Sneak Peek At The Ravitch Commission Proposals
As we all know by now the MTA is in a deep financial crisis. The budget deficit continues to grow with each passing day & some wonder when we will see the light at the end of the tunnel. Many people are pinning their hopes on proposals from the 12 deep Ravitch Commission. The commission headed by former MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch was created to recommend strategies to fund MTA capital projects and operating needs over the next ten years.
Earlier this evening New York Times reporter William Neuman along with contributions from Charles V. Bagli and Sam Roberts brought us a sneak peek at some of the proposals that will be presented next month:
A state commission appointed by Gov. David A. Paterson is expected next week to propose a rescue package for the financially imperiled Metropolitan Transportation Authority that includes a new tax on corporate payrolls and tolls on the East River and Harlem River bridges, several people informed of the plan said on Wednesday.
The commission, led by Richard Ravitch, a former chairman of the authority, will also recommend an increase next year in fares on subways, buses and commuter railroads, as well as in tolls on the bridges and tunnels it currently controls. But those increases would be much smaller than the ones the authority recently outlined in its proposed budget for next year.
The commission is also expected to call for minimal cuts, if any, in transit service. The plan, which is due to be released by Dec. 5, will contain recommendations to the governor, subject to passage by the Legislature.
The people familiar with the rescue plan cautioned that it is still being refined and may change as Mr. Ravitch tries to win the support of elected officials like Mr. Paterson and state legislative leaders. Mr. Ravitch is expected to meet with the governor in the coming days to present a final version of the plan.
Opposition to some of the plan’s central elements is sure to be strong. Despite the growing problems at the authority, most elected officials have remained publicly uncommitted about how to help it, saying only that they were awaiting the commission’s report.
So far the strongest show of support has come from Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Manhattan Democrat, who said last week that he was open to raising taxes or creating a new tax to support the authority.
It was not clear, however, whether Mr. Silver or other legislators would support instituting tolls for the bridges. Bridge tolls are seen by many as similar to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s congestion pricing plan to charge drivers for entering Manhattan on its busiest streets; that plan died in the Legislature this year, largely because of opposition from Assembly Democrats.
Click here for the complete report.
I really want to wait until the full proposals come out before I comment point by point. However at first glance, I can tell you one part of the proposal that is a bad idea. The part I am referring to is the tax increase on corporate payrolls. I can’t even begin to say how bad of an idea this is. As I said I will wait until the full plan is announced before going “all-in” with my thoughts.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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The F Is The Next Line To Be Graded
About an hour ago, NYC Transit e-mailed a press release to announce that the 
is the next line to be graded in the 2008 Rider Report Cards. Here are the complete details:
In our continuing effort to solicit feedback from our customers, MTA New York City Transit is again distributing Rider Report Cards throughout the system. Riders on the F are next in line of NYC Transit’s over five million daily subway customers asked to rate the progress of their line since the initial round of report cards was distributed in July 2007.
The report cards are being distributed to riders during the morning rush hours from Tuesday, December 2nd through Friday, December 5th. The cards will be handed out at several different stations along the line each day over all four days. Grades will be used to identify rider preferences and to gauge how much improvement customers along the F line have noticed since last year’s report card.
Again, the Rider Report Card will ask subway riders to grade 21 specific areas of service from an A (Excellent) to an F (Unsatisfactory). Among the areas riders will grade include: car and station cleanliness, safety, security, quality of announcements, and the courtesy and helpfulness of front line customer service staff. Riders will also assign an overall grade for F service. From this list of 21 service attributes, riders are also going to be asked to rank the top three improvements they would like to see made to this line.
The Rider Report Card is once again being distributed in a mailer format, designed to be returned at no cost to the rider. Customers will also have the option of completing the survey on-line, on the MTA website at www.mta.info/nyct/index.html, where it is available in 3 languages: English, Spanish and Chinese. From the time the survey begins, riders will have two weeks to mail in their response or to complete the survey online.
Rider Report Card results are posted on line for riders to review once they have been tabulated.
