Politics. That's what this will all come down to. Here's my theory: no fare hikes will be announced this year. Here's my rationale: it's an election year. Governor Paterson and State lawmakers are up for election in November. So, they will pony up the money and bail out the MTA. Their political lives depend on it.

The MTA's budget deficit is $400 million worse than projected, and there are several ideas on ways to close it. Straphangers rallied today asking the agency to redirect federal money earmarked for construction projects toward operating costs. But MTA Chairman Jay Walder won't do it.

Mayor Bloomberg said today he thinks congestion pricing should be back on the table. Some lawmakers want the State to chip in more. But another fare increase and more service reductions may be on the way.

Should the MTA consider shifting money for projects to keep fares where they are? Would you like to see congestion pricing or tolls on the free East River bridges created to balance the budget? How would you close the MTA's budget gap?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

It seems to me the MTA is doing something wrong. Why is there still a push for a 2nd Avenue Subway? Thirty odd years in the planning, and it still hasn't been completed. The residences on that side of the City have adjusted to the situation by having cars. This "Money Pit" called the 2nd Avenue Subway needs to stop. Has the elements of steel and concrete become rare minerals? At a billion dollars a subway stop, doesn't that seem insane to you!?! I live on Staten Island, we get around just fine. However; if you start cutting service on Staten Island, our ability to getting around will be dramatically affected. It will cost hundreds of billions of dollars to complete a Subway line that isn't needed. Put the money back into the budget and move on.!!

Ron - Silver Lake

Mayor Bloomberg is determined to have congestion pricing & tolls on the bridges. A few years ago I went to Canada from the Bronx;(total of over 323 miles.)I paid one toll??? Staten Island Ferry is still free??Why?? Roosevelt Island Tram still in use.??? why??? was suppose to be temporary until the subway was finished. Does the ridership justify keeping the tram in service-?? How many visitors use the tram in the summer? Unemployment is at a high-therefore people aren;t using the subways- now have bikers going to & from work-not using subways. No need for new subway construction-if the ridership is down?? Who was reviewing the MTA FINANCES LAST YEAR?? OBVIOUSLY THEY DIDN;T KNOW HOW TO ADD & SUBTRACT. I would get rid of the supposedly experts running the MTA & overseeing the finances etc.

Elizabeth
LIC

Hello John,

Just a little info that I think you would be interested in. This has to do with the number accounts with the private taxi companies and are also used and abused by the access a rides. I have known about this for many years but the last one just knocked me for a loop. It seems that if you have an account you can get a ride to and from the airports for just $2.00 and the MTA picks up the remainder of the fares. The politicians always seem to have their way to accommodate one way or another for votes. It's sickening.

Wow, it always seems to get better and better.

rory

The MTA should renegotiate the deals and charge more for the development rights to the Hudson and Atlantic rail yards, and make the developers pay now, instead of continuing to defer payments.

Richard
West side, Manhattan

Citizens would like to know where all the money going, what the MTA officials are doing with all that money, from the fare hike twice and other income, where all the money gone ?

Ruthann
Queens

Someone should look into the MTA taking more then the $2.25 for each ride. When we had tokens we knew how much we were spending. However, with the Metro card I am always left with an uneven amount on my card and swear they take out more then the $2.25 each time. They lie about the revenues and I wouldn't put it past them to steal from the riders. Why have they misplaced businesses along 2ND ave. to finish a subway line that they can't run? I say get rid of their fat salary and make them ride the trains to work. Give them the same as they give us. Get rid of those bus drivers that run red lights and shut the doors on you when it's raining only to stand there and wait for the red lights they don't run thru.

Love your show and keep up the great work.

R.B. :)

RE: JAY WALDER:

From the NY Times 09/16/09:

" . . . the package, which awards Mr. Walder an annual salary of $350,000 and severance worth upward of $800,000, along with housing and retirement benefits."

The MTA is tanking - AGAIN! - and we're paying this guy all this money?!?! FOR WHAT?!?!

Also, what subway line does Jay Walder take to and from work each day? I asked the MTA via their website and they gave me a ridiculous, vague reply that he takes a variety of subway lines so that he can fully appreciate the subway experience. Does this guy EVER ride the subway?!?!

Sheila
Bay Ridge

1st take money from other projects and use that

2nd FIRE the whole bunch in Managment-they cant do the job they should be fired its not my fault they put all the extra money into the stock market and real estate-that tanked - and now we are paying for thier mistakes

3rd put the commuter tax back in place

Jim
UWS

Anyone who bothers to complain about this anymore is wasting time, energy and their breathe. New Yorkers, including myself, born and raised in Manhattan with a fast paced life, must now accept the fact that lifestyle here in NY will have to slow down a bit, and you will have to give yourself enough time just to get to work early. No more sleeping in until the last minute. We can't count on a train every 5 minutes anymore like before. MTA is not only the way of life here, but if it's affected, our lives are affected also, and that's a shame.

