It's no secret the MTA's funds are in disarray, and subway and bus fares could go up more than 25 percent unless the agency finds alternate revenue sources.

State lawmakers gathered today to review the Ravitch Commission report, which proposes East River and Harlem River tolls, taxes on companies in counties served by the MTA and eight-percent fare increases.

Westchester Assemblyman Richard Brodsky called the transit situation "hell on wheels for any elected official." That's an understatement. It's also hell on rails and hell on paper, and these budget problems didn't just appear out of nowhere. They're the result of decades of Albany shortchanging the transit system. Where does the buck stop?

I support Ravitch's proposal because it would spread the burden among riders, drivers and businesses instead of just socking it to the straphangers, which has always been the MTA's MO. Now let's see if Albany has the tokens to pass it.

I support the MTA tolls on east river crossing only if they use the funds to close the budget AND after the gap is closed, the tolls are removed and not permanent, otherwise its just another permanent tax AND every so often the tolls will increase

Donald in kew gardens

they should sell there property

Rob

It's very difficult not to get sarcastic about this. Our honorable Mayor somehow became a billionaire, but the fiscal difficulties of our City have proved too much for him. He's good at giving out handouts, say for education and art. Why shouldn't he subsidize the MTA? He could help his subjects get to work. Didn't his people at MTA say just a couple of years ago that they were in surplus? Where'd all the money go?

Thanks so much,
Liz from Sunnyside

A regional transit tax is at least 10 years overdue, and I don't see why it should be limited to the 12 counties served by the MTA -- don't try and tell me that the economic activity generated in those dozen counties, facilitated in large part by the MTA (and the overlapping TBTA) doesn't benefit the rest of the state, at least through revenue directed through Albany.

EVERY county in the state, one way or another, benefits from the service the MTA provides, and it should be a statewide payroll tax.

Bruce
upper West Side
Manhattan

YES! Get rid of the politicians and give the jobs to people with accounting and budgeting backgrounds, as well as people who actually RIDE mass Transit. I am sure there are a lot of financial people who have lost their jobs on Wall Street -- give some of them a "second chance" to prove themselves by letting run the MTA.

The fare hikes would KILL me, since I take an express bus to and from work and cannot afford the 50% hike. (from $5.00 to $7.50?!? -- ridiculous!)

It's obvious that the current fiscal problems are the result of poor management. There doesn't seem to be a reduction in ridership, so what happened to all the money? Where's all those millions of dollars surplus from a couple of years ago?

Here's an idea: stop supplementing the Long Island Railroad and Metro North. Raise their rates instead of the harder working middle class. I'm not getting a raise next year so how can I afford getting to work next year with such a fat increase?

Get rid of the building on Madison Ave. You'll make a FORTUNE on the sale of that building alone!

I have no sympathy for the MTA CEO's -- there should be a "cap" on their salaries and no bonuses! Put your wallets where your mouth is!

Dina of Throggs Neck

MTA should do like the big three did, what's good for the geese is good for the gander because you know there are going to be a spike on fare evaders, and just like that recent news about the bus driver who got killed trying to enforce a fare, some people who don't have enough to pay a fare will pass through the turnstile regardless. MTA’s token clerks and bus driver jobs will be difficult dealing first hand with this matter. What does the state commission have to say about that?

Anna
Kips Bay

I think it is time for tolls on the East River and Harlem River crossings. And the money ought to go to mass transit operations. Yes – area businesses could pony up some money as well.

Sue
Chelsea

Shut them down. Auction off each subway line, each bus route, the LIRR and Metro North to the highest bidders.

Get the government out of the transportation business. They are totally incompetent.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

As a user of mass transit I would be most hurt by a fare increase. On the occasions when I am in a car or cab and crossing a river I would be at least partially responsible for the tolls. There are many more regular/frequent riders of mass transit in this city than there are drivers crossing the East River and the Harlem I bet and it is time that drivers paid their fair share of the costs associated with bringing their vehicles into Manhattan.

