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Ravitch Commission's MTA Funding Report Released

The NY State Commission on MTA Financing, led by former MTA chair Richard Ravitch, has released its report (available on TSTC’s website) outlining a comprehensive proposal to save transit riders from the agency’s doomsday scenario, put the MTA on stable footing for years to come, and support a major capital plan — similar to the one proposed in February that would finish the MTA’s megaprojects, bring the system closer to good repair, and begin work on major improvement projects. The report also recommends major expansions of bus service throughout the region and management and government reforms to make the MTA more transparent and politically independent.

The plan outlines three main funding sources:

  • A regional “mobility tax” applied to business payrolls of 0.33% within the 12-county MTA region. The tax would raise $1.5 billion a year, which would plug the MTA’s operating deficit in 2009 and be used only for capital expenses after that. Tax revenues would go to a new Capital Financing Authority, which would assume the debt for current and future MTA expansion projects, relieving the debt pressure on the MTA’s operating budget.
  • Tolls on the East River and Harlem River bridges, which would net revenues of $600 million annually. The report recommends setting East River bridge tolls equivalent to the MTA’s other crossing tolls (currently $5) and setting the Harlem River bridge tolls at the price of a subway fare. All tolls would use high-speed, cashless collection that would not impede traffic. In doing so, the MTA would take over responsibility for maintaining the bridges from NYC (a clear benefit for the city). Revenues would go towards bridge maintenance first and then to mass transit (specifically, to expanding bus service).
  • An 8% fare and toll increase in 2009 (down from the 23% increase needed in the “doomsday” scenario). The plan also recommends automatic, bi-annual fare and toll increases based on the rate of inflation that would not be subject to public hearings (public testimony would still be heard at MTA committee and board meetings; more frequent or larger hikes would require hearings). This is the weakest part of the plan and seems to go against the spirit of the transparency reforms outlined later in the report.

Other major proposals include the creation of a regional bus authority which could take control of suburban bus systems like Long Island Bus and Westchester’s Bee-Line Bus, potentially ending the annual battles over funding and resulting in substantial service improvements for bus riders.

Transparency reforms include putting on the MTA’s website all reports by NYC’s Independent Budget Office and the state comptroller that deal with the agency, and asking the state comptroller to do a follow-up to its 2003 “two sets of books” report that would describe whether the MTA is complying with the recommendations of that report. The commission also recommends putting online up-to-date budgets for all major capital projects, and says the next capital plan should include detailed justifications for large capital projects (including the consequences of not doing them).

The commission also calls for significant changes to MTA management structure. It recommends that full executive authority be vested in the chair, which would require modifying a 2005 law separating the chair and CEO roles. In the commission’s view, a re-empowered chair would have more political independence than the current CEO, which the report compared to an agency head serving at the governor’s will. The report also recommends that board members step down within six months of the expiration of their terms and that new board members have relevant experience in transportation, finance, labor relations, or other areas of expertise.

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[…] avoid doomsday, state legislators and Gov. Paterson will have to pass the Ravitch Commission’s funding recommendations (including a payroll tax and tolls on East and Harlem River bridges) or find another way to fund […]

Phil G
Phil G
15 years ago

I’d rather see a 3% tax on businesses in manhattan only. Call it a cost of doing business in manhattan. Maybe then large firms would look to the other boros for real estate. I cant believe idiots are still talking about congestion pricing .. under the guise now of bailing out the MTA. The cost of implementing tolls (ie: cameras, computer systems, oversight, manpower,etc..) could be better used on other things. But most of all.. the MTA needs to get its 6.5 billion labor expenditures under control before asking for anything else from the public.

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[…] To avoid doomsday, state legislators and Gov. Paterson will have to pass the Ravitch Commission’s funding recommendations (including a payroll tax and tolls on East and Harlem River bridges) or find another way to fund […]

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[…] To avoid doomsday, state legislators and Gov. Paterson will have to pass the Ravitch Commission’s funding recommendations (including a payroll tax and tolls on East and Harlem River bridges) or find another way to fund […]

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[…] discussion continued on the Ravitch Commission plan, which would institute a payroll tax and East and Harlem River bridge tolls to fix the MTA’s […]

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[…] City has expressed its commitment to pushing this forward in the next legislative session.  The report on MTA financing released in early December by the Ravitch Commission also calls for expanded bus service and bus […]

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[…] of the New York recommendations echo those in the Ravitch Commission’s report, including new taxes and tolls, regional bus, and bus rapid transit. The State Legislature is also […]

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[…] doomsday, state legislators and Gov. Paterson will have to pass the Ravitch Commission’s funding recommendations (including a payroll tax and tolls on East and Harlem River bridges) or find another way to fund […]

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[…] fare hikes and service cuts, to take effect in March. State elected officials need to pass the Ravitch Commission plan — or find another way to fill the funding gap — before that happens. This entry was […]

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[…] bus is one of the recommendations in the Ravitch Commission’s report on funding and reforming the MTA. While some of the Ravitch funding recommendations, such as a […]

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[…] NY.  Many New Yorkers — and perhaps even some upstate legislators who must vote on the Ravitch Commission plan to fund the MTA with a payroll tax and East and Harlem River bridge tolls — may not know that […]

Nathanael
Nathanael
15 years ago

Inflation-adjustment for fares is frankly a good idea. It prevents the “stuck at ten cents” or “stuck at a nickel” problem which bankrupted streetcar and subway operators in the late 19th and early 20th century. It also prevents a gratuituous and stupid stream of media attacks every time inflation requires a fare adjustment.

If they ever end up with too much money they can always cut fares. :-)

In the current environment of *DEFLATION*, of course, there would be automatic fare *DECREASES*.

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[…] bus is one of the recommendations in the Ravitch Commission’s report on funding and reforming the MTA. While some of the Ravitch funding recommendations, such as a […]

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[…] happy to learn this concept has been studied for at least 40 years now, but there’s something to be said for persistence. Needless to say, Tri-State feels that four decades of studying tolls have more […]

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[…] seven times, including three public hearings in Manhattan, Westchester, and Long Island, before releasing its final report that […]

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[…] eye toward broadening the skill sets on the board. Former Lt. Governor Richard Ravitch and others have argued that board members should have experience in transportation, finance, labor relations, or other […]

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[…] horrifically over budget, which forces the MTA to borrow the money instead). This comes a decade after the state passed a different slew of taxes to solve the MTA’s funding mess, which, spoiler alert, didn’t solve the MTA’s funding […]

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