MTA Mendacity

Once again, the MTA is caught lying to the general public. They had insisted that they would implement a series of improvements that they claimed would cost about $30 million. Now, they've delayed the implementation of the improvements indefinitely.

The shortfall was chiefly caused by a sharp drop in taxes from real estate transactions, transportation authority officials said. They held out hope that if finances improve by the summer, they could go ahead with the improvements.

“They obviously couldn’t deliver on the promises they made at the time the fare went up, and that’s unfortunate, and it will make people very skeptical about future announcements,” said Gene Russianoff, the staff lawyer for the Straphangers Campaign, a rider advocacy group.

The announcement that the authority could not afford the improvements now was an abrupt reversal from just three weeks ago, when Elliot G. Sander, the authority’s chief executive, said its finances appeared good enough to go ahead with the improvements. Mr. Sander made that announcement on March 3, a day after subway and bus fares increased and two days after commuter rail fares went up. Bridge tolls increased March 16.

It figures.

The MTA just imposed a fare hike and said that the fare increases would help fund improvements to the system, including increased service on the G, 1, 4, and 6 trains, extended evening hours for the B and W lines, new/expanded bus routes, more commuter trains, and increased staffing.

One has to wonder about the MTA's planning and forecasting. If they can't handle a modest downturn in the real estate taxes and plan accordingly, how exactly can they be trusted with the wide range of transit projects they are planning or currently undertaking. Already, we know that the Fulton Terminal is a complete mess, the 7 line has been scaled back, and the 2d Avenue line is underway but no idea of when it will ever be completed.

It is curious, however, as to why this was announced just weeks after the MTA said that they had sufficient resources on hand to make the improvements. Does it have anything to do with the congestion pricing tax that Mayor Mike Bloomberg is pushing? Many people have very little faith in the MTA, and I personally have little faith in seeing the revenues from the congestion pricing tax will go where Bloomberg claims - for transit infrastructure.