Opposition to MTA fare hike grows

Before the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) began holding a series of public forums to discuss proposed fare and toll hikes, a group of 24 Democratic State Senators sent a letter to MTA Chair Dale Hemmerdinger, calling for a delay in increasing fares.
The letter lists contributing costs for the future of public transportation, including the possibility of congestion pricing, that the MTA should investigate before imposing the proposed fare increase of 25 cents, bringing up the individual ride cost to $2.25.
“Considering these factors, we firmly believe the MTA should delay its proposed fare increase until a more complete picture of New York’s long-range transportation plan emerges,” the letter read.
State Senate Democratic Majority Leader Malcolm Smith was one of the senators who opposed the fare hike.
“We took some time to look at all possibilities regarding the future of our public transportation system,” said Smith. “Once we carefully reviewed the budget, it was clear to us that this fare increase does not need to happen.”
While the MTA is expecting a surplus of more than $900 million at the end of 2007, the Authority is proposing a fare increase to offset a projected deficit in 2009.
“As we’ve said before, to prevent a possible fare increase, we would need a commitment from state legislation in excess of $2 billion,” said MTA spokesperson Jeremy Soffin.
“The proposed increase is just one piece of a four-year financial plan, which is preparing the MTA for a growing deficit that will reach $2.1 billion in 2011,” he said. “Thus, in addition to state funding, the revenues from increased fares will help us spread a potential surplus over the upcoming years, lessening the deficit in 2009, and preventing possibly higher fare hikes in the years beyond.”
The MTA already has an extensive set of plans for its 2008 budget, including increased service on the No. 7 train line, more new train cars for the N train, and additional Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) service and station upgrades.
Senator John Sabini, the ranking member on the State Senate’s Transportation Committee, like Smith, said that the MTA could afford to do without the proposed fare increase, even if that means foregoing some planned improvements.
“With congestion pricing looming, more people are going to get into the public transportation system,” Sabini said. “So a fare increase only hurts riders, especially low income workers and families who need to ride mass transit everyday.”
Soffin offered that the fare increase is not only about preventing future deficits, but also about keeping in line with inflation, and ensuring the Authority will remain proportionately affordable.
“We’ve proposed a cost of living increase of 6.5 percent over three years, thus the fare for riding the bus and subway everyday will still be manageable,” he said. “The MTA is very sensitive to the cost of living in New York, and is dedicated to keeping a proper city transportation system.”
Neither Smith nor Sabini would deny their opposition to the fare increase stemmed from questions surrounding the MTA’s sense of fiscal responsibility. Smith recalled 2002, when the Authority reportedly had two sets of revenue books, one of which detailed a $500 million surplus at a time when the MTA was increasing fares by 50 cents
“It’s mind-boggling to still find ourselves struggling to maintain our subways,” said Smith.
“We’ve had a decade of management at the MTA, that while good intentioned, may have come across as deceptive in the public eye,” Sabini said. “Governor Spitzer has been making changes within the MTA hierarchy, and hopefully, the new management will not only prove to be better for efficiency, but for transparency as well.”
The first fare and toll hearing to take place in Queens will be held at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel in Flushing on Wednesday, November 7.
One rider planning to make his voice heard is Yoon-Tae Cho, a Sunnyside resident who uses the No.7 train to go to work in Manhattan.
“It’s unfair for them to do this now, with a surplus,” Cho said. “For us who work, go to school and go about our daily lives depending on the subways and buses, we need an affordable source of transportation.”