MTA Surplus Climbs
Toss TWU Officials Over Pact Protest

By GINGER ADAMS OTIS

Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Peter S. Kalikow expelled several members of Transport Workers' Union Local 100 from an MTA board meeting July 26, the last one held before both parties head to binding arbitration.

PETER S. KALIKOW: Won't revive deal.

Mr. Kalikow was visibly annoyed when Andreeva Pinder, head of Station Agents for Local 100, monopolized the bulk of the 30-minute public comment period. She insisted on reading aloud the names of people who signed petitions urging the MTA to ratify the contract negotiated between the union and the agency after December's three-day transit strike. The MTA board has maintained that those terms were nullified when transit workers initially rejected the deal by a seven-vote margin in January.

Ms. Pinder ignored several reminders from MTA officials that she had exceeded her three-minute allotment, as well as the pleas of other speakers waiting for their chance to address the board.

In between reading the names of at least 200 petition-signers, Ms. Pinder reminded Mr. Kalikow that "all it takes is a contract."

The MTA Chairman listened politely at first, but grew frustrated as it became clear that she would not step down. After waiting out the 30 minutes, Mr. Kalikow declared the public comment period adjourned, and invited MTA Executive Director Katherine Lapp to begin her budget presentation.

The Chief-Leader/Michel Friang IF LOOKS COULD KILL: Andreeva Pinder (center), a Station Agent with Transport Workers' Union Local 100, ignored the baleful glare of a Metropolitan Transportation Authority security officer and beat the clock but not MTA Chairman Peter S. Kalikow at a board meeting July 26. Although Ms. Pinder succeeded in holding her spot at the podium well past the allotted three minutes, Mr. Kalikow had security eject her and several other disruptive union members from the building as soon as the public comment period ended.

Ms. Pinder continued reading names even after her microphone was cut off, but was soon hushed by building security officers, who escorted her outside. Some fellow union members in the audience shouted "Let her finish!" and tried to keep reading names. They were also ejected from the meeting.

Watt Cites Anger

Local 100 Secretary-Treasurer Ed Watt, who was at the board meeting, said Ms. Pinder's actions were a manifestation of transit workers' annoyance over their lack of a deal, but he denied having advance knowledge of her plans.

The interruption barely caused a ripple in Ms. Lapp's presentation of a preliminary $8.3-billion budget for 2007.

Thanks to real-estate tax proceeds adding an unanticipated $427 million, the MTA will have a $711-million surplus at year's end, she reported.

That enabled the MTA to push back a planned fare increase until September 2007, but regular fare increases for subway and bus riders are crucial to help offset looming deficits, Ms. Lapp stressed. She said another fare hike would be likely in 2009.

Trouble on Horizon

The MTA projects a $905-million deficit for 2008, and $1.14-billion and $1.49-billion shortfalls in 2009 and 2010.

Agency officials refused to discuss possible amounts for a fare hike. Chairman Kalikow said at a brief press conference held at the meeting's close that it would be "as small as possible."

He added that pushing back the fare increase to 2007 would give him more time to negotiate with the next Governor about state funding for the MTA.

Mr. Kalikow also secured permission from the board to move ahead with expedited negotiations on the city's offer to buy the West Side Rail Yards for $500 million.

The board approved a resolution empowering Mr. Kalikow and Ms. Lapp to bargain on its behalf so that the deal could move "expeditiously," according to the MTA Chairman. The board will have final approval of any deals, he said.

Is Deal Best Possible?

The board members passed the resolution, but only after warning Mr. Kalikow that they wanted him to get the best deal possible.

One board member suggested that the city's offer might be too low. He noted that the West Rail Yards area hasn't been approved for rezoning by the City Council. Depending on what kind of zoning it got, he argued, the value could increase sharply.

Mr. Kalikow also revealed that the city's offer included $2 billion for expansion of the 7 line. Furthermore, the city would pay for the platform that must be constructed over the rail yards, but the agency would have carte blanche in designing it to fit its needs, Mr. Kalikow said.

Board members also urged him to be cautious about negotiating a deal that included set prices for the construction projects. They worried that increasing fuel and commodity prices - particularly steel - could create overruns. They asked Mr. Kalikow to nail down assurances from the city that it would cover total costs even if projects went over budget.