Look out parents, beware children, there is a new “Grinch” in town. He is not stealing Christmas this time, but he is picking your pockets to the tune of about $1,000 a year per student.
This “Grinch” is stealing your free ride to school on the MTA’s buses and subways – half in September 2010 and all of the free ride in September 2011. Ouch!
Additionally, if you live or work in Queens this “Grinch” has targeted you for drastic cuts in bus and subway service too. He proposes to implement service cuts, including eliminating two subway lines, several bus lines and cutting night or weekend service on other routes.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board approved a 2010 budget that would cut bus and subway service, especially in Queens, and leave all New York City children without free rides to public schools.
The MTA is blaming a $383 million budget gap in its $11 billion budget due largely to a cut in state aid and lower-than-expected revenues from a payroll tax that was enacted to fund public transportation.
Under the budget plan, New York City students who get free MetroCards would start paying half fare in September 2010 and full fare in September 2011.
This bone-headed decision to revoke the longstanding policy of free or discounted rides that has been in place since 1948 will force students or their families to pay nearly $1,000 a year. Some 417,243 students now receive free MetroCards, and another 167,912 get half-fare cards.
“It is wrong for the MTA to eliminate free student MetroCards because I see it setting off a ripple effect,” Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said. “The city’s decision to close several neighborhood high schools means students who live nearby will be forced to travel farther. Without that benefit [free MetroCards], some families may have to choose between paying for food or transportation to school.”
Most of all we hope that the “Grinch’s” new policy does not result in students missing school for lack of a few dollars, jumping turnstiles or dropping out of school completely.
The “Grinch” of “Whoville” fame did have a change of heart, we hope our MTA “Grinch” will too and allow our children to get to school for free.
