Wading into a controversial issue, the chairman of the MTA said Monday that he is open to putting tolls on the East River bridges as a way to raise revenue for his agency. Zack Fink filed the following report.
Facing a deficit in his capital construction plan of more than $15 billion and a projected operating deficit of more than $300 million, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Thomas Prendergast surprisingly did not ask a state Senate committee for more money. However, he did leave the door open to a recently resurrected plan to put tolls on city-controlled East River crossings as a way to raise revenue, a controversial idea that failed in Albany in 2008.
"It's certainly one of the alternatives that needs to be considered," Prendergast said. "It's been one that's looked at in the past. I think people have said it's fraught with political issues that need to be overcome, but it is a revenue stream that we need to take a look at."
Prendergast also got an earful from state Senator Bill Perkins of Harlem, who has long complained that subway stations in his district have lost token booth clerks. Perkins maintained that the clerks provided an additional level of security in the stations which can be dangerous.
Prendergast said subway crime is at its lowest level in years.
Perkins: What is your definition of safe?
Prendergast: Well, I guess we probably should have started there because I can find some of the conditions on the street. I can find similar conditions -
Perkins: I'm not talking about the street. You don't patrol the street. That's not your job. I'm talking about your job, which is in the subway system.
Prendergast said clerks were cut back in 2009 due to the financial crisis.
"We haven't sold tokens for 20 years. The persons inside the booth at a location in the station have limited visibility to the station. We don't necessarily think that that's a good use of an asset," he said.
Prendergast also faced some tough questions about rats.
"We have a rodent problem, a very serious rodent problem that is more visible to me than ever before," Perkins said.
The MTA is currently engaged in a pilot program to sterilize female rats.
"The sterilization must not be working because they seem to be exploding," Perkins said.
To further reduce the rat population, or at least make them less visible, MTA officials are trying to keep trash off the tracks, but that requires cooperation from the public.