Comments on: Doomsday News: MTA Votes, Paterson Plays Chicken, Monserrate Indicted

By: vnm

vnm — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:42:04 +0000

I was told that the Senator called for the MTA to open their books and sell off their real estate.

When is this charade going to stop? The MTA posts all of its audited financial information on it's website, and also its forward-looking budgets. MTA Audited Financial Statements Much more MTA financial information MTA Budget Much more MTA budget information If he wants to look at the MTA's books, Kruger just needs to get a computer with an Internet connection. High speed is preferable, but dial-up will do.

By: Sholom

Sholom — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:48:21 +0000

Matt,

There is a cutoff date that will be set for using old unlimited metrocards. Say the new fares go into effect on June 1, on May 31 you can usually buy 3 monthly metrocards that won’t expire by the time you need to use them.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:46:14 +0000

Since it appears very likely that this fare increase will be approved, I’m considering purchasing a half-dozen month metrocards at the current $81 fee to use over the next 6-months. Does anyone know any reason why this won’t work?

Thanks

By: t

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 22:00:03 +0000

That’s the amazing thing. We live in a political climate where a 50 cent toll on East River bridges — about 15 dollars a month — would be politically untenable, but a $22 increase for subway and bus riders is perfectly fine.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:07:20 +0000

“I was told that the Senator called for the MTA to open their books and sell off their real estate. There is no reason for people in Brooklyn to pay for going to the city.”

I pay to go into the city from Brooklyn (by subway) every day. Why is THAT alright with Kruger? What a load of crap.

By: Sholom

Sholom — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:42:13 +0000

I live in Senator Carl Krugers district and just called again and asked why Carl won’t vote for ERB tolls. I was told that the Senator called for the MTA to open their books and sell off their real estate. There is no reason for people in Brooklyn to pay for going to the city. He said that owning a car is already so expensive that they don’t want to make it any more expensive. To this I told him that 18,000 people us the Kings Highway station daily. This is the fifth busiest station in all of Brooklyn and fewer than the 6000 of the 103,000 people that commute to work take the bridges. At the end of the day I and another 56,000 of his constituents will be paying 2.50 a fare, not to mention so many seniors who won’t be able to afford access-a-ride. To these comments there was no response. He really needs to be voted out of office as he has become too comfortable in his position.

By: t

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:26:21 +0000

These proposed fare hikes are an assault on the working class. A $22 dollar increase on a monthly card represents about three hours’ pay to someone working minimum wage. (And that’s before taxes are taken out. Post-taxes, it’s an even bigger share.) With the cost of everything going up and with wages stagnating, I’m afraid that the fare increase will have the negative affect of hurting the economy more than it helps the MTA.

More time spent commuting to and from work, based on proposed service cuts, represents an even bigger stab in the financial back to those paid by the hour.

Toll the bridges. I doubt too many drivers earn $7.15 an hour.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:21:55 +0000

Why spread the pain evenly? Focus the service cuts in the handful of Senate districts that are holding up a deal. Or end free transfers to keep the fare at $2.