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Doomsday Extreme: MTA May Plan 2nd Fare Hike
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 30, 2009
Modified Apr 30, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 30, 2009
Modified Apr 30, 2009
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With news of another $621 million shortfall beyond an expected $1.2 billion deficit, the MTA is considering ways to deal with its troubled financial situation since the State Legislature (really, the State Senate) has been slow to agree on any sort of rescue plan. There may very well be another fare hike after the doomsday fare hike and service cuts that go into effect on May 31. It's so bad that MTA CEO and Executive Director Elliot Sander said he might even consider shutting down overnight subway service to save money: "I would not take anything off the table. [However] There have been reasons historically why that was not done and it may be that those reasons still exist."
Sander did not tread lightly when discussing the additional shortfall: "Having said what we did before was doomsday, this is even worse. The next ones that we will be looking at are that much more painful..... I'm not sure the English language captures what goes beyond doomsday but to me...as a transit professional as a citizen and user of this system they are just unbelievably difficult and I think some would view them as horrific." And MTA Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger slammed Albany for its inaction, "The time for action has come and as of today, gone. At this point today, there is no tomorrow. There is no next week, there is no next month to fall back on."
Governor Paterson, however, was optimistic—and he says he has another proposal! He said yesterday, "I will be talking to the leaders about yet another new idea that I have...Hopefully, that will end this process ... it all depends on the ability of legislators to come together and recognize there has to be a compromise and I would hope that if any entire conference votes against the plan that would not be politically motivated." Um, good luck with that.
Tagged
bailout
doomsday fare
fare hike
governor paterson
MTA
MTA bailout
mta rescue plan
service cut
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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