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Dunh dunh DUNH! Governor Spitzer has announced that he is asking the MTA to hold off raising subway and bus fares! Spitzer, who has been smarting from widely hated policy proposals and low approval ratings, made a pre-Thanksgiving bid to show he's listening to his public and said, during a specially planned 9AM press conference, via CityRoom:
As the M.T.A. budget forecasts, their balance sheets yielded another $220 million. Based on the current economic climate that has so many New Yorkers feeling squeezed, it seemed only proper that this amount be returned to the riders. I am therefore calling on the M.T.A. to use these funds to reduce the proposed fare and toll increase. This reduction will ease the burden for the millions of New Yorkers who use the M.T.A.’s transportation network every day and will allow the M.T.A. to hold the base fare for subways and buses to $2.Wow, it's only taken Spitzer - and the MTA - about four months (when a 2008 & 2010 fare hike was first announced) to figure out that MTA revenue would be able to stave off a fare hike for now. While Governor Spitzer says he's calling on the MTA to reduce the fare hike, he's actually the one with the power to help out the MTA with state funding - something the MTA has been lacking for many years.
So far, it's unclear if when a fare hike would be needed in the future, but it seems that governors like to schedule them earlier in their terms, rather than later - but our guess is that Spitzer is so battered, he wants a boost from relieved New Yorkers.
Update: The base subway and bus fare may stay at $2, but the cost for unlimited Metrocards may rise (the MTA needs to do some calculations - let's hope they are using the counting machine that reminded them of revenue surpluses). Bridge and tunnel tolls may still rise as well. In the mean time, let's look at where the additional $220 million came from:
- Farebox revenue - $60 million due to an approximately one percent increase in anticipated ridership
- Real estate taxes - $60 million higher than expected
- Underspending - $60 million saved
- Debt service costs - $40 million saved
And MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger promised to discuss the matter at the December board meeting, “When I was confirmed I said I would listen to the public and review the numbers and I am thrilled that we are able to give something back. I believe this is a compromise that helps our customers without compromising our fiduciary responsibility, and I look forward to discussing it further with my fellow Board members.” Let's hope those board members attend that meeting.
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bravo, and screw the MTA
Spitzer's probably compiling dossiers on all the board members as we speak. When it's all over, half his staff will be indicted, the fare will go up to $2.75, and Joe Bruno will come out smelling like a rose.
wait, wait, wait. spitzer is doing something that the public will actually agree with? that's not the elliot we know!
Spitzer is trying the time honored tradition of futzing with subway fares in order to gain popularity in the traditional Democrat strongholds downstate. It looks like a salvage operation for his reputation at worst, at best it looks like damage control from scandal.
Who cares if it's a political ploy? At least this one isn't screwing us over.
Spitzer doesn't control the MTA. He could pull back Lee Sander and Dale Hemmerdinger, but that would be a power grab on a scale not seen since the days of Moses. It's a public benefit corporation that operates outside of the Governor's sphere. He just recommends those who head it.
Good point, Ben K - I've revised to note that Spitzer has the power to increase MTA funding. Thanks!
"Spitzer is trying the time honored tradition of futzing with subway fares in order to gain popularity in the traditional Democrat strongholds downstate. It looks like a salvage operation for his reputation at worst, at best it looks like damage control from scandal."
Now let's bring it to one of the other sides of the story--the MTA does a fucking awful job of doing anything; ESPECIALLY transit. If they were nearly half as efficient as any of the East Asian systems, then a fare hike may be justified.
No problem, Jen.
If you'll allow me to plug my own site for a second, I feel like Spitzer is ignoring the long-term financial problems facing the MTA and is trying to curry favor with the voters. Unless he can offer a sound financial plan for the Authority, they really shouldn't delay the fare hike. I don't like the idea of a fare hike, but I've seen their financial projects, and the picture is not pretty.
If anyone's interested, I've written more about that on Second Ave. Sagas.
if the Columbus Circle Station is any example of how they spend their budget, then they should all be fired and a whole new management team brought in. That station, the platforms and all of the entrances have been under construction (for a year? longer??)and the whole experience is an absolute disgrace.
And it does not even look close to being finished. What a mess...
Tgirl: That's an ongoing project that involves completely renovating that station from top to bottom. They're doing asbestos abatement, ADA upgrades, and a complete overhaul of a station that was badly in need of repairs. It's not going to wrap up until 2009. For a sneak peak, take a look at the architectural plans. It's too bad that it's going to take so long, but it's a pretty major project.
Yeah, and if they didn't do it then you'd bitch and moan about how they let the station go to shit. Be realistic -- these things can't get done in a week.
Ben K: for the amount of work they are doing at Columbus Circle, you would at least expect them to correct a big mistake - no IRT express stop there.
Yeah...well they should do something. Now the subways will be clogged with all those undocumented immigrants who can't drive!
Am I the only one left who actually likes pretty much everything Spitzer has proposed?
Toby:
You can't be serious.
I don't understand why they can't eliminate the waste from other city departments and funnel that savings into the MTA before raising fares.