By a vote of 12-to-1 Wednesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority passed its so-called "doomsday plan" to raise fares, eliminate bus and subway routes, and cut jobs.

The plan will affect millions of New Yorkers in the coming months, as base subway and bus fares will jump to $2.50. Seven-day passes will jump from $25 to $31, 14-day passes will increase from $47 to $59 and the cost of 30-day MetroCards will rise from $81 to $103.

Tolls on MTA bridges and tunnels will rise, as will fares for commuter rail lines.

Some subway lines will be eliminated and others will be shortened.
Bus lines in all five boroughs will be cut and there will be cuts to the transit workforce, including the elimination of some station agents.

The subway and bus fare hikes would take effect May 31.

See the complete proposed fare hikes and service cuts.

Board members called the plan "shameful" and a "travesty," but Norman Seabrook was the only board member to oppose the fare hikes and service cuts.

"'If you see something, say something,' - to who?" said Seabrook, referencing the agency's slogan for riders' vigilance and the potential layoffs of service agents. "There will be no one there. It jeopardizes public safety."

MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger said at the beginning of the meeting that it was "truly sad that a few individuals" had prevented the state Legislature from approving any budget plan alternatives to increasing both the base subway and bus fare and unlimited ride MetroCards.

"We have to pay all our bills and we're tight with money now," said Hemmerdinger. "If we don't start putting in all these service cuts we literally won't be able to pay our bills by some point at the end of the year."

The 19 public speakers who addressed the board almost unanimously expressed disapproval for the budget-balancing measures, and some even called for a restructuring of the MTA board.

"Perhaps we should have public elections to determine who sits on the board," said civil rights attorney Norman Siegel. "Or perhaps stating in the law that the board is required to reflect the diversity of the MTA's constituency. Looking at who is in this room, you clearly don't represent the diversity of the city, or even the state."

Station agent Marty Goodman held up a protest sign and told the MTA board that the rate hikes would resemble the use of taxpayers' money as a bailout for insurance giant American International Group.

The plan will help close the MTA's budget deficit, which is projected to be at least $1.2 billion. The agency is required by law to pass a balanced budget.

State lawmakers were unable to come to an agreement on a plan to bail out the MTA, but speakers at today's meeting, including Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign, said that Albany lawmakers could still bail out the transit agency.

In response to Wednesday's decision, Governor David Paterson released a statement saying that while "[Albany] did not create this problem, it is our duty to solve it."

"I know my colleagues in the state Legislature are equally committed to preserving New York's critical public transportation system, and we will continue to work together until we reach a final agreement," continued the statement.

A previous proposal to institute tolls on the East River and Harlem River bridges was rejected by the State Senate.

"Today's vote should make it clear to our colleagues that this crisis is real, that we cannot put this off for another day," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who had supported a bailout. "The MTA is not bluffing. The failure to act now would be an unmitigated disaster for millions of New Yorkers."

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who said Tuesday that New Yorkers should be outraged, again shared his disappointment while meeting with legislative leaders in Albany to try to save state funding for city education.

"I do think it’s the responsibility of Albany to come up with a plan,” said Bloomberg. "We have a plan, the governor deserves some credit, he had a study done. Shelly [Silver] deserves some credit, he went with a different plan.... But all of these things have a commonality and get fed from each other. And now it’s up to the Senate to do something."

Transit riders also expressed displeasure this morning on the probable fare increases.

"It's not fair, someone needs to go to school every day, and it's really a great inconvenience to students," said a New Yorker.

"We're really in a crunch. Everything else is going up, but the salaries - I barely make it. [The MTA] should manage their budget the way we manage ours," said another.

MTA officials remained firm on Wednesday's deadline to leave enough time before the fare hikes to prepare workers and print new materials.