Bloomberg, Spitzer Approve MTA Fare Hike

So much for halting the hike! Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Spitzer have both given their approval of the MTA's proposed 4-7% fare hikes for subway and bus riders. The base fare will remain $2, but the unlimited Metrocard prices will increase.

The Mayor (from China apparently) said, "Based on the information that my staff and I have received and reviewed over the past few weeks, I am now satisfied that the MTA budget is a responsible plan that includes important cost reductions. I agree with Governor Spitzer that this fare increase is necessary to maintain an adequate level of service and balance the needs and obligations of all who use this critical part of the region's infrastructure." However, the Straphangers' Campaign Gene Russianoff said, "The Spitzer administration should not propose a state budget filled with inadequate support and gimmicks for transit."

The Daily News is bitter, and their editorial board writes, "Gov. Spitzer and Mayor Bloomberg aren't the ones standing at the bus stop every bone-freezing morning. They're not the ones who have to claw through the throngs on the train platform to get to work halfway on time. No, that's you."

And City Council Member Simcha Felder said, in what Second Avenue Sagas calls the best statement from a City Council member, "I’m not surprised that the MTA has found a new way to rip us off by holding the base fare favored by tourists at $2, while raising every other fare, including the fares of the weekly and monthly unlimited passes. Hard working New Yorkers, who have to deal with crowded trains, delayed and intermittent service, and dirty subway stations every day should be the ones shielded most from fare hikes."

The NY Times does some math to figure out the best Metrocard option and ultimately finds, "Whatever you are doing now is what you should do in the event of a fare increase." And what about yesterday's ballyhooed webinar, which was supposed to be a way for the public to interact with the MTA about the fare hike, but ended up flaming out? Well, this is the email we got from MTA CEO and Director Lee Sander:

Dear Webinar Participant,

Thank you for taking the time to register for today’s fare and toll webinar. Unfortunately, we experienced some technological difficulties which created difficulty for some participants to view the slide presentations being given. For that we sincerely apologize.

Even though the technology didn’t work perfectly for us this first time, the webinar format and the extremely successful Public Engagement Workshop we held on November 17th, were noble experiments to expand our public outreach efforts. We learned a lot today and look forward to better employing the electronic element in the future.

The good news is that virtually everyone who signed on was able to hear the presenters and to submit questions. In fact, several hundred questions were asked by the hundreds of individuals who ultimately joined us. Since many were similar in nature, we will categorize them and post answers on the MTA website (www.mta.info) later this week, along with a complete copy of the presentations that were given.

We also encourage you to review the details of the current fare and toll proposals at www.mta.info and to submit comments on those proposals by e-mail or by writing us at 347 Madison Ave, NY, NY 10017, prior to the MTA Board’s deliberations on this matter on December 19th.

Again, thank you for joining us today.

Sincerely,

Elliot G. Sander
Executive Director
and Chief Executive Officer

If you made it online to the webinar, let us know. We suspect no one not related to the MTA made it. In the meantime, check out the webinar presentation (PDF).

Photograph of Metrocard origami by edEx on Flickr

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on December 11, 2007 12:44 PM

Comments [rss]

dylanexpert

OF COURSE THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THE FARE HIKE! Join us outside the MTA's offices at 347 Madison Avenue (44th St) at 8:00 am on Wednesday, December 19th where we will protest the Board's almost certain decision to raise most subway and bus fares. Even after the decision goes through, we will not stop!

Go to http://fightthehike.wordpress.com for more details.

David

Kojak

ok, Maybe quality is a mixed bag, but I have to say service as a whole has improved, which forces me to ask... when was the last fare hike anyway?

Mike D

Kojak: How has the quality improved? Are you being sarcastic?

Kojak

"sure, all prices are increasing, that's inflation, but how come subway and bus service is DEcreasing"

Compare the quality of service now from the last time the fare was raised and you'll see service has improved significantly since then and a fare increase is warranted and needed. And keep in mind that this is NOT a private for-profit organization but a public benefit corporation and any fare increase would go into improvements for the system and not into the coffers of rich overweight white men smoking cigars.

At least thats what I'd like to believe...

However.. theres alot more room for improvement. ALOT more... I just hope the extra funding is spent wisely.

Matt Joyce

The cost of the MTA doesn't anger me. It's their ability to rob New York, while doing their jobs badly. Peter Kalikow was a criminal, and he's simply entrenched a leadership in the MTA that's adept at funneling funds into capital projects that simply aren't worthwhile investments.

