A group of advocates for better public transit, including the Riders Alliance, New York League of Conservation Voters, NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign, Reinvent Albany, StreetsPAC, TransitCenter, and Tri-State Transportation Campaign, released the following statement:
“Millions of transit riders are counting on the governor and legislature to fix our subways and buses with a new, dependable source of funding. Delays have skyrocketed, reliability has plummeted, and transit riders are boiling over with frustration.
“The number one job of Governor Cuomo and state lawmakers in this year’s budget is to pass congestion pricing, which can raise billions of dollars to help fix our broken transit system. Congestion pricing should be at the center of any funding plan because it is fair and sustainable, will improve air quality, traffic conditions, and street safety, and will raise more money than any other proposal on the table.
“Structural changes to the MTA are worth a robust discussion, but regardless of how the MTA is governed, it will need billions of dollars of new funding to enact its ambitious modernization plan. We can’t let the longer-term conversation about MTA structure distract from the urgent task of raising revenue, repairing infrastructure, and improving the lives of millions of daily commuters.”
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