Transit Funding
Streetsblog Basics
MTA Wants to Take Payroll Tax Ruling Straight to State’s Top Court
On Wednesday, a state Supreme Court judge ruled the Payroll Mobility Tax unconstitutional, saying that because the "budgetary crisis of the MTA is not a substantial state concern," the law required a home rule message from the affected counties. Now, the MTA says it will appeal directly to New York's top court.
August 24, 2012
The MTA Payroll Tax Ruling: What’s Next?
Saying that the “budgetary crisis of the MTA is not a substantial state concern," a state Supreme Court judge ruled yesterday that the MTA Payroll Mobility Tax is unconstitutional. Although taxes will continue to be collected as the MTA appeals the case to a higher court, yesterday’s decision puts $1.5 billion, or approximately 12 percent of the MTA’s annual budget, at risk.
August 23, 2012
Value Capture, the Dulles Rail Extension, and the Future of Transit Funding
The failure of Atlanta’s transportation ballot measure late last month led to speculation among many analysts about what the vote meant for other regions across the country looking for ways to fund infrastructure projects. But though the Atlanta vote captured the lion’s share of media attention, another vote cast in July could hold as much – if not more – importance in coming years.
August 20, 2012
How the MTA Managed to Afford Service Restorations
Wondering how the MTA could afford to restore service on 24 bus lines and postpone next year's fare hikes? New budget documents show where the transit system's revenues and costs beat expectations, leaving the small and fragile surplus. The biggest savings came from cheap energy. Revenues from riders were up, but the important yet volatile real estate transaction tax came in under expectations.
July 26, 2012
Partial Service Restorations Aren’t Good Enough For City Pols, TWU
Across the city, New Yorkers are still demanding their transit back. A dozen elected officials joined the Transport Workers Union on the steps of City Hall this afternoon to demand that all of 2010's MTA service cuts be restored. Around one-third of the eliminated service will be reinstated under a plan released by the MTA last week.
July 24, 2012
Without Big Toll Hikes, Cuomo’s Tappan Zee Puts Transit Riders at Risk
Andrew Cuomo's Tappan Zee Bridge does next to nothing for transit riders; the governor is unwilling to spend even $150 million on incremental transit improvements, much less put in the work to design a full transit corridor. But could it also hurt the existing transit system? If Cuomo isn't willing to make drivers pay the full cost of the bridge, it could. Every dollar for the Tappan Zee that doesn't come from tolls is a dollar that Albany won't give the MTA.
July 24, 2012
MTA Partially Restores Transit Service and Adds Some New Bus Routes
The MTA is starting to repair some of the damage done by 2010's devastating round of service cuts. The transit agency has announced a new set of transit service improvements worth $29 million a year, making up roughly a third of what was cut in 2010. Riders will also get a two-month reprieve from next year's planned fare hike, with the higher prices now set to kick in on March 1.
July 19, 2012
Transpo Bill Preserves Transit Funding, Wastes Opportunities For Progress
In H.R.7 -- the transpo bill so backwards even the House couldn’t pass it -- the roads-only crowd threw transit riders under the bus, as it were, eliminating dedicated funding for transit, which was left to fend for itself off scraps from the general fund.
June 28, 2012
Albany 2012: Lawmakers Strike Out on Safe Streets and Transit
Albany lawmakers had several opportunities during the 2012 session to come through for transit riders, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. They came up short on every count.
June 26, 2012
This Time, Lockbox Bill Falls Short in Legislature, Leaving Riders at Risk
A bill that would protect dedicated transit funds from being stolen by Albany failed to pass the legislature this year, leaving riders upstate and downstate at continued risk of further service cuts at the hands of the state budget process. Since 2009, Albany has taken away $260 million in funds promised to the MTA, and more to upstate transit agencies, contributing to major service cuts across the state.
June 22, 2012