Comments on: Time for Working Families Party to Step Up for Riders, Endorse Bridge Tolls http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/04/27/time-for-working-families-party-to-step-up-for-bridge-tolls/ 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: Moser http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/04/27/time-for-working-families-party-to-step-up-for-bridge-tolls/comment-page-1/#comment-67105 Moser Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:41:15 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5984#comment-67105 Ever see any union leaders of any kind, including TWU, show up to something on the bus or train? Labor leaders who want to drive around without paying are probably WFP's main problem here. Ever see any union leaders of any kind, including TWU, show up to something on the bus or train? Labor leaders who want to drive around without paying are probably WFP’s main problem here.

]]> By: mfs http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/04/27/time-for-working-families-party-to-step-up-for-bridge-tolls/comment-page-1/#comment-67083 mfs Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:14:42 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5984#comment-67083 As someone who has defended the WFP here multiple times, I strongly agree with this sentiment. It is time to ask for shared sacrifice, including from Manhattan-bound drivers. Raising bridge tolls at other MTA crossings is only going to drive more cars to the free bridges. As someone who has defended the WFP here multiple times, I strongly agree with this sentiment. It is time to ask for shared sacrifice, including from Manhattan-bound drivers. Raising bridge tolls at other MTA crossings is only going to drive more cars to the free bridges.

]]> By: Rhywun http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/04/27/time-for-working-families-party-to-step-up-for-bridge-tolls/comment-page-1/#comment-67082 Rhywun Tue, 28 Apr 2009 01:01:13 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5984#comment-67082 Ms. Gelinas is right: union concessions and social spending cuts are crucial. Unfortunately, our current leaders are, shall we say, unlikely to pursue such a course of action. Ms. Gelinas is right: union concessions and social spending cuts are crucial. Unfortunately, our current leaders are, shall we say, unlikely to pursue such a course of action.

]]> By: Larry Littlefield http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/04/27/time-for-working-families-party-to-step-up-for-bridge-tolls/comment-page-1/#comment-67080 Larry Littlefield Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:26:53 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5984#comment-67080 After all the fun everybody had sucking money out of the future, you didn't expect they'd be lining up to prevent the resulting institutional collapse, did you? Nope, everyone just wants to delay that collapse a little while longer, and make someone else the patsy. Or is refusing to even cooperate with that. Conservative think tankers blame retiree benefits: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124061278398254359.html The TWU believes that "waste, fraud and abuse" is the only reason it won't get a 1.5% cost of living adjustment (in a year when the cost of living is falling and many people's wages are too). They want to audit the MTA's books and find the hidden billions. http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20090424/FREE/904249958 Drivers don't want to pay. Riders don't want to pay. No one dares to suggest the retired should pay anything. It's a fiscal tragedy of the commons, and has been for 15 years. I'm not sure who aggravates me more: the evildoers who are steering what is left of the ship into the rocks by refusing to cooperate (ie. the fare hike four), or the evildoers who want to suddenly seem like they are on the side of the angels. The clear winners are those who cashed in and moved out; the clear losers anyone who plans to live in this city in what was the far off future but is increasingly the near future. The most painless way out is unacceptable to all concerned, as it would likely involve something like "doomsday" plus the Ravitch plan or equivalent plus cost cuts. The most likely way out is 20 years of sacrifice and rebuilding following an institutional collapse. After all the fun everybody had sucking money out of the future, you didn’t expect they’d be lining up to prevent the resulting institutional collapse, did you? Nope, everyone just wants to delay that collapse a little while longer, and make someone else the patsy. Or is refusing to even cooperate with that.

Conservative think tankers blame retiree benefits:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124061278398254359.html

The TWU believes that “waste, fraud and abuse” is the only reason it won’t get a 1.5% cost of living adjustment (in a year when the cost of living is falling and many people’s wages are too). They want to audit the MTA’s books and find the hidden billions.

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20090424/FREE/904249958

Drivers don’t want to pay. Riders don’t want to pay. No one dares to suggest the retired should pay anything. It’s a fiscal tragedy of the commons, and has been for 15 years.

I’m not sure who aggravates me more: the evildoers who are steering what is left of the ship into the rocks by refusing to cooperate (ie. the fare hike four), or the evildoers who want to suddenly seem like they are on the side of the angels.

The clear winners are those who cashed in and moved out; the clear losers anyone who plans to live in this city in what was the far off future but is increasingly the near future. The most painless way out is unacceptable to all concerned, as it would likely involve something like “doomsday” plus the Ravitch plan or equivalent plus cost cuts. The most likely way out is 20 years of sacrifice and rebuilding following an institutional collapse.

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