Comments on: Paterson Abandons Long-Term MTA Financing Effort http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/ 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: Mark Walker http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67397 Mark Walker Mon, 04 May 2009 22:11:07 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67397 With Paterson's poll numbers weak across every conceivable group, you'd think he'd be more enthusiastic about funding transit, even if it's a losing battle. If nothing else, it would expand his political base in the place where he should be strongest -- NY area transit riders. Instead, he's the governor of a state that's one Big Mac away from a fatal heart attack, and the best thing he can think of is to ladle on more secret sauce. With Paterson’s poll numbers weak across every conceivable group, you’d think he’d be more enthusiastic about funding transit, even if it’s a losing battle. If nothing else, it would expand his political base in the place where he should be strongest — NY area transit riders. Instead, he’s the governor of a state that’s one Big Mac away from a fatal heart attack, and the best thing he can think of is to ladle on more secret sauce.

]]> By: Cap'n Transit http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67395 Cap'n Transit Mon, 04 May 2009 21:15:15 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67395 <blockquote>I don't think anything comes to the floor unless all members of the delegation agree beforehand that they'll vote for it (in return for some backhand dealing). In this way, all of nyc is governed, by a small minority of legislators, who won't consent.</blockquote> But - but - the Albany Project kept telling me that all that would change if only the Democrats got control of the State Senate!

I don’t think anything comes to the floor unless all members of the delegation agree beforehand that they’ll vote for it (in return for some backhand dealing). In this way, all of nyc is governed, by a small minority of legislators, who won’t consent.

But – but – the Albany Project kept telling me that all that would change if only the Democrats got control of the State Senate!

]]> By: Pags http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67394 Pags Mon, 04 May 2009 21:12:18 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67394 The writing is on the wall. They are going to one shot this payroll and fee money and get somewhere between $15B and $18B. Albany knows there is no going back for capital plan money. If they have this much trouble finding money to stave off huge fare hikes and service cuts, why would they suddenly be able to find new revenue to one shot for a five year capital plan? They can't and they won't. Assuming an operating deficit of $1.8B/year, the one shot will be good enough to pay for four or five years of current operations with enough left over to pay off the current capital plan. The Second Ave subway is either going to be paid for by the feds or cancelled. In five years we'll have this discussion again. The writing is on the wall. They are going to one shot this payroll and fee money and get somewhere between $15B and $18B. Albany knows there is no going back for capital plan money. If they have this much trouble finding money to stave off huge fare hikes and service cuts, why would they suddenly be able to find new revenue to one shot for a five year capital plan? They can’t and they won’t. Assuming an operating deficit of $1.8B/year, the one shot will be good enough to pay for four or five years of current operations with enough left over to pay off the current capital plan. The Second Ave subway is either going to be paid for by the feds or cancelled. In five years we’ll have this discussion again.

]]> By: Larry Littlefield http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67393 Larry Littlefield Mon, 04 May 2009 20:24:51 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67393 What is the average age of members of the New York State legislature, including Paterson who is an ex? How many care about anything past "the next few years?" What is the average age of members of the New York State legislature, including Paterson who is an ex? How many care about anything past “the next few years?”

]]> By: Larry Littlefield http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67392 Larry Littlefield Mon, 04 May 2009 20:23:43 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67392 Sometimes they tell the truth by accident. Paterson in The Daily Politics: "Let’s just clear up the issue so that over the next few years the people who ride the subways and use the commuter trains and ride the buses will not have to worry about the fares and the service cuts. Then we can move on to the capital plan.." After the next few years? How many is that? If you've noticed a large number of signal failures on the IND lately, blame about a seven year gap in signal replacements in the 1970s, pushing those systems to more than 75 years old. And the first bond issue was passed for the Second Avenue Subway in the 1950s. Sometimes they tell the truth by accident. Paterson in The Daily Politics:

“Let’s just clear up the issue so that over the next few years the people who ride the subways and use the commuter trains and ride the buses will not have to worry about the fares and the service cuts. Then we can move on to the capital plan..”

After the next few years? How many is that? If you’ve noticed a large number of signal failures on the IND lately, blame about a seven year gap in signal replacements in the 1970s, pushing those systems to more than 75 years old. And the first bond issue was passed for the Second Avenue Subway in the 1950s.

]]> By: Car Free Nation http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67388 Car Free Nation Mon, 04 May 2009 19:15:05 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67388 I don't think anything comes to the floor unless all members of the delegation agree beforehand that they'll vote for it (in return for some backhand dealing). In this way, all of nyc is governed, by a small minority of legislators, who won't consent. When was the last time a bill came to the floor that failed. I don’t think anything comes to the floor unless all members of the delegation agree beforehand that they’ll vote for it (in return for some backhand dealing). In this way, all of nyc is governed, by a small minority of legislators, who won’t consent.

When was the last time a bill came to the floor that failed.

]]> By: Urbanis http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67386 Urbanis Mon, 04 May 2009 18:23:24 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67386 epc, the minority party may not be able to move a measure, but if Malcolm Smith knows he has enough votes from Democrat and GOP senators, he would bring the plan to the floor to vote. epc, the minority party may not be able to move a measure, but if Malcolm Smith knows he has enough votes from Democrat and GOP senators, he would bring the plan to the floor to vote.

