Call for Delay on Fare Hike 08

NYPIRG/Straphangers Campaign
New York League of Conservation Voters
Environmental Defense
Regional Planning Association
Citizens Committee for New York City
Transportation Alternatives
New York City Environmental Justice Alliance
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
Vision Long Island
WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Inc. (WE ACT)

August 28, 2007

Hon. Lee Sander
Executive Director and CEO
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
347 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017

Dear Mr. Sander:

The MTA recently proposed a fare and toll increase in its financial plan for 2008. As civic groups concerned with decent transit, we write to urge that if the MTA does adopt a fare increase for 2008, no final action be taken before March 31, 2008, at the earliest.

Our groups have different positions on the MTA’s proposed financial plan for 2008. Many of us are still reviewing the complex plan. But we all share the same view about the time schedule.

Right now, the MTA plan calls for a decision on fares in December 2007, to go into effect in "early 2008."

But we urge that no final action on the fare should happen before March 31, 2008.

That's because two other key actions take effect on that date.

First, this is the date by which the state legislature and New York City Council have to decide on the recommendations of the traffic congestion mitigation commission recently created by the state legislature. The commission will be considering Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing proposal, which would include new transit funding.

Second, on that same day, the MTA is required to submit its five-year, multi-billion dollar capital rebuilding plan, giving the public its detailed program for what repairs will be slated between 2008 and 2013.

Our groups feel strongly that the whole range of transit funding - from operations to capital needs - should be considered as a whole, rather than piecemeal.

There's ample precedent for a fare increase later in March or later in 2008.

In 2003, the fare increase did not take effect until May. And in 2005, new fares were put in place in March.

Back in 1981, during Richard Ravitch’s tenure, the MTA Board adopted two different dates: A fare increase went into effect on July 1, 1981 - from 50-cents to 60-cents. At the same time, the MTA Board voted for another fare increase to be effective July 14 - from 60-cents to 75-cents.

The state legislature adopted several new revenue measures on July 13th, 1981. The second fare increase was then rescinded.

We appreciate your consideration of our views.

Yours truly,

Gene Russianoff, Senior Attorney
NYPIRG/Straphangers Campaign
9 Murray Street
New York, NY 10007

Marcia Bystryn, Executive Director
New York League of Conservation Voters
30 Broad Street, 30th Floor
New York, NY 10004

Andrew H. Darrell, Regional Director
Environmental Defense
257 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10010

Robert D. Yaro, President
Regional Planning Association
4 Irving Place, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10003

Peter H. Kostmayer, President
Citizens Committee for New York City
305 7th Avenue, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10001

Paul Steely White, Executive Director
Transportation Alternatives
127 West 26th Street
New York, NY 10002

Elizabeth Yeampierre, Co-Chair
New York City Environmental Justice Alliance
115 West 30th Street, Suite 1110B
New York, NY 10001

Kate Slevin, Executive Director
Tri-State Transportation Campaign
350 West 31st Street, Suite 802
New York, NY 10001

Eric Alexander, Executive Director
Vision Long Island
24 Woodbine Avenue, Suite 1
Northport, NY 11768

Peggy Shepard, Executive Director
WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Inc. (WE ACT)
271 West 125th Street, Suite 308
New York, NY 10027

cc: Peter Kalikow
     Gary Dellaverson
     Hilary Ring
     Timothy Gilchrist

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