The 2nd Ave Line project was planned and budgeted for before the NYC subway was even completed. That project is as old as the subway itself. And there has been almost no progress on it in the past 150 some odd years. It's a money pit, like so many other scams the MTA's leadership is involved in. And while they burn cash and make deals the Subway falls into massive disrepair, service levels drop significantly, and the fare rates continue to rise.

All the while the MTA has a deficit to rival that of the Federal Government. Yet we still got to handle that lovely strike the year before last because Kalikow as willing to claim a surplus despite all of these eternally growing issues.

I don't mind them raising the fares if they intend to use that money to fix the subway system. But they don't. They are just looking for another way to rob the people of NYC.

TKaisen

Its the same concept on why Toyota is now dominant, b/c they average $41/hour total labor cost per employee and GM averages $71.

Toyota is non-union. GM and the MTA are union. You can't "trim the fat" in union shops... especially in a company that's completely protected from going under.

Mike D

With the taxes paid in NYC and New York in general it's especially vexing how little one gets for it. Raising the fares isn't really that fair.

MaiaW

I'm no fan of the fare hike - it's New Yorkers who live in the city in particular who get screwed. That said, if we want a Second Avenue Subway and all the other fancy projects on top of maintaining the aging beast, you can't expect it to just stay the same forever. To keep things in perspective: The single-ride Boston subway fare is at $2, and those guys don't even get to ride past midnight! Also, if all those 30-day unlimited card holders make just one round trip every day, the one-way fare only comes out to $1.33 with the hike. That's not too shabby, considering plenty of us use it far more than that.

jazzy

raising the rates would be fair if they raised the quality of service now, instead of in 2013.

the hike is total garbage.

buy a bike. go green. kill two with one stone.

Mike D

With the taxes paid in NYC and New York in general it's especially vexing how little one gets for it. Raising the fares isn't really that fair.

Mike D

With the taxes paid in NYC and New York in general it's especially vexing how little one gets for it. Raising the fares isn't really that fair.

JMH

I don't usually agree with him, but Simcha Felder is right on in this case.

Toby von Meistersinger

Of course we all know that Spitzer will highlight he saved the $2 fare, ignoring the fact that the majority of riders get screwed in the process.

Raise the base fare to $2.50.

Now what we wonder is if you buy unlimited MetroCards ahead of any fare increase will they still be valid. People used to hoard tokens before fare increases, which of course worked if they didn't change the token.

As for the "webinar" is is more smoke and mirrors to make the MTA look like they are actually getting public input in the process.

jazzy

if everyone walked for just 1 week out of the new year, instead of buying a weekly unlimited MTA card, we could rob the city of roughly 1 billion dollars in profit.

DOPT,

TAKE A HIKE!

camera_club

worst news I've heard today. Is this a done deal? Any more chances to "fight it"?????

books

god you ppl are so far from rightous outrage, its no wonder the govt can get away with what it does - 'get over it' - 'vote them out of office next time' '$5 is nothing' -

The MTA can create billion dollar shortfalls whenever the please - what was the thing the other day a glass subway platform cause some big wig thought it'd be cool - unnecessary employees, manhattan train lines, its a monopoly that should be owned by the people of the city - not a bunch of corrupt neopotists. And every time they raise the fare you should be reminded of that and be angry, but instead you roll over and of course they're just going to keep walking over you - sigh

burgerdeluxe

The fares (across the board, not just monthly unlimited) should be raised 20-30%, and then take that influx of cash to speed up repairs of the whole subway network, and help bring the old debt service under control. Borrowing more money to keep paying the interest on your old loans is just goddamn stupid, but that's in effect what the MTA keeps doing.

This might hurt initally, but will prevent the crying and bitching every 18 months that there's a fare hike. The whole NYS mentality of public benefit corporations being able to print money really needs to be reigned in, and this is the best way to start.

Steven

All these politicians say is use public transportation and to cut down on pollution and traffic yet sometimes it's cheaper to drive than use public transportation.

Just look at the rip off prices the LIRR and Metro North charge. MTA thinks everyone is loaded with money.

Bloomberg is a business man. All is cares about is the $$$$. Why doesn't he donate some of his money to the MTA? Plan on taking your billions when you leave the earth?