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Every time the Metropolitan Transit Authority (M.T.A.) pleads poverty, it puts forth a proposal to cut local bus service. This time is no exception. The announcement that this new round of cuts would affect the B37, B71 and B75 bus lines, which are the lifeline of many local residents here in Brooklyn, was met with criticism from our elected officials as well as from members of the community. Together, they gathered at the corner of Union Street and Smith Street on Friday morning for a rally to urge the M.T.A. to rethink the suspension of these bus lines as well as drastic cuts in subway service and lay-off of personnel. The rally was organized by Assemblywoman Joan Millman. Also present were State Senator Daniel Squadron, Councilmen Brad Lander and Steve Levin, representatives of New York State Senator Velmanette Montgomery and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz as well as Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign. It does seem ironic that, at a time when we have become more environmentally aware, there is talk of decreasing instead of increasing public transportation in New York City.
As Assemblywoman Millman stated:
We must look at every available option to sustain mass transit, including reinstituting the commuter tax, maximizing the MTA’s real estate assets and creating a residential permit parking system. Mass transit provides intangible long-term benefits to the overall health and growth of our city. No one wants to return to the dark days of the late 1970s. The MTA must clean up its act and stop trying to balance their books on the backs of New York’s transit riders.”
State Senator Squadron added:
The agency must be able to manage and predict its finances with more accuracy and transparency. It must also be able to rely on more consistent revenue streams instead of sudden infusions of cash from Albany.
Newly elected Councilman Brad Lander concluded:
"The MTA, the state and the city have a collective obligation to keep our transit system working for all New Yorkers."
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4 comments:
Katia -
Your initial comments seem to indicate that either you think that the MTA is NOT in dire financial straits, or that cutting lightly-used buses is not the best way to save money in the budget.
The MTA only proposed these cuts because they would effect the least amount of riders. What would an alternative be?
Hi Batman,
Though I understand that we live in dire financial times and that we need to make hard choices when it comes to cutting services to communities, this seems to be a constant state of affairs for the MTA, even in flush times.
The lack of transparency and the mismanagement of funds by the MTA is legendary.
In this case, the MTA was not talking about cutting the frequency of service to these bus lines, but to eliminate them completely.
The three lines mentioned may not serve quite as many people as the F train, but many seniors and parents of school age children depend on them. The B71 line especially serves many students at PS58 and MS 142.
The constant threat of cuts by the MTA reminds me of the child that cried "wolf."
As State Senator Velmanette Montgomery stated on the subject: "Last year the MTA's Doomsday Budget threatened to cut these same lines unless Albany again bailed out the MTA. The legislature fully funded that request. And here we are, mere months later, facing those same cuts. It is unacceptable and indefensible. I said then and I repeat, the MTA has to open its books to justify these repeated attacks on the working people they should be serving."
I couldn't agree more with Ms. Montgomery.
I think the most egregious MTA threat is the threat to cut student metro cards. The fact that our electeds, with the exception of Scott Stringer and Christine Quinn, have remained silent is pathetic.
Did any of our pols who were at the rally address this?
Yes, Anon,
Assemblywoman Millman did. She reprimanded the MTA for trying to use schoolchildren as pawns.
My kids both went to Manhattan for Middle School and High School. I would have had a tough time paying for transportation to the schools that they were admitted to through the NYC Department of Education's choice program.
That is the really insane part of this. Our kids can no longer count on having a seat in our neighborhood schools and have to travel long distances. Now the MTA is talking about taking the free bus or train ride away.
How dysfunctional is that?
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