The eight members of the Long Island Senate Majority delegation today joined to voice their collective opposition to fare increases proposed for the Long Island Rail Road. The proposed fare increase was announced by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) at a meeting Wednesday and the delegation is united in fighting for the commuters of Long Island.
Majority Leader Dean Skelos, Senator Kenneth LaValle (1st Senate District), Senator John Flanagan (2nd Senate District), Senator Caesar Trunzo (3rd Senate District), Senator Owen Johnson (4th Senate District), Senator Carl Marcellino (5th Senate District), Senator Kemp Hannon (6th Senate District) and Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (8th Senate District) joined together to call on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to find other methods to resolve their financial problems and to look inside the organization for solutions to this continuous problem.
The plan unveiled by the MTA would increase fares on the LIRR by an average of 8% and would be in addition to the close to 4% increase that was implemented in March. And even if that increase is agreed to, the MTA has already announced that they intend to add another 5% increase in fares in 2011.
If these fare increases are enacted by the MTA, it would cost Long Island commuters over 70% more than it did in 1995 to utilize the LIRR. To the members of the Long Island Senate Majority delegation that is unacceptable and shortsighted.
"Long Island commuters have continually been asked to pay more than their fair share and that has to stop. The MTA has to come up with a more equitable way of dealing with the economic issues they face instead of repeatedly pushing their problems onto the backs of their riders," stated Senator Flanagan, who was recently appointed to the four-member Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Capital Program Review Board. "The MTA has consistently had a problem sticking with a financial plan and they need to make internal changes to make sure that they stop passing additional costs on to their customers."
"Enough is enough. Does the MTA have any idea what their finances are? All they seem to know how to do is to ask the LIRR commuters for more of their hard earned money. The bottom line is the MTA has once again turned its back on its fundamental responsibility of providing safe, convenient, and user friendly service and decided instead to line their pockets with the hard earned cash of middle class commuters," said Senator Marcellino.
"Two fare hikes in one year is outrageous," said Senator Trunzo. "Just as more Long Islanders are considering using the LIRR in response to rising gas prices, the MTA is driving these potential new customers away with higher prices. It's foolish and shortsighted. Another fare hike should be a last resort, not a first response."
"With middle-class families having to do more with less and tightening their belts just to make ends meet, the MTA has a responsibility to go back to the drawing board and review its proposal. I encourage the MTA to take a hard look at all of its expenses to identify additional savings so the agency doesn't balance its Budget on the backs of commuters," Senate Majority Leader Skelos said.
"It is outrageous that the MTA is so quick to ask their customers to pay higher fares whenever they face financial difficulties," said Senator Johnson. "Fare hikes should be a last resort, not a perennial occurrence. Long Island commuters deserve better."
"Given current economic times, Long Island commuters are being forced to tighten their belts and do more with less. The MTA needs to do the same. Management has to do a better job of looking within their own operation to find savings and stop passing the buck onto Long Island commuters by asking them to pay yet another fare increase," said Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr.
"Raising rates on rail commuters is simply not justifiable," said Senator Hannon. "According to the MTA's financial plan one year ago, the Authority forecasted a record $960 million surplus that year, with an expected surplus of $377 million in 2008. To now all of a sudden ask for another rate increase is unacceptable. We have skyrocketing gas prices, food prices, a recent toll increase, foreclosures, lower home values, and high property taxes. For the MTA to even think of proposing this is reprehensible. Enough is enough."
"The proposed fare increase not only places a greater financial burden on riders, it discourages the use of mass transit," said Senator LaValle. "In these tough economic times, everyone is cutting corners to make ends meet. I would hope the MTA is doing everything possible to deal with balancing their budget before strapping riders with an additional increase in fares."
"The MTA needs to demonstrate to the public that they have done everything possible before looking to increase fares. But instead they are coming to the state for more money and to their customers for more money after years of broken promises, cost overruns and delays in capital construction that have shaken everyone’s confidence," added Senator Flanagan. "What they should do is look internally to find more savings and protect the riding public they are supposed to be serving. This is supposed to be a partnership that includes give and take but lately the MTA seems to be doing more taking than giving and that needs to change."Please click here to join Senator Flanagan in fighting the proposed fare hikes and to tell the MTA to find another way to balance their books.
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