MTA Falters, Smith Dithers

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has set a March 25 deadline for getting significant additional help from the state to limit potential fare increases and head off major cuts in jobs and service. Despite a sound plan put forward by former MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch for the bailout and a compromise pushed by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to raise East River and Harlem River bridge tolls by about half of what was originally proposed, that help remains very much in doubt.

The problem lies in the State Senate, where new Majority Leader Malcolm Smith has yet to demonstrate the strength to influence his party conference. And while he has expressed skepticism that the deadline is an absolute one, the real problem appears to be that the bailout plan is opposed by a halfdozen Senate Democrats, led by the infamous Gang of Three: Carl Kruger, Pedro Espada and Ruben Diaz Sr.

They and three other legislators have complained that the plan is unfairly punitive to motorists in their districts. This explanation doesn't ring fully true because a far greater percentage of their constituents depend on mass transit and would wind up getting socked with a 50-percent fare increase if the Ravitch/Silver compromise plan is not adopted.

Given that the Gang of Three used their initial opposition to Mr. Smith's election as Majority Leader after Democrats gained control of the upper legislative house to win choice posts in return for backing him, you don't have to be a cynic to suspect that they're once again throwing up roadblocks primarily to force Mr. Smith to make concessions to get their votes for the plan. (The other three legislators may also be banking on getting added favors for their votes.)

And the Majority Leader, by caving to The Gang last time, showed a weakness that makes his charge that the MTA has created an artificial deadline seem like he is stalling Senate action because he hasn't figured out how to get the votes to do what has to be done.

Those who argue that the MTA is not to be trusted because of its past history of keeping two sets of books are conveniently forgetting that this was done under a previous administration that has been gone for more than two years. Mr. Ravitch, who was the architect of a previous bailout plan three decades ago that rebuilt a transit system that had been badly damaged by years of deferred maintenance due to under-funding, would not have put his own credibility on the line by heading this latest study if there was any chance that management would flim-flam him on the numbers.

While the cutbacks and transit fare hikes are not scheduled to take effect until June, steps would have to be taken well before then to implement them, meaning that if next Wednesday isn't a hard-andfast deadline, it's pretty close to it.

Transport Workers Union Local 100 should start exerting some of its political muscle on the recalcitrant State Senators so that the financial pain is spread more evenly and service cuts that will be felt even more by union members than by riders are kept to a minimum.