NYPIRG STRAPHANGERS CAMPAIGN
CITIZEN ACTION OF NEW YORK
TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION LOCAL 100

NEWS RELEASE

GROUPS, CITY LEADERS TO REGISTER VOTERS IN SUBWAYS
IN “TRANSIT VOTER/SAVE THE FARE” CAMPAIGN

Councilman Alan Gerson will join the NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign, Citizen Action of New York, and Transport Workers Union Local 100 to register voters at the Fulton Street/Broadway/Nassau subway station on Tuesday as part of a campaign intended to bring attention to an impending fare hike and the importance of transit to New Yorkers.

Over the next several weeks, the Transit Voter campaign will reach hundreds of thousands of subway and bus riders and inform transit riders about how to prevent a 2003 fare hike. Earlier this year, Mayor Bloomberg predicted that the fare may go to $2 early next year, up 50-cent increase from the current base fare of $1.50.

Riders also will be asked to send a post card to Governor Pataki – who oversees the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and signs off on fare hikes – urging him to pledge to prevent a fare increase and “to commit yourself to fair and adequate funding for New York City’s subways and buses.”

“A fare hike is a tax hike that would hurt the riders who can least afford it,” the card also reads.

The card also gives the facts about the raw deal New Yorkers are getting:

• New York City riders pay 60% of the cost of their ride, far higher than the national average of 40%.
• New York State gives only 63% of its transit aid to the city, even though we make up 84% of the state transit riders.
• Buses and subways are more crowded than ever, with more than 7 million weekday riders, while service increase lag.

“We want the state’s leaders to understand that transit riders who care about decent subways and buses are on the move – to the voting booth,” said Susan Stetzer, transportation project director of Citizen Action of New York.

Transit Voter is intended to supplement the Motor Voter program, designed to reach potential voters who are unregistered. Since nearly half of New York City’s adult residents (47.9%) do not have a drivers license, outreach in New York City’s subways and buses is necessary if transit is going to get its fair share of funding.

“Transit Voter is a great way to reach the vast majority of New Yorkers who care about transit and who otherwise might not get their voices heard,” said Neysa Pranger, coordinator of NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign.

TWU Local 100, Citizen Action, the Straphangers Campaign, Jobs With Justice and a broad coalition of community groups, unions and elected officials will work to stop a fare hike this fall.

“We’re going to hundreds of subway stations and thousands of subway cars and buses to reach the millions of riders who would be hurt by a fare hike,” said Ed Watt, Secretary-Treasurer of TWU Local 100.

“New York’s mass transit system is the backbone of the region’s economy – serving communities and businesses in all five boroughs and beyond – and it’s vital that it remain accessible to all New Yorkers,” said Simon Greer, executive director, New York Jobs With Justice.

October 11th is the last day to register to vote in time for the November 5th general election. Voters who do not register by midnight on the 11th will not be eligible to vote.

State Senator Martin Connor also sent a representative to the event.

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