As The Mack Continues
Over the last number of days, this blog along with many other media outlets have covered the ongoing issue concerning the free perks MTA Board members such as board Vice Chairman David S. Mack receive. New York Daily News Transit Reporter Pete Donohue now reveals that Mr. Mack along with some other current & past board members recieve special parking permits. Here is Pete’s story courtesy of the New York Daily News:
Hey, Mack, HOW about the police-issued parking permit too?
The MTA’s foot-in-mouth vice chairman, David Mack, is one of nearly three dozen current and former board members who scored special parking permits from the agency’s own police department, records reveal.
Mack’s park-almost-anywhere placard goes along with his six free E-ZPasses and lifetime passes for bridges, tunnels, commuter trains, subways and buses.
Mack touched off a firestorm of criticism last week when he said he wouldn’t ride the Long Island Rail Road if he had to pay the fare.
He also said rider complaints to MTA staff are tossed in the trash – but his gripes trigger action and results.
The wealthy Long Island developer apologized the next day and pledged to vote to end the decades-old practice of free passes for MTA board members.
A vote is scheduled for Wednesday on that measure, which doesn’t address parking permits or E-ZPasses.
One former MTA executive said Mack has several of the special parking permits. Records provided to the Daily News by the authority don’t indicate Mack has multiple placards – but he was granted six free E-Z Pass tags by the authority. He has about 17 cars.
Along with Mack, current board Chairman Dale Hemmerdinger, Westchester representative Donald Cecil and several nonvoting rider or union representatives have the placards.
Last year, the MTA reduced the number of MTA parking permits in solidarity with Mayor Bloomberg’s crackdown on city-issued permits. But records show that 33 current and former MTA board members weren’t touched by the MTA’s trimming and managed to hang on to their authority parking placards.
I can’t say that I am surprised to find out about this. It begs to question, what else do current & past board members receive in terms of free perks? I expect to read a report soon that states how they get free dinners, movie passes, & vacations too! This is beyond ridiculous at this point which is why an independent panel should look into these perks & how some board members hung on to perks that were cutoff for others.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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