Comments on: Promising Aid, Lawmakers Ask MTA Not to Raise Fares http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/17/promising-aid-lawmakers-ask-mta-not-to-raise-fares/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Larry Littlefield http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/17/promising-aid-lawmakers-ask-mta-not-to-raise-fares/comment-page-1/#comment-38626 Larry Littlefield Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:17:09 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/10/17/promising-aid-lawmakers-ask-mta-not-to-raise-fares/#comment-38626 One of the failed policies of the past was deferring fare increases (in fact cutting fares given discounts) for years as costs rose, borrowing the difference, followed by a massive, massive increase. The Assemblymembers need not worry. There is ample need for far more state funding than the MTA is likely to get, over and above the fare increase and even any "congestion fee." Particularly if another failed policy of the past, a pension enhancement, is repeated. By the way the policies of the past didn't fail for everyone. Those who cashed in and moved out made out pretty well. And they are the ones who mattered to all memembers of the NY State Legislature. These folks just want to deflect accountability for what they have done. One of the failed policies of the past was deferring fare increases (in fact cutting fares given discounts) for years as costs rose, borrowing the difference, followed by a massive, massive increase.

The Assemblymembers need not worry. There is ample need for far more state funding than the MTA is likely to get, over and above the fare increase and even any “congestion fee.” Particularly if another failed policy of the past, a pension enhancement, is repeated.

By the way the policies of the past didn’t fail for everyone. Those who cashed in and moved out made out pretty well. And they are the ones who mattered to all memembers of the NY State Legislature. These folks just want to deflect accountability for what they have done.

]]>