]]> By: epc http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67385 epc Mon, 04 May 2009 18:03:04 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67385 W/R/T Bloomberg pressuring the Senate GOP to support the Ravitch plan: I don't think there's a mechanism in the NY State Senate for the minority to move a measure. This is what blocked Democrats from introducing measures in years past, even if they had moderate GOP votes to move the measure. If Smith won't introduce the Ravitch plan into the Senate then there's no way to vote on it, even if (unlikely) the entire GOP delegate voted in favor of it. W/R/T Bloomberg pressuring the Senate GOP to support the Ravitch plan: I don’t think there’s a mechanism in the NY State Senate for the minority to move a measure. This is what blocked Democrats from introducing measures in years past, even if they had moderate GOP votes to move the measure. If Smith won’t introduce the Ravitch plan into the Senate then there’s no way to vote on it, even if (unlikely) the entire GOP delegate voted in favor of it.

]]> By: Larry Littlefield http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67383 Larry Littlefield Mon, 04 May 2009 17:52:47 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67383 Who here is ready to concede that Doomsday would be better than establishing the precedents of: 1. Deferred maintenance in cases when the resulting service collapse would not occur until those "at or over 55" had cashed in and/or moved out. 2. Having New York City residents pay special extra taxes which are spent elsewhere. Perhaps in exchange for Bloomberg's city sales tax increase or the city income tax increase Quinn wants, the rest of the state would get 50% while paying nothing? 3. Raising payroll taxes to "save the MTA" and exempting retirement income, while using all the funds today and none of them for a futrue the retired don't care about. Does anyone really believe after having kindly given all that money (as if they paid it) to the "unaccountable MTA" the legislature is going to actually fund the capital plan? They haven't done so for 20 years (and the situation for road maintenance is as bad). We are approaching the Generation Greed endgame. The goal is to keep hiding the consequences as long as they can. Anyone who cares about the future of this city would vote no. Sheldon Silver, Mr. Obstruction, certainly is in no position to say he "has to" vote yes if this isn't his doing as well. Who here is ready to concede that Doomsday would be better than establishing the precedents of:

1. Deferred maintenance in cases when the resulting service collapse would not occur until those “at or over 55″ had cashed in and/or moved out.

2. Having New York City residents pay special extra taxes which are spent elsewhere. Perhaps in exchange for Bloomberg’s city sales tax increase or the city income tax increase Quinn wants, the rest of the state would get 50% while paying nothing?

3. Raising payroll taxes to “save the MTA” and exempting retirement income, while using all the funds today and none of them for a futrue the retired don’t care about.

Does anyone really believe after having kindly given all that money (as if they paid it) to the “unaccountable MTA” the legislature is going to actually fund the capital plan? They haven’t done so for 20 years (and the situation for road maintenance is as bad).

We are approaching the Generation Greed endgame. The goal is to keep hiding the consequences as long as they can. Anyone who cares about the future of this city would vote no. Sheldon Silver, Mr. Obstruction, certainly is in no position to say he “has to” vote yes if this isn’t his doing as well.

]]> By: Red http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67381 Red Mon, 04 May 2009 17:43:58 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67381 That's an interesting angle, Glenn. Sen. Durbin to champion capital funding bill for nation's seven largest transit systems: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=20312 That’s an interesting angle, Glenn.

Sen. Durbin to champion capital funding bill for nation’s seven largest transit systems: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=20312

]]> By: Urbanis http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67380 Urbanis Mon, 04 May 2009 17:33:29 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67380 Why isn't our mayor, who prides himself on riding the subway, busy arm-twisting Senate Republicans (especially the ones whose campaigns he contributed to) to support the Ravitch Plan? Why isn’t our mayor, who prides himself on riding the subway, busy arm-twisting Senate Republicans (especially the ones whose campaigns he contributed to) to support the Ravitch Plan?

]]> By: Glenn http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/05/04/paterson-abandons-long-term-mta-rescue-effort/comment-page-1/#comment-67378 Glenn Mon, 04 May 2009 17:26:48 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6061#comment-67378 Can I hazzard a guess at what's going on? Democrats in the state legislature and NY Congressional delegation think that the Feds will fund the capital plan, but not operating costs. I'll call this the Weiner/Smith cop-out on transit funding. And I don't think we should believe anything like this will happen until the money starts to flow. The central question in strategies like this is: If New York is not willing to fund a capital plan at all because of local political opposition to direct funding mechanisms, why should the Feds donate anything? Can I hazzard a guess at what’s going on? Democrats in the state legislature and NY Congressional delegation think that the Feds will fund the capital plan, but not operating costs.

I’ll call this the Weiner/Smith cop-out on transit funding. And I don’t think we should believe anything like this will happen until the money starts to flow.

The central question in strategies like this is: If New York is not willing to fund a capital plan at all because of local political opposition to direct funding mechanisms, why should the Feds donate anything?

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