-and-toll increases and service cuts, but also provides a long-term solution to the MTA’s operating and capital needs.”
Although some sympathize with the MTA’s situation, several residents and city officials spoke out against the approach being taken. Hope is being placed in New York Governor Paterson and the legislature to find an alternative.
New York City Comptroller William Thompson Jr. spoke at a press conference to announce his opposition to the MTA’s fare hikes and service cuts.
“This is going to be an incredible weight on the backs of New Yorkers and those who rely on mass transit to get to work, to get around. The ‘doomsday budget’ that the MTA is putting in place today doesn’t have to occur,” Thompson said in a video of his speech.
“We need the legislature and the governor to take action, stop the clock, move forward.”
Sharing that opinion, members of Transportation Alternatives gathered in Union Square Wednesday morning to encourage commuters to call their state senators and demand they save the NYC transit system with an MTA bailout.
The group, each dressed in a tuxedo gave willing commuters a script and phone number to call their senators on the spot. “If they didn’t have [a cell phone] we gave them ours,” said Wiley Norvell, communications director of Transportation Alternatives in a phone interview.
“People were fired up and reaching for the phones. We had close to 400 calls in the four hours we were there,” he said.
“We’re not that particular about what compromise passes, but to leave this giant hole in the MTA’s budget is leading to disaster and there are only so many ways to fill it. We think that the ways that have been proposed by Dick Ravich and Sheldon Silver are probably the only ticket in town right now because there’s just no money anywhere else.”
They weren’t the only who stepped forward amid the enactment of the new budget.
Members of the Straphangers Campaign were among many who came to the MTA meeting in protest, holding signs calling for New York Governor David Paterson and the Legislature to step forward with an MTA bailout.
“These fare hikes and service cuts can’t stand. This can’t be the end of the story. We’re encouraged by our discussions in Albany to think that, in a classically messy way, the legislation will come to our rescue,” said Gene Russianoff, staff attorney for the Straphangers Campaign in a phone interview.
He added that despite their protest the Straphangers understand the situation of the MTA.
“I don’t think they had much choice here. To me, the focus has to be on the state—the governor and the legislative leaders. It’s their responsibility to come to the decision,” Russianoff said. “I’m not criticizing the MTA. We don’t support fare hikes and service cuts, but they’re broke.
A full list of fare increases and service reductions can be seen at http://mta.info/mta/09