I have not spent any time thinking about the composition of the MTA Board - but the notion of relevant background experience as a prerequisite for being on the board strikes me as reasonable.

I assume that the current fiscal problems have not affected the MTA's income from ridership so I have no idea why things are suddenly so dire.

Sue
Chelsea

Unfortunately all these proposals that have been put on the table fall very short of what the actual problem is. The real problem the MTA is not addressing is the TWU and their pension monster we the public have to pay for. It is killing us, and one day will sink us completely. Going forward the State and the MTA must get union concessions if we are ever going to solve this problem. Taxing the hard working public to pay for the TWU is unfair and and an is abusing the people of New York!

Chip, Upper East Side

The MTA board should reflect people who have experience in the labor and transportation field. Poeple who know can usually make the best decisions and judgments on oeprations levels of the MTA. The MTA's problems are the results of bad management voer the years. The economic downturn naturally affects everything but this mismangement has been going on since Michael' Quill's days.

Jeanne
Flushing, NY

I will definitely go for the leadership at the MTA to be replaced.
That is why we have the problems that we are having now after reporting that MTA has all that money saved and they didn't know what to do with it a few years ago and now we are experiencing deficits? that is the resut of a poor management and i wish the budget from MTA was public for every body to see it, so then we would know where that money is.

MTC board don't even have to pay for a fares, we do and we all have to pay the prices of their poor management.Alberto from East Harlem.

Alberto from East Harlem.

i don't use the subways or buses in New York because the ridership is so rude, dirty, and out of control..I'd rather use a gypsy or a cab or express bus.

And I don't feel like paying a higher fare because of the propensity of the nyc riders that don't pay their fare at all. Why should i subsidize fare evaders?

How is this being permitted that nyc people don't pay their fares? I see this happening all over. What gives??

Jorge , Bayside

The Readership should pay the burden . I drive to work but there are times when I have to take a bus or a train . I pay the fare and I don't complain . I believe that the Tolls should be reversed to prior
subsidizing the subways . The maintience of the Bridges and tunnels are paid for by the drivers . So I would like to know what profit (Gross Receipts) are coming in from all the crossings. What does it cost to run and maintain the crossings .
Lets get one thing straight here . If I am going to the South Street Sea Port I am not going to take the Whitestone from Queens to get there . To all you Yuppies , who helped create this whole mess on Wall Street , do you want the working class to help you with your Cab Fare! I hope the Repro man comes for your BMW .

Raise fares to $3.00 only let actual riders pay for the value of their
ride. Why anybody else should subsidies their must follies. No
sympathy or tolls on any bridges or any additional taxes to anybody or any businesses. Apart from this I do not beleive any numbers by MTA it is a corrupt and putrid not accountable agency.

Joseph from Sunnyside

Something does need to be done to improve service in the MTA, but if they hike the fares and then decrease service, isn't that like taking one step forward and then two steps back. What is a fare paying rider to do here.

Thanks,
Mike B.
Staten Island

My name is Mr. Anderblacks i know the mta is hurting but who isn't i dont get paid enough to pay over a 100 every month there bleeding us dry!!!

It's a downward spiral. The MTA has less money because of lower tax revenue, so they need to raise prices. But, a higher standard of living will force more people out of the city, lowering the tax base, which will require the MTA to raise fares, starting the cycle again. Then again, short sighted greed has been part of the city since it was founded, and somehow, we're still here.

Jordan
Flushing

I'll accept a fare hike.

The should adopt a " PEAK FARE " increase like other cities such as Washington DC.

And possibly a zone increase.

Brian
Bronx

When is the mis-management and corruption going to finally come to an end. The MTA does need any money wake up people. The MTA owns the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. The TBTA as well as the MTA's books are closed we never see what they actually make.

Keep in mind that these 2 entities operate 24hrs a day seven days a week and they pay no state, or Federal Tax on the money the make under the Authorities act. This entity makes a hefty profit each and every year so a fare hike not needed more oversite is whats needed.

