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March 19, 2015- New Yorkers like to think that they are tough and demanding, but they actually tolerate far too much. The public transportation, for example, is horrendous, and few people get upset. When the MTA wants fare hikes, they get them, and the governor suffers few consequences.
However, the subways are becoming intolerable even for jaded New Yorkers. The NYT reports, “Widespread problems across the subway system in recent weeks have left weary commuters waiting on crowded platforms, stranded inside stalled cars and scrambling to find alternate routes. With a fare increase set to go into effect on Sunday, riders across New York City are complaining of having to pay more when service is worse.
On Sunday, the base fare will rise to $2.75, from $2.50, the latest in what the authority has said will be regular — and necessary — increases.
Transit advocates say that while they understand the angst over another fare increase, they are focused on securing money from state and city officials for the authority’s capital plan, which includes many of the very upgrades that would bring meaningful improvement to commutes. The plan proposes $32 billion in spending over five years, but it is $15 billion short — the largest funding gap ever and a striking sign of the difference between what the system needs and what the authority can afford.
Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, has called the plan “bloated” and has not addressed the funding gap, instead publicly drawing attention to other infrastructure projects, including a new Tappan Zee Bridge and his proposal for an AirTrain to La Guardia Airport. But the authority’s chairman, Thomas F. Prendergast, has argued that the measures outlined in the capital plan are essential, such as replacing aging cars and tracks, modernizing the signal system so more trains can run and beginning the next phase of the Second Avenue subway.”
Why should these conditions surprise us? The MTA has a brilliant strategy of degrading services prior to rate hikes to “train” us to believe that they need more money for better service. The New York Times recently reported that there are “5.5 million riders on an average weekday”. That’s 13.75 million dollars a day. Where is that money going? How is it possible that we have a authority that isn’t required to open it’s books (the real books)? All of this doesn’t add up. Perhaps some of that one dollar charge for each and every metro card (that, in itself, is a racket) should be used to pay for printing on each and every one of those cards the website where the books can be found and reviewed by every member of the public.