Politics

MTA Fare Hike: Bloomberg Can Play Santa

Mayor Could Advise Board Members To Vote For Delay

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Mayor Michael Bloomberg could stop the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's proposed fare hike in its tracks, becoming a hero to tens of thousands of commuters.

But will he?

Bloomberg did have transit on his mind Thursday, but it was the Sanitation Department's ability to plow the streets he wanted to talk about.

"Please, this winter, don't screw it up," Bloomberg said.

Commuters hope the mayor will take that advice when it comes to the MTA's proposed hike. He could be transit riders' best friend and stop the increases from happening.

"If the city who have four voting members decide not to support this fare increase you've got a real up in the air situation and it could fail," said Barry Feinstein, chair of the MTA's finance committee.

The mayor didn't want to talk about the fare hike Thursday. He wasn't answering questions of any sort, but aides say he is still looking at the MTA's numbers. They say he wants to make sure the agency is being run as efficiently as possible before he makes his decision.

"The mayor's got the ball in his court," Feinstein said. "He's going to have to make decisions. All the things it could do to reduce its own costs. I obviously believe they have."

Three board members have already indicated they will vote no. They want to postpone the fare hike to see if the state legislature will give the MTA money. Transit advocates hope the mayor will take that position, too.

"I think the mayor could strike a real blow for subway and bus riders and for commuters by directing his four members to vote for a delay on the fare hike," said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign.

The MTA is scheduled to vote on the fare hike on Dec. 19.

Under the current fare hike proposal, bus and subway base fares would remain at $2 but multi-ride MetroCards, tolls and commuter rail fares would be raised just under 4 percent. 

WCBSTV.com's Most Popular Pages

Slideshow: World's Most Bizarre Deaths
Slideshow: 100 Greatest Movies Of All Time
Slideshow: The Coolest Fighter Jets…Ever!
Slideshow: Lindsay Lohan Grows Up, Or Does She?
Slideshow: Celebrity Sex Tapes Revealed

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)