Comments on: Today’s Headlines

By: Ace

Ace — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:25:52 +0000

700 Billion -1 Billion =699 Billion

By: JK

JK — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:50:07 +0000

Doubtful that congestion pricing would have had much of an impact on the current MTA fiscal crises. The mayor was adamant that pricing revenue go to the MTA capital plan — not the operating budget. In other words, congestion pricing money was to go to for the Second Ave subway, 7 train extension and new subways and buses, not paying for existing or expanded service or to keep fares affordable. The money was going to be used as collateral for more borrowing, not to pay down current debt. The most likely plan is they would have borrowed upfront against the next 30yrs of pricing revenue. Optimistically that would have produced roughly $6 to $8 billion dollars. Considering that the next MTA capital plan has a 19 billion hole, it’s unlikely current riders would have seen much of difference — except from the expanded bus service that the MTA was going to provide using federal grants and a share of pricing.

By: mike

mike — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:59:53 +0000

“We need to educate the pedestrians in our area to be very careful about crossing the streets,” Ullman said. “We don’t want to see them as patients in our emergency room with serious injuries.”

Eeeeeeh, thanks for playing….

Dr. Ullman is essentially discouraging physical activity here. Better she would have said, “we need to penalize drivers who drive recklessly, we need to re-engineer our streets for pedestrians and bicyclists and do everything we can to reduce the role of the automobile in our lives.”

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:54:46 +0000

“Silver, Glick, Brodsky and the others all need to explain themselves.”

I’ll provide the explanation, since they won’t.

“Our generations took everything and won. Future generations, and those who care about their own children, lost. Go to hell.”

And not just at the MTA, and not just in the state government.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:44:16 +0000

Property tax hikes, MTA service cuts could have been delayed or prevented with the influx of cash that Congestion Pricing would have brought to the city.

Silver, Glick, Brodsky and the others all need to explain themselves. Their resistance to imposing a user fee on the richest NY’ers who drive into the CBD during business hours will now cause higher taxes on all Ny’ers/

And by the way, where’s the $354 million your inexcusable actions cost the city? CP will come, bridge tolls will come and your lack of insight forever lost this city invaluable funds. Shame on you!

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:41:26 +0000

The MTA Board, which didn’t anticipate (or admit) what has happened so far, probably believes the proposed service cuts are brinkmanship in pursuit of more state and city assistance.

They’re wrong. It is just the beginning.

Depending one what happens, the cost of the floating rate debt and retiree pensions is likely to explode. Unlike transportation, the MTA is obligated to pay these monies, as the tax-free beneficiaries are people who matter.

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:29:53 +0000

Oil records largest-ever one day surge of $25 a barrel.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122212828647765299.html