Derrick, Harlem

Whatever plan they propose, their books should become public (if it isn't already): http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/11/05/as-fare-hike-loom-mta-doles-out-more-for-overtime/

The MTA is extremely wasteful and as the LIRR disability scandal demonstrates, ripe for monetary abuse by employees at ALL levels.

-John in Woodside

The MTA went on strike for more money and put all of NYC in jeapordy because they felt they didn't get paid enough and didn't care less how it was effecting the public. I say now it's time for the people to strike the MTA and the city to show them how much they need us now and we don't feel we get enough service for the money we give them as it is now, nevertheless with a hike.

Jodi

They have the same problem as the Big Three with one exception, they don't have competition. While I don't doubt there will be a fare increase of some kind, there will be resistance especially from suburban companies whose employees don't use mass transit regarding the payroll tax.

Unless they begin to seriously address the cost of labor and benefits there is no way that the MTA can give us affordable mass transit. Certainly not 24/7 train service, which shouldn't exist anyway.

Martin

I am disabled, I can not use public transportation. I have to pay whatever its costs for gas, insurance, maintenance, etc. for my car. We already pay a tax to help the transit system at motor vehicles.
If you take a bus or a train you should pay whatever the cost and demand the transit system get there budget on tract and not put the burden on others. Where and when does the policy of (gee we spent to much money lets just get some more from the already over burdened New Yorkers) end. Most New Yorkers live on a budget and cannot afford more/higher bills, who will give them alternate revenue to pay for these increases. With everything going up there will be nothing left in our paychecks to buy food with. Enough is enough. This policy must stop. Businesses and the gov must work within there budget. If they are incapable of doing so replace them.

Gail
Flushing

Why should car owners/drivers pay even more? Doesn't the higher vehicle registration, inspection fees and gas taxes already subsidize the system? Users of vehicles do not get subsidized to repair their vehicles or pay for gas!! What will the cost be to add the tolls and manpower to collect the money? Why not get rid of the unnecessary expenses paid for all the "hearings" and manpower? The city in general has so much wasted money tied up in the operation of the bureaucracy and meetings and especially the attorneys who "must" oversee and/or create the red tape. Instead of cutting funding for services and charging the public at large more for services, why not downsize the executive board so that people have work to do for their money?

I know of someone who was in a political position and had a speech writer on a 3 figure salary. This person had so much "free" time that a book was able to be written!! Efficiency and productivity appear to be missing. How about collecting tax from some of these "non-profit" institutions that have so much money to burn that they can afford to buy up blocks and blocks of expensive real estate tax free!!! What kind of money is being spent on the whole "vehicle summons" agency system? WHat gets spent on all of the hearings for summons given unjustly? There is a judge, clerk, building fees, utilities, manpower, office, etc.... A LOT OF INEFFICIENCY EXISTS! Teachers awaiting hearings are paid full salary and made to show up and just sit in a room all day (some cases has gone on for years like this). During this time they are not given any "work". Another book can be written!

Lisa

Recently, We've learned...4,000 people FARE BEAT the B46 in one day that's just one bus line in NYC...if u add that up...that's $8,000 a day and 56,000 per week. A FARE EVASION TICKET is now $100..
MTA does a routine check on their drivers.. meaning, every so often, they send plain dressed superintendents to observe drivers on how their performing their job duties. Why can't they put plain dressed police officers on the bus to catch the FAREBEATERS... 4,000 FAREBEATERS @ $100 A POP...you do the math

Windy

Opinions.

The transit system is infrastructure. The government should in fact lose money on infrastructure. If they really optimized service on all lines. The way that the entire city's economy would flourish would be beyond wildest dreams of even Bloomberg.

Bloomberg said to stop driving and take the train. He got his wish. Many more people on the train. Yet the mta can't handle it. Service is worse than ever.

