Cut is flagged as rail painful
IF YOU believe Gov. Cuomo can cut $65 million from the MTA’s budget without affecting fares or service, a riders advocacy group has a bridge and a tunnel to sell you.
With $65 million, the MTA could ease overcrowding or fund improvements to make the trains actually run on time, according to a budget analysis by Riders Alliance and the Regional Plan Association.
Last month, the Daily News crunched numbers that revealed a line tucked deep in Cuomo’s executive budget that calls for a $65 million cut to a chunk of money the state gives to the MTA — down to $244 million from $309 million last year.
The 21% cut would hit the MTA at a time when commuters are fuming over frequent delays, spotty service, overcrowding and constant fare hikes.
“Gov. Cuomo says the MTA doesn’t need this funding, but in reality the MTA could use it to run more buses, improve subway service and add more commuter rail trains,” said John Raskin, executive director of the Riders Alliance.
“This money was promised to transit riders, and if Gov. Cuomo wants to be a champion for transit, he should back away from his threat to cut MTA funding.”
Advocates said the money could be used to either buy modern subway cars, upgrade rail stations or add bus routes.
“Even current MTA funding levels aren’t enough to provide reliable service on our subways, buses and commuter railroads,” said Regional Plan Association President Tom Wright.
“If these cuts are adopted, we’ll see more delays, more crowding and more traffic on our streets as commuters throw up their hands and opt to avoid mass transit altogether.”
Raskin said the subway tracks run both ways: If the governor wants to take credit for the opening of the Second Ave. subway, he has to take make sure the system’s dayto-day expenses are covered.
Even in a $16 billion operating budget, $65 million is no drop in the bucket, Raskin said.
He added the money could also be used to repair old subway cars or make dozens of stations more accessible to riders with disabilities.