A bipartisan bill introduced in the NY State Legislature would reduce Albany’s ability to raid dedicated MTA funds and could shine some additional light on the problem.
The bill (A6766/S4257) would prevent the executive branch from sweeping money from any dedicated MTA account into the general fund, for at least two years after a fare increase. As Streetsblog points out, nearly all of the recent diversions of MTA funds have been done through legislative action, which this bill would not prevent. (Only a constitutional amendment could prevent those.) In 2009 and 2010, Gov. Paterson and state legislators took $143 million and $17 million in transit funds, respectively, for the state budget. As part of this year’s budget, Gov. Cuomo and lawmakers agreed to sweep another $100 million from dedicated MTA taxes.
The bill could be most useful as an organizing vehicle that raises awareness of the problem among the public and lawmakers. State legislators have previously admitted that they voted for transit diversions without realizing they were doing so.
In the Assembly, the bill is sponsored by Assm. Jim Brennan (D-Brooklyn) and has picked up support from 15 assemblymembers. In the Senate, the bill is sponsored by Sen. Marty Golden (R-Brooklyn) and co-sponsored by Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens).
Photo: Andrea Bernstein/WNYC.
