MTA fare hikes unpopular, but needed

The Island Now

Residents of Great Neck, New Hyde Park, Herricks, Williston Park, Garden City along with others who reside in our Town of North Hempstead, Nassau County and neighboring Queens County who utilize the Long Island Rail Road, New York City Transit subway and bus should join me in taking a brief trip down memory lane to understand why the Metropolitan Transportation Authority has had to implement previous and this month’s fare hike. 

For decades, under numerous past MTA Five-Year Capital Plans, both New York City and New York State collectively cut billions of their own respective financial contributions. They repeatedly had the MTA refinance or borrow funds to acquire scarce capital funding formerly made up by hard cash from both City Hall and Albany.

 For those public officials who oppose any fare increases and are quick to demagogue on this issue for political purposes to win upcoming primary or general elections, just how would you assist the MTA in balancing current financial shortfalls? Which capital improvement projects would you propose the MTA cancel to help balance the budget and avoid fare increases? On which route(s) would you support service reductions to save operating dollars? Would you volunteer to reduce service, cancel or delay any capital projects benefiting constituents in your district?

 How many public officials have a Metro Card and ride the system like millions of constituents do on a daily basis?

 MTA services continue to be one of the best bargains in town. Since the 1950s, the average cost of riding either the bus, subway or commuter rail has gone up at a lower rate than either the consumer price index or inflation. The Metro Card introduced in 1996 affords a free transfer between bus and subway. Prior to this, riders had to pay two full fares. Purchasing either a weekly or monthly pass further reduces the cost per ride. Many employers offer transit checks, which pay even more of your costs.

 Fare hikes are probably justified if the MTA is to provide the services millions of New Yorkers on a daily basis count on. They are inevitable due to inflation along with increasing costs of labor, power, fuel, supplies, materials, routine safety, state of good repair, replacement of worn out rolling stock, upgrades to stations, yards and shops along with system expansion projects necessary to run any transit system.

In the end, quality and frequency of service is dependent upon secure revenue streams. We all will have to contribute – be it at the fare box or tax revenues generated by different levels of government redistributed back to the MTA.

 

Larry Penner

Great Neck

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