HKNA Blog

In December the MTA unveiled a package of budget cuts that is a slap in the face to millions of New Yorkers across the five boroughs. Under the MTA’s proposal, transit riders who were hit last year with a 10-percent fare increase will be forced to pay more for less.

Like many New Yorkers, we’re unhappy with this proposal, and we need your help.

Working together with transit advocates, the NYC Council has proposed an alternate budget solution that will help us to avoid these drastic service cuts by:

Reallocating 10 percent of direct stimulus aid to MTA operating expenses ($91.5 million);

Using budgeted PAYGO capital funds for operating ($50 million); and

Reallocating 10 percent of additional stimulus transit aid to State to operating ($30 million).

To read more about our plan, view this link http://www.straphangers.org/servicecuts/

We have also been collecting petition signatures and raising awareness about these service cuts and the impact they will have on our communities. In fact, just this past week, we were at the Buhre Avenue subway station in the Bronx collecting signatures and handing out flyers.

Finally, we have called on the State to fully restore their share of funding for reduced-fare student MetroCards on City subways and buses. The City must also play a role in saving this program, and we will make funding for student MetroCards one of the Council’s top priorities in our budget negotiations with the Mayor this spring.

Now we’re calling on you to join us in sending a very strong, unified message to the MTA:

Don’t Leave New Yorkers Stranded!

Take Action:

Help us collect signatures for our petition, which we will then deliver to each of the MTA’s public hearings. You can find our petition online click here

Help us pack the MTA’s public hearings!

View this link for dates, times and locations. Click Here

Please attend these hearings and let the MTA know how these service cuts will affect your life.

Organize your own event!

Stage a leafleting action at a transportation hub near you. We will help you with volunteers and resources.

Urge the MTA to find alternative ways to prevent these terrible cuts. To contact the MTA by phone, dial (212) 878-7483. To contact them by e-mail, http://www.mta.info/faqs.htm

Let Governor Paterson know how these transit service cuts will personally affect you.

To contact the Governor http://www.state.ny.us/governor/contact/index.html

Sign up to volunteer! If you would like to participate in any of the events that we’re organizing around this issue, please contact Nick Rolf at NROLF@council.nyc.gov

Follow these links for recent press clippings on this issue:

MTA is running off the rails: Stimulus money would prevent devastating service cuts

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/01/31/2010-01-31_mta_is_running_off_the_rails.html

MTA Revises Doomsday Plan

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/mta_revises_doomsday_plan_adCREggRPOFcFmcbqkmEeN

Student MetroCard funds are ‘priority’ in City Council budget talks

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/01/06/2010-01-06_saving_pupils_free_rides_student_metrocard_funds_priority_in_council_budget_talk.html

Lawmakers gather signatures over MTA cuts

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=resources/traffic&id=7240423

New Yorkers Rally Against MTA Budget Cuts

http://www.wpix.com/news/wpix-protest-mta-budget-cuts,0,5425915.story

With your help we can stop these drastic cuts and ensure greater public input in the MTA’s budget process.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 8th, 2010 at 10:31 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.