Local Groups Hit Atlantic Station to Push Ravitch Plan
Faced with a $1.2 billion deficit, the MTA has threatened to hike fares from $2.00 to $2.50 and institute severe cutbacks to outer-borough service; in Brooklyn, which would be particularly hard hit, the M train would lose 28 rush hour trains and the Z train would be eliminated altogether. In the face of this crisis,…
Faced with a $1.2 billion deficit, the MTA has threatened to hike fares from $2.00 to $2.50 and institute severe cutbacks to outer-borough service; in Brooklyn, which would be particularly hard hit, the M train would lose 28 rush hour trains and the Z train would be eliminated altogether. In the face of this crisis, several groups set up shop in the Atlantic-Pacific station to urge riders to let Governor Paterson know that they support the recommendations of the Ravitch Commission (which include a toll on East River bridges). Citywide groups NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign, Environmental Defense Fund, Regional Plan Association, Transportation Alternatives and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign joined the Brooklyn-based UPROSE, Pratt Center and Downtown Brooklyn Partnership in handing out fliers and collecting signatures on a giant plea to the governor.
bxgrl, the “but i dont use it or like it so i shouldnt pay” is the oldest silliest argument. maybe the govt should send out a 20,000 page book of all its funded programs, so you can check off the ones you like/use to contribute your tax pmts towards.
i’ll start, i dont want to pay for the nea, welfare, afterschool programs, free-clinics for crack hoes, or some of the boring programs on NPR. see, its silly innit?
There are many rude city employees, but I think that after spending a year working face to face with the general public you’d have to be Mother Theresa not to get a bit grumpy with people.
churlish? is that like jejune and puerile?
*r*
Any city job where you are out and dealing with the public is dangerous. How about the sanitation worker who was killed by toxic fumes from a bag he picked up on his run?
On the other hand, some of these people are unnecessarily churlish and rude.
but a very interesting one, dittoburg. I always wondered why, since I don’t own a car, my taxes pay for roads that are used by them. Why shouldn’t I be able to designate that my tax dollars go to mass transit? And those with cars should pay a higher rate, with a larger percentage going to mass transit. Only seems fair- I suffer from their noise and smog and dangers, as well as paying for the wear and tearpersonal vehicles put on the streets.
didnt that one bus driver get shot in the face or something a few months ago when he demanded bus fare from a passenger?
*r*
Why should the “little old lady” working her cleaning job in the city and being godfearing and honest cough up her transit fares from her after-tax income when all the able-bodied young faredogers living in her neighborhood don’t pay a penny? The current “honor” systme doesn’t work. MTA busdrivers are told to not even challenge the scofflaws.
Mass transport for NYC is an essential system, along with the NYPD, sanitation, and the police. The city would cease to function without mass transit. Everyone living here should continbute towards it, according to their ability. I’m not arguing everyone should pay the same percentage, but everyone should pay. Its really not such a radical idea.
“I believe everyone should pay for communal services, each according to his or her ability, but everyone should pay. ”
Why should little old ladies in neighborhoods with crappy or no subway access pay for subway service?
And why should a lawyer who lives in Brooklyn Heights and works in Manhattan pay the same amount as a lawyer who lives and works in Bay Ridge?
it is typical – want and demand services but always someone else should pay for them. Even in time of major fiscal crisis. Not that MTA doesn’t need criticism for arrogance and mismanagement but still we want everyone except ourselves to cough up more $$.