To fix the subways, get out of the way

The explosion of breakdowns on the subway has riders hot under the collar. The MTA’s infrastructure is deteriorating, riders are suffering and that has to change. So who’s in charge of this mess, and who can fix it?

Not Gov. Cuomo. Not Mayor de Blasio. You wouldn’t know it from recent finger-pointing between the two men, but that’s not the way the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is supposed to operate.

The MTA must not be a pawn in a power struggle. It’s an independent public authority, governed by a state law that specifies its powers. It’s not under the control of either governors or mayors — and that’s exactly the way it should be.

An independent MTA was created for three reasons. First, subways, commuter trains and buses cover more than just the city and need to be run regionally.

Second, a public authority can borrow money that is not repaid by local or state taxpayers.

Third, mayors and governors didn’t want the responsibility of raising fares, an unpopular but regular necessity.

The MTA is actually run by an independent board, appointed largely by the mayor and governor. (Neither has a majority.) Because they appoint the board, they try to dictate decisions.

But by law, board members are supposed to exercise independent judgment and do what’s right for the system and riders. They actually swear an oath to stay independent.

Under former MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch, an independent board stood up for the system after it nearly collapsed under the weight of decades of neglect. The board bludgeoned the city and state to pony up, invested in tracks, buses, trains, tunnels and signals — and turned the system around.

The board did what was needed, not what it was told to do.

Having the MTA do gubernatorial or mayoral bidding produces bad results. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, facing his first reelection bid, “instructed” his appointees to vote against a fare increase. Gov. George Pataki reduced state dollars to the MTA and got a weak board to raise fares to make up the difference. Cuomo has stepped in repeatedly to instruct his appointees to reduce MTA tolls and taxes, to micromanage MTA events, press announcements and spending decisions, and now to propose a “genius” contest to solve all of the problems. That’s no way to run a subway system.

The MTA cannot succeed if this continues. Governors and mayors have their own agendas that often conflict with the actual needs of the system.

They don’t willingly fund agencies they don’t control. They prefer bright, shiny new things so that they can cut ribbons and get credit.

Bloomberg bullied the MTA into building the new 7 line extension, which was not a transit priority. Cuomo leaped feet-first into announcing on-schedule completion of the Second Ave. subway.

But mayors and governors are not, and never will be, enthusiastic about the dull but essential investments that define whether a transit system succeeds or fails. It’s called a “state of good repair,” and it’s where both Cuomo and de Blasio have let the riders down. Tracks, signals, station maintenance, tunnel hardening, repair shops: all the routine investments have been neglected. Routine investments are neglected when pols meddle.

Lack of independence and lack of money are related. Captive MTA leadership leads to underfunding. A strongwilled, independent MTA chairman and board wouldn’t stand for the current neglect. They would raise hell, and the state and city would respond. That’s the lesson of history.

So what now? First, both men should get out of the way and appoint forceful, outspoken and transit-committed leadership. Bring back Ravitch or someone equally tenacious.

Second, never forget that money matters. Cuomo and de Blasio should pledge funds sufficient to get the MTA to a “state of good repair.” We’re a long way from that today. The stakes are enormous. Jobs, real estate values, social cohesion and the very heartbeat of the city require subways, trains and buses that we can rely on and afford. Without a real pivot, we’re lurching back to the 1970s. Things are bad and will get worse.

Get on the same page, Mr. Mayor and Mr. Governor. Don’t try to run the MTA. Fund it.