FOR THE RECORD

While generally supporting the recommendations of the Ravitch Commission to bring more government revenue into the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Transport Workers Union Local 100 told the City Council Dec. 16 that fare hikes should be taken out of the budget-balancing process.

The commission was established by Governor Paterson to find ways to close the authority's budget shortfalls. Unless tax revenue to the authority is increased, Local 100 could next year experience layoffs at both New York City Transit and MTA Bus according to the MTA budget passed last week.

"In the absence of a variable pricing fare that delivers relief to lower-income transit users, this arrangement represents a disproportionate burden placed on them," stated the union's testimony submitted to the Council's Transportation Committee. "Similar to the Mayor's objection to avoiding regressive increases in Express Bus fares—which we agree with—this logic should be extended to all lower-income New Yorkers. We recommend the delivery of a discounted fare to lower-income riders and a freeze in the fare balanced by a commensurate increase in the proposed Regional Mobility tax."

The MTA board approved a budget Dec. 17 with fare hikes and subway and bus cuts that MTA Executive Director and CEO Elliot Sander has called "Draconian." He, along with MTA Chairman H. Dale Hemmerdinger, have said that if the city and state adopted some of the Ravitch Commission's recommendations, it could produce enough revenue to stave off the cuts scheduled for spring and the fare increases slated to happen in the summer.

***

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten praised President-elect Barack Obama's pick for Education Secretary, Chicago schools superintendent Arne Duncan. "[Mr.] Duncan has shown a genuine commitment to what we see as the essential priorities for an incoming education secretary," she said in a statement.

Mr. Duncan was regarded as a compromise pick who would please both unions and "reformers," such as Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, who favor methods of measuring student and Teacher success that unions often bristle at. Ms. Weingarten had given Mr. Duncan her seal of approval a week earlier, signaling that the AFT would be comfortable with him although its preferred choice was Linda Darling-Hammond, a Stanford professor on the President-elect's transition team who has criticized the Teach for America program and extensive student testing.

"There may be times when we will differ, but we believe we will agree fully that America's students and teachers need an Education Secretary committed to focusing on real solutions for closing the achievement gap," said Ms. Weingarten. "[Mr.] Duncan has collaborated with the Chicago Teachers Union and other community partners on various reform programs to help students with the greatest needs."

Mr. Klein, who was rumored by some to be in the running for the job despite union animus, agreed that "President-elect Obama couldn't have made a better choice."

***

The Women's Bar Association of the State of New York, which had originally protested the lack of a female nominee among the seven candidates for Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals submitted to Governor Paterson, last week endorsed Presiding Justice of the First Department Jonathan Lippman for the job.

Mr. Lippman, the former Chief Administrative Judge who has the backing of retiring Chief Judge Judy Kaye, was given the rating of "approved and recommended, and with acknowledgment of his superlative qualifications for the position" by the group. The other six nominees—attorneys George Carpinello, Evan Davis and Peter Zimroth and Associate Justice of the Appellate Division Steven Fisher and Associate Court of Appeals Justices Theodore Jones and Eugene Pigott Jr.—all were designated "approved" by the organization of female attorneys.

Women's Bar Association President Gail Boggio said in a statement that the glowing recommendation for Justice Lippman reflected his "extensive administrative and judicial experience, his history of innovative solutions for all types of administrative and judicial issues, and his unfailing support of women in the law."

***

Our condolences to Civil Service Bar Association President Gloria Jonson on the death of her mother, Virginia.