In what has become an annual ritual, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and allies LI ACORN and RWDSU/UFCW Local 338 testified at the Nassau County Legislature’s Government Services Committee Budget Hearing last night to demand an increase in Nassau County’s contribution to Long Island Bus. The County has yet again proposed a budget which keeps its funding of the system the same as ridership and operating costs increase.

Ana Dighero of LI ACORN was the most moving in her testimony, stating that because of a dearth of service, she and many like her often “have to take a cab in the opposite direction of where we need to go just to have access to a bus that will allow us to reach our destination without being tardy [to work].”

RWDSU/UFCW Local 338 representative Neal Tepel echoed this sentiment, adding that Nassau County must find a dedicated and stable solution to funding LI Bus. Mr. Tepel said that Long Island Bus “provide[s] a critical service to residents and Nassau County must work with the state and the MTA to ensure dedicated funding. Without a permanent budgetary solution, LI Bus, one of the largest suburban transit systems in the country, will continue to struggle each year for its existence.”

Tri-State’s testimony, in recognition of the dire straits of the regional economy, offered alternative solutions to Nassau County’s lack of funding. One such recommendation was for the County to reach out to U.S. Sens. Clinton and Schumer and ask them to work to win back federal operating support for local transit systems (including the MTA agencies), which virtually ended in 1998.

In response, the members of the Government Services Committee offered talking points and platitudes about the importance of the LI Bus system, but offered no guarantee of increased funding from the County.

Whatever Nassau County elected officials decide to do, they must do something, and fast. It is high time that Nassau County start treating LI Bus for what it is–a vital backbone in Nassau’s economy and future development, and a necessity for the 33 million people who board it every year.