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Saving Our Subway By ERIC SCHNEIDERMAN On Jan. 23 a subway signal room dating from the 1930s was destroyed by a fire, knocking out service on the A and C and disrupting hundreds of thousands of riders. In March the 4, 5 and 6 trains were shut down three times in one day. These problems were closely followed by disruptions on the 7 line, and a shutdown of the A, C, B, and D lines. Riders who were outraged at being stranded by these breakdowns would do well to remember their frustration on Election Day, Nov. 8, and vote yes on Ballot Proposal 2, the Rebuild and Renew Transportation Bond Act. If passed, the bond act will authorize the state to borrow $2.9 billion, split evenly between the State Department of Transportation and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Some of the MTA's share will go to expansion projects like the Second Avenue Subway, but most will go to necessary maintenance of the existing system, including track replacement and the purchase of new buses and train cars. Over the last decade, I have represented straphangers in bitter conflicts with the MTA over its priorities and misuse of assets, but anyone concerned with the fate of our transit system can agree on the need to pass the bond act. As MTA Chairman Peter Kalikow said, "Without the money, without the infrastructure… this system will start to deteriorate, no question about that." He's right. Mass transit is the backbone of New York City's economy. Midtown and Lower Manhattan, respectively, are the first and third largest business districts in the nation. This incredible concentration of economic activity would be impossible without a world-class mass transit system. About 1.5 million people commute to Manhattan every day, and four out of every five rush-hour commuters to our central business districts use mass transit. Even more striking, the downstate region is expected at add another 1.5 million jobs in the next 25 years. If our transit system cannot accommodate that growth, then the city's economic future will be hobbled like a champion sprinter wearing running shoes made of lead. We'll be left in the dust. Albany's borrowing practices have been rightly criticized because much of the state's debt load has been accumulated by "backdoor borrowing" through public authorities, which is not subject to voter approval. Furthermore, state debt has often been used to cover normal operating expenses, rather than permanent capital improvements, a short-term gimmick that is a recipe for long-term disaster. Ballot Proposal 2, however, is subject to voter approval, and will continue to pay dividends after the debt is paid off - in increased tax revenue from the economic activity that will be leveraged by enhanced transportation infrastructure. Approving Ballot Proposal 2 will also help stave off fare hikes because the debt for the bonds will be owed by the state, and not the MTA. If Proposal 2 fails, the MTA will make up the difference by borrowing, raising fares, and putting off critical repairs and improvements. When the last rounds of fare hikes and service cuts were announced, riders were rightfully outraged a being asked to pay more for less. Approving the bond act is a chance for riders to pay less and get more. That's a deal we can't afford to pass up. _____________________________________________________________ |
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