|
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We earned a hard-fought victory for New York today, as the MTA decided to keep the Metrocard fare at $2.75.
This morning, I attended the MTA Board meeting today to speak out against fare hikes that we know would continue to punish hard working New Yorkers, struggling to get by as is. I encouraged the MTA to look elsewhere when it comes to raising revenue and avoid balancing their budgets on the backs of riders e
very two years.
This includes looking to new dedicated revenue streams and being creative about the reach of the trillion dollar asset that is the NYC Transit system. While we can say that today, we scored a temporary respite from rising fares, another increase is scheduled for 2019, and many New Yorkers are still struggling to pay the current fare.
I will continue to make the case that there are better ways for the MTA to cover its debt obligations and will actively address the issue of transit affordability with the Transportation Committee in February. One way we can do this is through the Fair Fares initiative put forward by the Riders Alliance and the Community Service Society, that I've championed in the NYC Council.
I want to give thanks to all the advocates and riders who spoke out against these hikes. Your voices carried the day.
|