Ari, Washington Heights

Hi John,

No we all are not in favor of this pricing. This Mayor has gone bonkers. To me he is antagonizing all of us and seems to be enjoying every minute of it.

Why do we need that #7 line station? He keeps spending money as though it belongs to him and another thing is like I mentioned the other night if we paid for the new stadiums why is it that the Yankee stadium metro station is only opened during games played there.

maxxiee
mp

Break up the infallible MTA by privatizing. Bloomberg's reelection meant congestion pricing but Walder is more comical than any of his predecessors who were all funny guys. Lets see less service with a spike in the fare, eliminating the M train in Manhattan and no sniffles pricing, I suggest the Mayor only be allowed in his townhouse as a timeshare, Walder resign and become a cleaner for Transit and how about a commuter tax, Mike?

John
Kissena Park

No matter what anybody does it will never solve the budget gap in the MTA. Our BIG problem has always been the TWU. That is where all our money goes. The sooner our politicos man up and rid the public of these extosionists then we can rebuild the MTA. Which at one time was the greatest most exstnsive public transportation system in the world.

Chip
Upper East Side

There's corruption in the MTA, hello? How about some stimulus money creating new subway lines, might create some jobs. In Paris it seems they have a new subway line every five years.

Michael
Lower East Side

Bring back the commuter tax, start congestion pricing and fire the MTA board. Hire people for the board that actually take the trains, buses and railroads.

Grace
Queens, NY

Yes, I believe some level of compromise is needed. However, what begins as a nominal financial disincentive and inconvenience slowly creeps up as the tunnel and bridge tolls in NYC have over the past several years.

Battery Park City

An obvious problem that's neglected are in the boroughs particularly in Brooklyn where individuals get on the back of the bus and jump the turnstile with overpaid/lazy entitled clerks ignoring it ... this is particularly true when it comes to 'minority' youth and even adults where drivers are likely afraid to confront them ...

also certain lines should shut down in the middle of the night particularly in Manhattan where there are multiple buses.

they should also generate funds by fining everyone that contaminates by spitting, it's disgusting and also by littering.

Jennifer, Kew Gardens

I think that one of the most untapped resources is street parking. Can we create 12' - 15' slots on the street, and rent them monthly so that people or corporations can rent them by the month. Charge users for an entire year. It's no different than post office box rentals.
There can also be some premium street parking that can be presold in high rent areas and can be sold in 10 year slots?

John Y from Manhattan

cut salaries all across the board with the exception of the ones doing hard labor in the train tracks. The private companies are doing it to survive.

Evie

Hey this is Earl from Harlem.

Why r we even listening to the MTA? Weren't they the same 1's with 2 different types of financial books sayn they were in debt just to have a billionm dollar surplus later that year? The MTA shouldn't be trusted anymore. They should be shut down and let the private sector come in and work the system with the needs and concerns of the people at heart. Honesty would bridge that deficit

OK..Eliminating the M train line is bogus... If they eliminate the line they kill downtown manhattan... The m train goes up to middle village where i used to live and that area will die if they cut the train line because they transfer to the bus and the kids who go to christ the king high school would be late or be discouraged to go to school.. I read in the paper the 7 train and w34th/10ave stop is 100 million.... theres the money right there...

hector, bronx ny

john, this is powerful stuff. it needs to go to a vote, get the people it affects to voice their opinion with a vote.

jim

One of the many superfluous projects from which funds could be removed is the installation & operation of the signs at bus stops which tell how many minutes it should be until the next bus (when it's supposed to come)!

Katherine
Ridgewood

I am always frustrated when government and bureaucracy must make things complicated. Use the stupid stimulus money so you don't have to cut lines and our kids can go to school. Period.

Jumaane D. Williams
Council Member, 45th District

The problem with congestion pricing is that it is regressive. Those with money will always buy their way out. How about mandating 2 or 3 passengers during rush hours?

Henry
Brooklyn, NY 11231

I remember 12 years ago when I had to pay a double fare. One for the bus one for the train. Do away with single fare.

Michele, Queens NY

What should be done:

As a start:

Eliminate all cars NYC pays for city employees that are used for going from home to work. No one should get a free car. They should take public transportation.

Charge all city employees for parking (except police) at top rates.

Pamela
UES

The capital projects are critical for the future of our expanding city. Using the stimulus money is a very irresponsible, short-term fix. It is time we find a way to solve the problem permanently.

Michael

Sooner or later people will be back to hopping the turnstiles!! Whoever is in charge needs to be fired!!

Anonymous

No one believes that congestion pricing money nor tolls on bridges will do anything except give Mayor Bloomberg and the MTA more of our money to waste.

Congestion pricing and bridge tolls will hurt at least 3 of the 5 boroughs. Those fact has not changed. Unspent capital funds should be used to subsidize shortages. Federal stimulus money should be used and Mayor Bloomberg should back off and stop trying penalize NY'ers for the MTA's financial woes.

Ann
The Bronx

I say, Raise the Fares. Let the People who use the subway pay what it takes to make it work. People think they should get everything free, nothing in this world is free. Pay Up.

