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MTA Wants to Close Budget Gap With Oxymoron
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 13, 2010
Modified Jul 13, 2010
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 13, 2010
Modified Jul 13, 2010
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Last week we marveled at the MTA's proposal to put limits on the unlimited MetroCard to try and staunch the budgetary bleeding. The plan under consideration would max out a monthly card at 90 trips, and put a cap of 21 rides on weekly cards. These limited unlimited cards would be part of an overall effort to raise revenue by 7.5% without increasing the $2.25 base fare. Changing the meaning of words shouldn't cost the MTA anything, but we're sure they'll find a way to overpay a contractor for that.
Under the MTA's plan, the monthly MetroCard would jump $10, to $99, while a weekly would go up by $2, to $29. Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign tells the Daily News, "The MTA's financial problems are real, but I'm very concerned they're going to sock it to the riding public to the exclusion of other groups [that] benefit from transit, like drivers and businesses." These issues and more are sure to come up at the public hearings scheduled for tonight and tomorrow!
Tagged
budget
bus
metrocard
MTA
nyc transit
subway
unlimited
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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