Accountable Public Authorities and an “Open MTA”
NYS public authorities, like the MTA and Thruway, borrow 96% of state debt and spend $50B a year. They should be accountable and open. The MTA is the largest single unit of state government employs 70,000 people and has an annual budget of $17B. We seek an “Open MTA.”

In the News
Accountable Public Authorities

August 21, 2019 State Senators Call on MTA To Abide By Open Meeting Laws New York Daily News
August 19, 2019 Week Ahead In NY Politics August 19 2019 Gotham Gazette
August 15, 2019 MTA Audit Blasts Antiquated LIRR Work Rules With ‘No Modern Justification’ New York Post
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From the Blog
Accountable Public Authorities

October 1, 2019 Yes! Say Transit Groups to Governor Cuomo’s Call for Legislative Leaders and Mayor to Join Him Personally At Public MTA Capital Program Review Board Meeting Reinvent Albany • NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA (PCAC) Riders Alliance • TransitCenter Tri-State Transportation Campaign Statement Transit watchdog and advocacy groups strongly support Governor Cuomo’s proposal that he, legislative leaders and the mayor of New York City all represent themselves on the MTA Capital Program Review Board (CPRB). The groups […]
September 26, 2019 Watchdog Praise for MTA Capital Plan Open Data Statement Thanking MTA For Publishing 2020-2024 Capital Plan Project List As Open DataReinvent Albany thanks MTA CEO/Chair Foye and MTA staff for publishing a spreadsheet of capital plan projects. This follows Foye’s commitment in April 2019 to revamp the MTA’s Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) and Open Data processes. We welcome this transparency and appreciate this opportunity to […]
September 25, 2019 Testimony to MTA Board on 2020-2024 Capital Plan: MTA Must Provide Honest Spending and Implementation Plans Testimony of Rachael Fauss, Reinvent Albany Before MTA Board Re: MTA 2020-2024 Capital Plan Delivery September 23, 2019Good morning. I am Rachael Fauss, Senior Research Analyst for Reinvent Albany. We advocate for more transparent and accountable state government, including state authorities like the MTA. I am are here to speak about the 2020-2024 MTA Capital […]
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Reports and Policy Briefs
Accountable Public Authorities

September 2019 Analysis Shows Huge Challenge for MTA to Spend $55B 2020-24 Capital Plan Analysis shows the biggest constraint is the MTA’s ability to spend, not find capital funding. Recommends honest and detailed implementation plan, as well as detailed, itemized lists of projects and changes to prior plans.
August 2019 Where is the 2020-2024 MTA Capital Plan? Review of past MTA capital plan processes shows 2019 is one of most secretive since capital plans began in 1982, diverging from transparency norms.
August 2019 Who is the MTA Board? An analysis of the 2019 MTA Board finds that only 36% of voting board members live in NYC, versus 89% of riders. When additionally compared by age, income, and ethnicity, MTA board members are not like transit riders. Review of financial disclosures also finds conflicts of interest for board members.
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