Matthew in the East Village

Some transit authority workers have reported that some of the regular maintenance work on subways that they are trained and very skilled to perform has been let out (not sure if by competitive bids) to private contractors, at increased costs and inefficiency. The MTA should make sure it cleans its own house and eliminates unnecessary outside maintenance contractors and wasteful spending, before it either raises fares or cuts service that penalizes us riders.

Debra, Harlem

OF COURSE WE DO NOT WANT FARES INCREASED BUT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD GO BACK TO THE CONGESTION PLAN. DRIVERS SHOULD PAY THEIR SHARE WHEN DRIVING INTO THE CITY. IF THEY CAN AFFORD TO OWN A CAR THAN THEY CAN AFFORD TO PAY A FEE TO ENTER THR CITY. STOP PICKING ON THR INNOCENT TRAIN AND BUSES RIDERS, WHO HAVE TO DEAL WITH SLOW TRAINS, NO HEAT IN THE TRAIN CARS, AND WHO WAIT ON THE PLATFORM FOR AN EXPRESS TRAIN THAT IS THERE, BUT THE DRIVER DOES NOT WANT TO OPEN THE DOORS FOR THE PASSENGERS.

FREDDY
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

I was for congestion pricing before I still am for it now, Most of the people that drive in the city are from the suburbs and us that live in the 5 boroughs have to pay for it. Suburban politicians seem to have more power in the state than city politicians.

Danielle from Flushing

I say that it is not okay to cut service on all buses, subways and Commuter rails. If Bloomberg and Paterson are telling the truth about creating congestion prising plan again. I will 100 % go for that. This will take lots of cars of the roads, but I will go for anything they will do to avoid service cuts. But again Service cuts are not okay to all New Yorkers.

Tariq of Manhattan

Hello my name is Phil from Queens. I'm a Train Operator for NYCT. The MTA is broke because of buying all these new trains like the R160 and implementing CBTC on the L line. If they would of kept our old equipment and overhauled the older trains which were doing just fine, they would not be broke and would have money to support these projects. The L line is no faster with CBTC and the CBTC system has nothing but problems and causes more problems then our older trains and holds up the railroad. The MTA should stop buying new trains and stop introducing CBTC to the subway lines to recover their money.

I support putting congestion pricing back on the table. Ultimately, New York city runs on its public transportation. New York is a model for other cities in its use of public transportation, thus reducing carbon emissions by a huge quantity. Drivers coming into the city at peak hours who are not taking advantage of public transportation options should be taxed. Public Transportation is essential to New York City and those who don't use it should be penalized.

Sarah from Williamsburg

Here’s a simple and obvious solution to get some well needed transit funds. Charge for the Staten Island Ferry. Why should tourists and Staten Island residents get a free ride while the rest of us suffer? That could be a huge source of income and a fair one.

Evan
Forest Hills

MESSAGE TO MTA: DO NOT CUT METRO CARDS FOR STUDENTS.

Lizabeth
Upper Westside

The MTA's financial woes is the manifestation of 43 years of underfunding and mismanagement finally coming home to roost.

The NY State legislature has historically underfunded the MTA since its founding in 1968, and much of the funding received has been wasted on various projects (bus GPS; the 2 Broadway fiasco; security project shortfall, etc.)

All of the parties affected by the MTA budget will have to make sacrifices in order for the agency to survive, including approaching the agency's bondholders to reschedule, reduce, or forgive the agency's massive debt load.

Even if the MTA adopted every recommendation made by Nicole Gelinas and people of her ilk, the agency would still be teetering on the brink of insolvency as long as it has to pay out $1.5-2.0 billion per year in interest payments. That has to change, or the MTA won't survive, and will drag down the entire region.

Pete from Manhattan

I love how everyone is always blaming the MTA, saying the ceo must resign so forth and so on. The MTA is a scapegoat for the fat cats in Albany. Albany last year told the MTA to hell with the plan that the MTA came up with and said here is what we will do. They came up with a questionable plan in which the MTA said wouldn't work, Albany said they would re-visit the MTA budget at the end of the 09 year. Well that plan has failed beyond anything and now Albany is pointing the finger at the MTA with no solution. But it's not just Albany here, every media station jumps on board with blaming the MTA. Albany who keeps taking funding away and screws up funding plans needs to find a better, permanent solution, it's not going to happen with the idiots up there right now. Next, the Union workers need a pay cut, I'm sorry but every three years they cry and get more and more raises because they're unstoppable. People on this show who want to see the MTA budget go on their site and read it and stop being ignorant and listening to these politicians blame the MTA.

Pete
Queens

I dont get why people who are boasted to be intelligent Business minds like the Mayor constantly come up the idea of just Throwing money at the MTA with the congestion pricing idea. Their Books should be made public and if they mismanage funds the segments of their organization that are mismanaged should simply be overhauled and restructured to suit emergency issues. They clearly are not making dealing with overspending and proper budgeting a priority before they tax the pockets of New Yorkers.

Ryan
Ft Greene Brooklyn