New Yorkers are mad as hell about plans to cut transit service, Access-a-Ride, and free NYC student MetroCards — public hearings across the MTA region have been well-attended and often rowdy, marked by overflow crowds, chants, and even arrests. But without political leadership the cuts may be inevitable. The MTA is facing a $750 million budget gap.
In testimony at the Bronx and Brooklyn hearings, Tri-State Campaign staff members delivered four messages:
First, we urge the MTA to redirect 10% of the obligated, but not yet spent, federal stimulus dollars to help alleviate these service cuts and the possibility of a 2011 fare increase greater than 7.5% already proposed. Congress recognized the severity of budget gaps facing transit agencies across the country and allowed this one-time flex for operating. Taking this action would yield $90 million in stimulus funds to reduce the scale of service cuts as they are currently proposed. Transit users who need to get to jobs, businesses who need a reliable workforce that can get to work on time, and students who need to get to school need this short-term fix.
Second, we call on Governor Paterson and the State Legislature to step it up. Cutting state aid for student transportation from $45 million to $6 million was unthinkable. And claiming that you’ve done your share to save Metrocards by restoring only $19 million of the $39 million gap (which doesn’t include the rising costs of student transportation over the past 15 years) is unfair.
Third, we call on Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the City Council to contribute their fair share. New York City has not increased funding to the MTA since 1995. Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council must work closely with the state and the MTA to establish funding formulas for transit aid that account for inflation and escalating costs of the system. Using 1995 rates as the baseline for funding shortchanges the system in 2010.
And finally, we urge transit riders to take action. Transit funding is a political problem. If you are tired of coming to these hearings and do not want to be back here next year fighting another round of service cuts and fare hikes, get in touch with your elected officials today and ask them what they are going to do to ensure that our trains and buses are running.
Before the hearings, NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn joined Council Transportation Chair James Vacca and advocates to deliver over 40,000 petitions against planned transit cuts, another indication of the depth of feeling on the issue. The Councilpersons were joined by members of the Straphangers Campaign, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Council of Senior Centers and Services, UPROSE/Students for Transportation Justice, WEACT, and Transportation Alternatives. Quinn and Vacca have previously said that the MTA should use stimulus funds to lessen service cuts while the city should consider increasing funding for student MetroCards if the state agrees to raise its contribution.
Hearings will continue in Manhattan and Rockland County tonight, and in Suffolk County on Monday.
Protesting in its rhetorical form has its limitations, especially when you are intending to reverse legislation that was created by non publicly elected, self interested group, facing a major budget crisis. Try something different to get their attention. http://blog.cabcorner.com/2010/03/let-your-actions-speak-louder-than-words/
Might we see a re-emergence of congestion pricing amidst all of this hand wringing over the service cuts? I noticed that you guys are advocating for the use of stimulus funds to cover some of the operating costs, which indicates to me that your stance on the use of congestion pricing is that it is a political nonstarter at this point. Could a potential frame for the reintroduction of CP be that if straphangers must suffer with through the inevitable cuts and fare hikes, motorists must share in the sacrifice as well?