I want to say New York State should get every penny it needs and deserves to recover from Sandy. But naturally, the journalist in me is skeptical the amount of federal aid may be inflated. I also wonder, and perhaps worry, the federal government may simply just not have enough, especially following such a huge financial downfall. It's hard to take a side on this issue. I hate to say it, but I'm taking a "wait-and-see" approach on this one.

MTA officials and transportation experts are gathering tonight at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn to discuss the response to Hurricane Sandy, and preparations for future natural disasters. The MTA estimates it will cost $5 billion to restore damaged subway stations, tracks and tunnels.

The forum comes the same day New York's Senators testified in Washington on the need for federal aid. President Obama is reportedly going to ask Congress for $50 billion in relief for multiple states, but Governor Cuomo requested $42 billion for New York alone. That amount includes $9 billion for improvements to protect infrastructure from future storms.

How was the MTA's preparation for and response to the storm? Should Congress give New York State all $42 billion it's requested for recovery efforts? How would you improve our infrastructure to protect it from future storms?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

This should have been taken care of after IRENE and the politicians were well aware of the situation and how dangerous it could be and it was ignored by Albany and all the other culprits. Tonight I noticed on TV they had a clip of all the winners like Lautenberg and of course Mary Ann Landrieu and the same faces were there and of course patting one another on the back. This Landrieu got away with what she did with the money given to her to up-date the coastline in New Orleans and instead of using the money for the purpose it was given for but of course she saw fit to use the money to have a road and railroad strip built going down to her off shore casinos. [I MUST NOTE THAT THIS WAS BEFORE KATRINA] Nothing ever happens to these people and we are always treated less than second class citizens. Lautenberg is just another bump on a log that has stayed around to long. It's become sickening and I did see someone on TV complaining as to the red tape to get anywhere with their repairs and as everyone agrees the only help was from neighbor helping neighbor and people that came from other states that wanted to help.

Why once again I ask why bother to inform us as to how much everything costs when we just keep footing the bill and as of this day we never ever get to see the books at all and we want to and I at this point think we should hold heir feet to the fire and demand that we see them and finally know just where all of this money is going.

So I ask once again when do we get some answers since this guy from the MTA isn't even a person voted for why is it that the politicians don't show their face to us and answer the questions.

maxiee
mp

Some money should be used to equip every transportation tunnel with movable flood wall so that they could be completely closed in the case of storms.

Also some money should be used to install flood walls that would be moved on rails into place to block flood water from the ocean and protect beachfront dwellings and businesses.

Joe

The MTA's response to Sandy was mixed. They get high marks for preemptively shutting down the subway system, relocating trains, and removing vulnerable equipment from river tunnels, which aided in the relatively quick recovery of subway service, especially when compared to PATH and NJ Transit. They get low marks for still having no contingency plan in place to operate subway lines from locations other than their regularly assigned terminals, particularly subway lines scheduled to terminate in zone A locations that were severely flooded, like the Rockaways (A line), and Coney Island (D, F, Q AND N lines).

PETE FROM MANHATTAN

pEOPLE LIVING IN AREAS OF THE CITY WHO NORMALLY ARE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE AND HATE TO SPEND GOVERNMENT FUNDS TO HELP THOSE IN NEED ARE SUDDENLY ASKING FOR BILLIONS TO REBUILD THEIR HOMES IN AREAS NEAR THE OCEAN. wHERE IS THEIR CAPITALISTIC rEPUBLICAN PICK YOURSELVES UP WITH YOUR BOOTSTRAPS PHILOSOPHY?

ALLAN mIDWOOD

If the Obama Administration gives the Cuomo administration the 42 billion that he is asking for you bet the whole thing will be placed I the GEneral fund and wasted just NY always does. None of the people who lost everything will be helped and the politicians know that. They have no intentions of helping them rebuild, look what is happening with FEMA now here in the city.

Mark

To protect the subways before a hurricane , I think trains should be moved to a safe indoor location where they wouldn't get water damaged, NY wasn't built to deal with hurricanes but hey, this is NY, bring it on, we'll deal with anything :)

Carmen
Bay Ridge

Who ever took the photo of the guy who got hit by the train needs to be in jail. Or something. Unless he ended up on the tracks seconds prior to the photo. The people who watched as this poor guy was hit should've helped him. All new yorkers would want a hand up in that situation. Its a shame thats all it would've took to save that mans life.

Michael

Why does it seem like Fema is against giving out full monetary loss to people who lost everything. You have flood insurance, it doesn't cover it, you have hurricane insurance, its not a hurricane. Looks like Fema and insurance companies are each handing over the excuses to each other.

Hariet
si ny

It's human nature to fight for survival when facing adversity. Unfortunately, those who lost their homes are now having to fight a system riddled with red tape. I'm sure billions will be squandered to the detriment of dozens of communities just trying to do the right thing.

Steve
Forest Hills

Stop building on the water and in flood zones. Give them the money now and if they rebuild in the same prone flood areas you don't ever get a dime again.

It's crazy that houses continue to be rebuilt in the same areas over and over!

T