Nov 5, 2007 6:35 pm US/Eastern
MTA To Hold Public Hearings Over Fare Hikes
Lawmakers Offer More Funding To Offset Proposals
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
The MTA says it wants to hike subway and bus fares, but not before giving the public a chance to speak out on the issue. The first of several public hearings began Monday at the organization's headquarters in Brooklyn.
The MTA may hear an earful on the proposal to have commuters cough up more cash to swipe their cards and climb aboard.
"You stink. Your trains are bad. My boss is always on my back for being late," says subway rider Linda Benson. "Give me a raise so I can afford to pay the raise."
"I feel like there's no improvement. They really need to show something so they can justify an increase," said commuter Lisa Antonucci.
Public officials are also concerned about a fare hike. Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz joined the straphangers campaign, handing leaflets to subway riders Monday morning and telling them to let Gov. Eliot Spitzer know that there needs to be more state aid to prevent fares from increasing.
"It seems that the government has to have a greater role to provide subsidies to keep the fare as low as possible, not to raise it whenever they believe it is necessary," says Markowitz.
With future budget deficits coming down the track, MTA bosses said they would need a steady and significant financial bailout to avoid the 25 cents per ride increase.
MTA Director Elliot Sander says he needs more than $300 million a year, on top of the $2 billion in two years from Albany, and he doesn't think that's going to happen.
"My concern is that at the end of the day, with Wall Street doing badly, with the city cutting back, with the political situation up in Albany, our concern is making sure we get the money," says Sander.
Straphangers, in the meantime, are hopeful that a deal can be reached to keep fares where they are.
Lawmakers announced new legislation that would increase city and state aid to the MTA by $660 million, enough to halt the scheduled fare hike in February dead in its tracks.
Assemblyman Richard Brodsky (D-Westchester) told the MTA as much last month: "Ask us for more money ... I believe additional resources can be found to save the fare."
The bill would give the MTA more than $305 million for subway and buses operating expenses, as well as more than $32 million for the commuter railroads.
The totals would be matched by the city.
The MTA is proposing raising tolls at bridges and tunnels as well to generate $262 million next year, and they are skeptical about relying on Albany politics and state money.
"It just puts at risks the future of the Second Avenue subway. It puts at risk the system that we have worked so hard to build," MTA CEO Eliot Sander said.
"They are talking about a fare hike effective March 1. The budget is due March 31. That's no big deal, so waiting a couple of weeks shouldn't be any skin off their nose," says Gene Russianoff, who is taking part in the straphangers' campaign. "I'm hopeful. I am a transit rider. I hope for the best and am on guard for the worst."
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