By Larry Penner
The cardboard cutout of “Governor Mario And His Entourage Wait For The 7 Train” and accompanying article “Faux Cuomo rides the rails to protest 7 track conditions” (July 17) both clearly illustrated the lack of state financial commitment to public transportation.
In the critical area of public transportation, both Cuomo and the State Legislature failed to provide any significant new funding to bridge the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s $14.1 billion shortfall in the proposed Five Year 2015-2019 $32 billion capital plan.
This will result in the MTA and its various operating agencies, including New York City Transit bus and subway, MTA bus, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North Rail Road and Capital Construction, having to make some additional difficult decisions in deciding how to prioritize the expenditures of limited resources. This will trigger consideration for deferral of many critical capital improvement projects into the next 2020-2024 Five Year Capital Program.
Cuomo previously stated that the proposed $32 billion Five Year Capital Plan was bloated by billions, To this day, Cuomo has never identified which projects and programs are “bloated” and that he would support being cut, including those which would benefit commuters.
It is difficult for the MTA and its various operating agencies to maintain a state of good repair for all rail cars, support equipment, stations, fare collection equipment, track, signals, power, yards, shops, safety and security etc without adequate funding. Any additional new stations, fleet expansion, yard and shops and pocket tracks necessary to provide new service may also have to be reduced or postponed.
Riders can look forward to additional service delays and more fare increases beyond the next scheduled for 2017.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
