MTA: Need State Help By March 25

MTA: Need State Help By March 25—No Kidding

HILARY RING: Deadline is for real.

A Metropolitan Transportation Authority official March 12 denied accusations by several lawmakers that the March 25 deadline for implementing the Ravitch Commission recommendations to increase revenues was an "artificial deadline."

Speaking before the City Council's Transportation Committee, MTA Director of State Relations Hilary Ring responded to a statement from State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith early last week that the deadline was flexible, and that the State Legislature could continue debating an MTA bailout plan without the agency having to institute service cutbacks and fare increases.

Ready to Make Cuts

"That's the date of the board meeting," Mr. Ring said, vowing that preparations will go forward after March 25 to implement an austerity budget if Albany does not establish new revenue streams to close a $1.2- billion deficit.

He warned that if Ravitch Commission recommendations—which include an 8-percent fare increase, a payroll tax, and tolls on East River and Harlem River bridges—are not implemented by that board meeting then the MTA would move to institute fare increases and service changes set for June, which would include laying off 1,100 workers. That would entail administrative procedures that would have to start as soon as possible, including recalibrating fare boxes, renegotiating pick assignments with the unions and reprinting timetables.

"You have to do all this stuff that takes about two months to do," Mr. Ring said.

Transportation Committee Chair John Liu was skeptical, saying that an extra board meeting could be scheduled soon after March 25 to give the State Legislature more time to negotiate a bailout bill.

"If you waited an extra week, it wouldn't be the end of the world," he said.

MTA Chairman H. Dale Hemmerdinger matched Mr. Ring's sense of urgency during an emergency board meeting March 13.

Opposition to Tolls

Many lawmakers, some of whom represent the outer boroughs, have suggested that the bridge tolls unfairly put the burden on those who need to use those bridges to commute to work in Manhattan. Councilman Miguel Martinez, who represents upper Manhattan, said his constituents would be acutely affected because of the several small bridges in the neighborhood.

He said that such tolls would have New York City residents paying more for the system than residents in the other counties served by Metro-North and the Long Island Railroad.

"You continue to double-dip from New Yorkers," Mr. Martinez told Mr. Ring. "New York City will continue to pay more for less services."

Mr. Ring also disputed comments by several Council Members that the MTA could fill the budget gaps by selling off some of its property before it looks to cut back services, lay off workers and increase fares. He explained that the agency only owns Atlantic Yards, Hudson Yards and several buildings including its headquarters on Madison Ave. The rest of the properties—including stations, tunnels, depots and other administrative buildings—are city-owned and leased to the MTA.

"We would love to be able to sell assets, but these assets are not ours to sell," he said.