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Paterson's MTA Rescue Idea Means Shifting Money Around
By
Jen Chung
Published May 1, 2009
Modified May 1, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 1, 2009
Modified May 1, 2009
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You know how Governor Paterson said he had an idea to break the State Senate stalemate and get an MTA bailout approved? Well the NY Post has the details: "[The] secret plan to sway state Senate Democrats holding out on an MTA bailout vote is to reimburse school districts that would have to pay the proposed payroll tax." Some State Senators have been unhappy about the payroll tax part of the Senate Dems' plan, which also has a $1 taxi dropoff surcharge and an 8% increase on fares (vs. the 25% doomsday fare hike). According to the Post, Paterson's idea would involve taking money from the state's general fund to "reimburs[e] every school district in the 12-county MTA service region, including NYC," at a cost of $60 million. The source said, "If you use the general fund to relieve school districts of the costs of the tax, the MTA still gets its money and schools get money back from the state." Still, it's unclear if this gesture is enough to sway support, though Albany is almost desperate enough to pass any ol' MTA bailout.
Tagged
doomsday fare
governor paterson
MTA
MTA bailout
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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