Comments on: MTA Big: Transit Is An “Inconvenience” Fit for “Common People”

By: steely

steely — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:40:13 +0000

Is this guy really this stupid? Even if you think these things, for godsake don't say them outloud to a report.

By: bernardo

bernardo — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:01:51 +0000

Why so much hatred? He can't be that bad.

After all, he and his wife Sondra have an eponymously dubbed foundation which supports various charitable projects, including the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV). At the most recent benefit for NYLCV, their foundation donated $25,000 to this environmental group and was recognized as as a "host" -- http://nylcv.org/Spring_Gala_Sponsors_2008 . (See http://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/255/donate.asp?formid=nylcvmeeting&c=7698521 for the invite with the donation categories.)

By: Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:34:53 +0000

Agreed, Spud. In fact I hesitated to write this up because it seems like such a distraction from the issue of MTA funding. But as you and Moser point out, this guy's attitude is telling. That's the story here.

By: Spud Spudly

Spud Spudly — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:16:34 +0000

As an aside, the whole issue of free passes for MTA Board members is a silly emotional issue, a tempest in a teapot cooked up by the tabloids to rile people up. In the grand scheme of things it makes no difference to anything. He's right about Cuomo.

But this d-bag's attitude toward the general riding public is a different story. It does matter and is likely indicative of a systemic problem.

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:04:21 +0000

A mere geographic technicality.

By: Urbanis

Urbanis — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:58:24 +0000

Except Brooklyn and Queens, of course

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:54:30 +0000

I've said it before, I'll say it again. LONG ISLAND IS NOT PART OF NEW YORK CITY! (this asshole makes me so happy my parents never moved to any kind of suburb)

By: fdr

fdr — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:52:24 +0000

From the MTA web site: Mack was appointed in 1993. His term expires June 30, 2009. (As of today, we can assume Paterson is looking for a successor.) He chairs the Long Island Rail Road/Long Island Bus committee (which is probably why he even bothers to ride the LIRR 5-10 times a year).
http://www.mta.info/mta/leadership/mack.htm

By: BicyclesOnly

BicyclesOnly — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:40:17 +0000

Last year I found that at least one retired DP&R official received free citywide parking placards allowing him to park his two Connecticut-plated private cars in the middle of Central Park 24/7. TA did a great job of pursuing the issue and I never see those cars in the Park anymore. I'm beginning to suspect that many, or even most most city and state agencies provide unconscionable lifetime perks to their administrators.

By: Kurt

Kurt — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:27:02 +0000

What a tool bag.

By: Spud Spudly

Spud Spudly — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:23:30 +0000

When I first read this story this morning on the train I thought that he must have been talking somewhere he shouldn't have and was overheard by reporters. But he was actually talking to the reporters themselves???? What an idiot!

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:18:38 +0000

"The guy is a pig but he reflects what is a major strand of elite opinion." We've talked about the corporate "Black Car" elite and the political "placard" elite. The MTA Board appears to be the point of intersection.

By: Urbanis

Urbanis — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:15:03 +0000

My god, everywhere we turn, there are self-serving, out-of-touch political hacks intent on doing nothing but increasing their own wealth and privileges! They're certainly not interested in actually benefiting the people who live and work in their jurisdictions.

The inmates are running the asylum, truly.

By: Moser

Moser — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:14:20 +0000

We should thank him for his "whacky rant."

The guy is a pig but he reflects what is a major strand of elite opinion, and that is what really matters around this town/region and gets reflected down into government agencies. Why sweat the quality of public transit or the fare when the common people ride it because they have no other choice.

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:57:15 +0000

How long has this guy been on the Board. And how much debt has he voted to in that time?

If ongoing replacment ceases and maintenance is once again deferred, I doubt he will be much affected.

By: Eric McClure

Eric McClure — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:36:34 +0000

Hmmm. The automatic date function on my computer must be malfunctioning. It claims the date is June 19th, but after reading this post, I'm certain it must be April 1st.

By: Mark Walker

Mark Walker — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:26:25 +0000

The MTA is a state agency. Cluelessness is the norm.

By: Benjamin Kabak

Benjamin Kabak — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 16:08:38 +0000

The best part — and I wrote this up on SAS — is that he says he's in touch with transit riders because he rides LIRR five to ten times a year. Most commuters ride LIRR ten times a week. Is the MTA Board really this clueless?

By: BicyclesOnly

BicyclesOnly — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:44:58 +0000

I hope folks noticed that Mack has 6 free E-Z passes that he claims not even to use--I'll bet he's given them to family members or employees: "An inventory in May showed that Mr. Mack, 66, had six free E-ZPass tags, but he said on Wednesday that he now uses regular tags of the paid variety." Should be "E-Z" enough to trace who is using these free passes.

By: Nick Peterson

Nick Peterson — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:38:05 +0000

Notice also that he said "ride in a car" -- not "DRIVE a car." There's a pretty big difference between the two.

Not to knock someone wealthy enough to have a car and driver. (After, the wealthy are people too!) But man alive -- if he can afford a car a driver, he can afford EZPass and a fare card! I, uh, think the latter are a lot cheaper.