The outrage surrounding the MTA’s proposal to stop subsidizing free NYC student MetroCards has gotten a swift response from NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn and state officials.  In a press event last Tuesday, the Speaker, along with the Straphangers Campaign, unveiled a four-point plan which they said would provide $171 million, enough to fund free student MetroCards and reverse planned systemwide service cuts.

The largest piece of the plan is reallocating 10% of federal stimulus funds from the capital budget to help plug the gap; the funds have not yet been spent.  The plan would also keep $50 million in operating funds in the operating budget, instead of using it for capital projects as the MTA has planned.  As Tri-State has said before, using capital dollars for operating expenses is neither a sound nor a sustainable funding practice — but given the harm that would be caused by cuts to transit, paratransit, and student transit, it may be a needed emergency measure.

Importantly, Speaker Quinn acknowledged the City’s responsibility in providing transit funds (specifically for student travel) and pledged to make this a “priority” in spring budget negotiations with the Bloomberg administration.  Much attention has been given to the state’s underinvestment in the transit system, but less attention has been directed towards NYC. Although the City continues to fund NYC Transit, it does so at 1995 levels despite the steep growth in transit ridership, and ensuing strain on the transit system, over the past 15 years.

Gov. Paterson said over the weekend that he would make “a positive announcement” on student MetroCards within two weeks. AMNewYork also reported that assemblymembers are tackling student MetroCards, with a “good outcome” predicted by Assm.  Richard Brodsky (D-Westchester).

However, state officials appear less willing to provide the funds that would reverse service cuts. Most of the attention from elected officials has focused on restoring school MetroCards, but service cuts would also prove devastating to many members of the public. When the state passed MTA funding legislation last year, transit riders bore a 10% fare increase — a sacrifice which was supposed to allow them to avoid service cuts.  Now it is the State, City, and MTA’s responsibility to keep their end of the deal.