In advance of tomorrow’s hearing on the transportation section of the New York State 2014-2015 Executive budget, a coalition of transit, labor, business, environmental, good government and rider advocacy groups issued a statement on the proposed diversion of dedicated MTA transit funds:

Transit riders should be concerned. The 2014-2015 Executive Budget contains a troubling diversion of MTA dedicated funds that could mean a rough ride for bus and subway riders, workers, and manufacturers. In the Budget, $40 million in dedicated transit funds, which pay for day-to-day operations, service and maintenance are being diverted into the General Service Debt Fund. With this action, Governor Cuomo reneges on an agreement the State made with the MTA in 2002 in which the State would pay for $2.4 billion in MTA debt.

This proposal, which first occurred with a $20 million diversion in the 2013-2014 NYS budget, is not only planned again this year, but in 2015, 2016 and beyond. In total, nearly $350 million could be siphoned away from transit in future years.

New York’s transit riders have endured a series of painful fare hikes and service cuts, and the MTA’s finances remain precarious. In the absence of strong lockbox legislation, our organizations predicted this outcome. Although the NYS Legislature unanimously passed Lockbox legislation in 2011, and again in 2013—legislation that was supported by over 200 organizations across the state—the 2011 bill was nullified, and the 2013 bill was vetoed by the Governor. Our groups ask the Legislature to again uphold the protection of dedicated transit funds: reverse Governor Cuomo’s proposed diversion of $40 million in dedicated transit funds to the state’s General Service Debt Fund and reject proposed future diversions of dedicated transit funds.