Report cards are being distributed between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. at each station. The schedule for distribution of Rider Report Cards along the F line is as follows:
• Tuesday, December 2nd – West 8th Street-NY Aquarium, Neptune Avenue, Avenue X, Avenue U, Kings Highway, Avenue P, Avenue N, Bay Parkway, Avenue I and 18th Avenue.
• Wednesday, December 3rd – Ditmas Avenue, Church Avenue, Fort Hamilton Parkway, 15th Street-Prospect Park, 7th Avenue and Smith-9th Streets.
• Thursday, December 4th — Carroll Street, Bergen Street, York Street, East Broadway, Lower East Side-2nd Avenue and 23rd Street.
• Friday, December 5th – 57th Street, Lexington Avenue-63rd Street, Roosevelt Island, 21st Street-Queensbridge, Sutphin Blvd., Parsons Blvd., 169th Street and Jamaica-179th Street.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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MTA Statement On Terror Alert
Just a short while ago, the MTA issued a statement via e-mail in a response to the terror alert issued by the FBI & Department of Homeland Security. The terror alert was centered around the possibility of an Al Qaeda attack on the NYC Subway:
The MTA is aware of an unsubstantiated report of terrorist threats against transit properties during the holiday season. We are already on high alert and are always on a heightened state of readiness during this season. We have been working closely with local, state and federal law enforcement to increase police presence throughout our transportation system. As always, we ask that our customers remain alert and report any suspicious activity or packages, but there is no reason to be alarmed.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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FBI Warns Of Possible Terror Attack On The NYC Subway
Last night the FBI & Department of Homeland Security issued a joint warning to elected officials about a possible terror threat. The threat consisted of a possible terrorist attack on the NYC Subway by Al Qaeda. James Gordon, Alison Gendar, & Larry McShane of the New York Daily News have more in this report:
The city subway system received an infusion of police protection Wednesday after reports that Al Qaeda terrorists had considered targeting local mass transit with suicide bombers.
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a joint warning to state and local officials on Tuesday night about the terrorist threat, said DHS spokeswoman Laura Keehner.
The warning followed “plausible but uncorroborated information that Al Qaeda may have discussed targeting the transit system in or around New York City,” Keehner said.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said police were aware of the terrorist threat, and responded by sending additional cops throughout the subway system.
“It is not uncommon for the department to receive threat information and to adjust our resources accordingly,” he said.
While both Browne and Keehner said the discussions never advanced beyond the talking stage, Rep. Peter King said the threat was legitimate.
“This is a plausible and very serious threat, but there’s no reason to panic,” said King, the top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee. “There is no evidence to think any action has been taken to carry out the plot. But it is serious, and there are specifics.”
Officials told the Daily News that the intercepted threat was made by Al Qaeda lieutenants based in Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt.
Click here for the complete report.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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Cab Driver Fatally Shot At The LIRR’s Shirley Station
I find it truly sad to hear or read about a hard worker being killed while just doing his job. Unfortunately such a tragic event took place 2 days ago when 53 year old Shirley resident & cab driver John Attrino, was shot inside his cab at the Long Island Rail Road’s (LIRR) Shirley station. Patrick Whittle of Newsday has more in this report:
For the second time in four days, a Long Island cabdriver has been shot and killed on the job.
The driver, John Attrino, 53, of Shirley, was shot in the torso just before 3 a.m. yesterday at the Long Island Rail Road train station in Shirley, said police, who thus far have not uncovered a motive for the slaying.
Police, who have made no arrests in the case, said they are investigating the killing.
Nassau and Suffolk police said the homicide did not appear related to the Saturday morning killing of cabbie Michael Xavier, of Commack, whose body was found in a vacant lot in Elmont. Nassau police said they are still looking for Xavier’s killer.
Suffolk Det. Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick said there is “nothing to indicate” that the Attrino killing was a copycat crime.
It is unclear whether Attrino was robbed, police said.
Click here for the complete report.
My condolences go out to the friends & family of John Attrino. I hope the asshole responsible for this gets brought to justice & gets the stiffest punishment possible.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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