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The MTA Fix

We are waiting to see how the details pan out, but we are relieved that the State Assembly, State Senate and Governor acted this past week to prevent the worst fare hikes and transit cuts that would have been necessary had no solution been formulated.

The downside of this agreement is that it only partially rights the ship of the MTA and it does so on the backs of transit riding households with a 16% increase in the base fare. As additional money is needed in the near future, the state government needs to recognize that transit riders and employers have already shouldered their share of the burden.

The long-term fiscal status of the MTA is questionable, especially when it comes to having the cash to invest in the urgent capital needs of the system. Therefore future fixes need to better balance the brunt in such a way that helps people make better transportation choices. Whether it is a land tax, a congestion fee, a bridge toll, a gas tax or some other idea we haven't heard of yet, we will need a more equitable funding structure similar in spirit, if not substance, to that proposed by the Ravitch Commission.

We're glad that we will be able to get to work tomorrow, but worried that we won't be able to get there so easily in the future.