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Photograph of Governor Paterson, Richard Ravitch, and Mayor Bloomberg by Seth Wenig/AP
Yesterday, the Ravitch Commission released its recommendations for closing the MTA's budget gap. You can read the report here (PDF) or take a look at the highlights, which include: An 8% bus, subway and commuter train fare hike; adding tolls to the now-free Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg Bridges as well as the Harlem RIver bridges (no toll booths, just EZ Pass or bills sent to drivers); and a "mobility tax" for employers in 12 counties "equal to one-third of one percent of wages ($330 per each $100,000 in payroll)," according to the Daily News.
While lawmakers in the outer boroughs and suburbs are opposed to the recommendations--Assemblyman Michael Gianaris told the NY Times, "Any solution that disproportionately burdens middle- and working-class people who live in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn is not a fair way to deal with this, and that’s what tolling the bridges would do"--Governor Paterson, who indicated that things were open to negotiation, said, "These are tough times. Difficult choices are going to have to be made, by legislators, by executives, and even by the riders and the drivers in the greater metropolitan area, with respect to the M.T.A.” Mayor Bloomberg supports the plan, and, heck, even Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver agreed the burden of closing the budget gap can't be put on straphangers alone!
The city papers like many of the ideas. A round-up of their editorials:
- The Post's editorial hates the payroll tax--"Think about it: Do companies need further incentive to cut labor costs in New York's current recession economy?"--but likes the idea of tolling East River Bridges.
- The Daily News thinks the Ravitch Commission plan is the "best hope for preserving mass transit," pointing out, "Yes, it will be tough. Mass transit is on the brink, and there's no single, simple fix."
- And the NY Times editorial states, "The right choice would be to spread that pain around beyond those who take public transit,"
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Does this mean pay cuts for MTA brass? Betcha it don't.
Be thankful that at least they are mandated to balance the budget immediately.
The feds smile and sweep the turds under the rug.
At first glance at least this plan doesn't look so bad. Certainly better than the massive cuts the MTA initially proposed.
I like that it spreads some of the burden to drivers.
just let the damn MTA go bankrupt. Its not like the tunnels suddenly will disappear. It will break all the bad deals, contracts, useless employees, corruption and debt in one big move and the pieces can be reorganized into something that actually works. The more money you throw at the MTA as it stands the more it is wasted.
The main thing that sucks about any of this is that once you toll things and raise fees, the NEVER EVER EVER EVER return to what they were before (or do away with tolls) once the economy gets strong again. Look at the Verrazano and Triborough (oops RFK) bridges. Those tolls were supposed to go away when the bridges were paid for. How many decades ago did that happen? Many. The MTA gets used to sucking off the public tit and once they get used to the money they just can't turn it loose. Believe me, toll the bridges and raise the fares, and you could fast forward to a time of prosperity like 2006 and you will still have the same prices - or higher since the MTA is a big stinking BLACK HOLE.
legalize it, yeah, don't criticize it.
Are bike riders going to be charged for using the bridges?
Fuck the MTA, Paterson and that scumbag Bloomberg...
Let those thieves go bankrupt. NO tolls on the poor!
Did any of you whiners actually READ the report?
It does a pretty good job of explaining how the MTA's financial situation came about AND stresses the importance of a healthy public transportation system on the region.
The solution it proposes takes most of the burden off Joe Public Transportation rider and enables safeguards to ensure the funds get used properly, mainly paying down the huge debt from past capital improvements while maintaining a viable way of paying for current and future improvements.
A bankrupt or severly crippled MTA is not in the anyone's best interest, whether you can ride your bike to work or not.
Did Ratvitch investigate the MTA before he devised this plan? It doesn't appear like he has.
I believe increasing the sales tax is a better option. It's a more broad tax that is a consistent source of revenue.
Tolls are not a good option. Tolls have the ability to choke the local economy. If you are familiar with the negative effect tolls have had on Staten Island, you'd be against them.
But, then, we have Uncle Sam. There is always the option of dipping into the Federal Highway Trust Fund. Alas, Mayor Doucheberg, the conservative cocksucker her is, wants to do away with the Federal Highway Trust Fund. Just like his pal Senator John McCain. He already attempted that with congestion taxing. Is this another attempt?
Why don't they levy a tax on assholes who wear red ties?
10 - We have all read it... I've read the entire report they put out and nowhere does it talk about dealing with the real systemic issue the agency faces which are long term pension and health liabilities which have been soaring. It is entirely about how to steal more money through additional fees and taxation.
We've been down that road countless times and if we made these changes would be here again in 1-2 years. Time to slaughter the pig and let it get reorganized in bankruptcy. Any tax they levy on our salaries would only continue to increase.
If I'm going to be forced to pay the MTA than it might as well be on the fare side not through another stealth tax where I have no control. The MTA already get money in payroll taxes, sales taxes, gas taxes, tolls from people statewide who may never step foot on the system in their lifetime and are not served by it... Enough already. In bankruptcy the system would still continue to work, but the core issues can finally be resolved.
Bankruptcy time :-)
Time to break it apart. If the state wants to subsidize the units of the MTA, they can do it 1 by 1.