Trust the MTA With Money - Ha!

The MTA will have a surplus of over $900 million this year, which is $100 million more than originally projected (thanks to the real estate bubble), and State Comptroller Alan Hevesi wants the MTA to spend it wisely. Now, that's where the laughs start, because as much as we love the MTA, the MTA does not know how to spend anything wisely, as evinced by today's Times story that includes mention of some new rail ties that were supposed to last 50 years but are crapping out at 8 years. Hevesi would rather the MTA spend the surplus on proletarian concerns, like avoiding fare and toll hikes, instead of spending it on a deck over the West Side railyards to make it more attractive to future real estate developers. Plus, Hevesi says the MTA should think about moving its headquarters to areas where they already leases offices instead of the West Side. Now, don't go talking about logic and trying to make the money stretch, State Comptroller, because the MTA does need to spend about $130 million more for its security plans.