Rockland Considers Withdrawing From The MTA
While catching up on transit related news of the last few days, I came across a brief but very interesting report. The report was about how, one of my old stomping grounds, Rockland County will begin analysis on whether it should withdraw from the MTA. Empire State News has more:
Rockland County has begun an effort to examine what it would take to withdraw from the MTA, subject to state legislation allowing it.
The county will conduct an analysis over the next six months and will include a number of items, including review and summaries of previous analyses of the costs and benefits of MTA service to Rockland, terms of current draft legislation that could authorize a withdrawal from the MTA; identifying financial resources and mechanisms that would be adapted to continue current regional transit services to Rockland; summary of operational and regulatory issues associated with withdrawal from the MTA; and identifying potential pros and cons associated with a pullout.
“The preliminary analysis will provide us with the basic information we would heed in advance of potential authorizing legislation,” said County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef.
The analysis will cost about $52,000 and is expected to be completed by spring 2011. The study will be funded 80 percent with federal dollars, 10 percent with state money and the remainder paid by transportation dollars allocated to the county. No county tax funds will be used to pay for the study.
Rockland withdrawing from the MTA is the type of action that could send a massive shockwave throughout the region. If they were to successfully provide public transit without the MTA, what is to say other counties would not look to do the same?
While any potential withdraw would not happen for some time, it is an issue that the MTA can’t afford to ignore. It will be interesting to see a final report from the county next year.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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