If anything property value should determine transit prices. Possibly making for a more complicated pricing system. So poor families in the service industry can still survive, and rich families can pay in proportion. Could get complicated, but anything is better than being broke.

Pete
Wash Heights

the mta wants to start charging resident of the great city to travel to into other boroughs of the the same city. let me guess; some people are upset. welcome to the real world of a staten islander. many politicians were up in arms about paying to travel from borough to borough. well, one can not leave the isle of staten with out paying up. so with this fare increase/hike; does that staten islanders need to pay twice to get to work? the veranzzano is a way of life here in the unknown borough. there are callers screaming about the free staten island ferry. well, my friend from the rockaways, if i leave my island i have to pay. how else can you describe being part of the a city that was connected the state of new jersey three times by the 1930's; and once by the 1960's. if staten islanders are made to pay the new east river bridge toll, i suggest that the verranzano is dismantled and removed. charging a resident to travel within ones city; it sounds crazy right. living staten island; we having been paying for years. what ever happened to staten island cutting ties.

Lenny

Pete from Manhattan:

I have read, re-read, and re-re-read the report from the Ravitch commission on MTA financing, and I see no recommendation to reform or reduce t he level of MTA management.

The report asks for sacrifices from drivers, subway and bus riders, commuter rail riders, and businesses within the 12 county catchment area of the MTA, but asks for no sacrifices from a group that has mismanaged the agency to the point that it has a $1.2 BILLION deficit despite having subway, bus, and commuter rail ridership increase steadily over a 12 year period to historic levels.

It cant all be the unions fault, though the MTA is hoping that adverse publicity over the next 5 weeks directed at the largest union, local 100 of the TWU will divert attention away from its gross mismanagement. (having been emasculated and brought to the brink of bankruptcy by mayor Bloomberg and the NYC corporation counsel before signing a no-strike promise, local 100 will soon be eviscerated by the editorial pages of the tabloids, and hounded by the attack dogs of conservative think tanks into making contract concessions as the anniversary of the 2005 strike-and the expiration date of its current contract- approaches).

How do you trust an agency that previously lied to its riders and employees about a budget deficit-when it in fact had a surplus- in order to push through an earlier fare and toll increase (the infamous 2 books scandal)?

How do you trust an agency that has squandered $300-$500 million in 3 unsuccessful attempts to track buses using GPS technology, a technology that has been successfully introduced in dozens of other cities around the world?

How do you trust an agency that has wasted over $600 million to renovate a building (2 Broadway) it doesnt even own, and where massive fraud discovered during the renovation resulted in at least 2 convictions of contractors scamming the MTA, but no punishment for the MTA managers responsible for overseeing the renovations who looked the other way while the fraud was committed?

How do you trust an agency that still retains a separate set of payroll managers, purchasing managers, accountants, and public relations managers (and their administrative staffs) for the MTA headquarters, and for each subsidiary of the MTA (TA, MNRR, LIRR, Bridges and Tunnels, MTA BUS, MTA Capital Construction) despite pleas dating back to the Cuomo administration to consolidate back office operations in order to save money?

How do you trust an agency that has such poor personnel controls that its unaware that dozens of its employees arent even at work (i.e., the November 2008 WABC report that dozens of track workers were documented shopping, running outside businesses,, or cavorting on the beach when they were supposed to be on duty)?

A lead story in the 12/15/08 edition of the New York Daily News makes it clear that the intractable bureaucracy at the MTA will relentlessly push any and all cuts to the lowest possible level (effectively shutting down service on the N line south of Canal St. after 11 p.m. on weeknights) in order to preserve itself.

All stakeholders must come to the table with real, tangible sacrifices to help balance the budget, now and in the future, including MTA management, especially MTA management.

Not one penny of any money raised by increased fares, tolls, or payroll taxes should be released to the MTA unless and until real and tangible reductions in management have been made, and that the repository of the new revenue streams should be deposited and held by an existing entity-the Public Authority Review Board-instead of a newly created bureaucracy controlled by the MTA.