Senate Dems Want To Pass Tentative MTA Plan This Week

Photograph by thelexiphane on Flickr

The Senate Democrats' tentative agreement on a plan to bailout the MTA is a small bit of relief because it proves that Albany can sometimes get things done after weeks of kicking and screaming. Sure, the Dems' plan isn't great (no bridge tolls on East or Harlem River bridges), and it's unclear whether capital projects will be funded, but at least the fare hike would only be 8%—and not 23-25%—and there would be few or no service cuts. A single ride would cost $2.25 (up from $2) while a monthly card would cost $88 (not $81).

In order for the State Senate to pass the plan, Majority Leader Malcolm Smith needs all 32 Democratic Senators to approve it, since Republican Senators hate it. Two Long Island Senators, Craig Johnson and Brian Foley, agreed to support it, but only if Governor Paterson does reimburse school districts for the payroll tax included in the plan (twelve counties' businesses will be hit; those closest to NYC will pay 34 cents per $100, but "businesses in Orange, Putnam and Dutchess counties would pay only 25 cents" according to WCBS 2). More details about the plan—which includes the MTA needed to undergo a "forensic audit"— after the jump. Smith is hoping they can pass the plan this week.

The Daily News reports that, per Smith, 25% of the $1.76 billion goes towards capital projects, but the Times points out that Paterson "said that he would support the Senate version of the rescue plan even though he did not expect it to contain money for the capital program. It was not clear why the governor and the Senate had different interpretations of how the plan would affect capital spending." Which leads the Post's and Daily News' editorials to rip the Governor. However, a few hours ago, Paterson signaled they were working on a way to find money for capital projects.

Components of the Senate Dems' tentative plan from WCBS 2:

* No tolls on the East and Harlem river bridges

* An 8-percent fair hike, individual tickets going from $2 to $2.25 instead of $2.50, monthly passes going from $81 to $88 instead of $103

* A payroll tax of 34 cents per $100, but businesses in Orange, Putnam and Dutchess counties would pay only 25 cents.

* A 50-cent taxi surcharge only on yellow cabs

* A $25 motor vehicle registration surcharge

* A driver license surcharge of 25-to-30 percent

* A 5-percent increase in the auto rental tax

In the interest of increased transparency, the MTA will also be forced to make public the perks it gives to its executives.

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

By Jen Chung in News on May 5, 2009 2:45 PM

Comments [rss]

s0me_g0d

"Sure, the Dems' plan isn't great (no bridge tolls on East or Harlem River bridges)"

What is so good about tolling the bridges?

Steven

I don't get why the rest of the states should suffer for the MTA?

A $25 motor vehicle registration surcharge

* A driver license surcharge of 25-to-30 percent

* A 5-percent increase in the auto rental tax

????

imadick

and anyway, those surcharges are really paying for the 9-cent payroll tax reduction in those three bullshit counties upstate.

Steven

What an ignorant comment that was. Everything has to be about New York Ciy, right? Why should Orange, Dutchess and Putnam have to pay about the same payroll tax as the city? They barely have any MTA propety besides the few train stations for Metro North, which on Orange side doesn't even go to NYC without a connection in NJ.

Why should upstate NY have to support the MTA? How would city people feel if they're supporting the local bus routes in the upstate NY cities? If anything it should be the under the federal government level and not the state.

imadick

so... you think that upstate shouldn't be paying for nyc. and your solution is to hand the mta to the federal government... where upstate, and the rest of the country will pay for it.

sir, your logic is impeccable.

wcoastpark

Perhaps upstate should be chipping in because New York City pays out more in tax dollars than they get back. If upstate doesn't want to fund the MTA, I'm fine with it as long as we get to keep all of the tax dollars we pay out to the state for your bridges and roads. A recent study by The Center for Governmental Research backs this up, showing that NYC "contributes significantly more in revenue than it receives in state funds."

imadick

because new york city suffers the interstates upstate.

but seriously, the surcharges are a backdoor regressive tax.

we should just be taking the money away from the schools or forestry or something.

PTG in nyc

Like most people in this state, I'm not too big a fan of Paterson, but ripping into him about something like capital projects is a joke. Even if his plan did contain the money, it's not like the MTA wouldn't squander it anyway. Let's be thankful the idiots in Albany are doing something and call it a day.

Can they please pretty please conduct said "forensic audit," which would hopefully result in them figuring out just how fucked the MTA is?