Staten Island Reporter

Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt and Deputy Leader Andrew Lanza, along with members of the Senate Republican Conference, have introduced a legislative package designed to address issues within the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). This comes amidst concerns about high spending, declining ridership, and increased crime on the subways.

The Governor has proposed a $64.5 billion five-year capital plan for the MTA; however, reports highlight continued wasteful spending and insufficient accountability. According to Lanza, "The MTA is... replete with mismanagement." Ridership has decreased since the pandemic while crime rates have surged, with subway assaults on police rising by more than 150% since 2019, and felony assaults seeing a 55% increase from 2019 figures. Senate Republicans oppose new tax hikes proposed to address these financial issues.

Rob Ortt stated, "As spending goes up, ridership continues to plummet because New Yorkers are simply afraid to ride the subways due to the increase in violent crime being committed." The proposed legislation aims to ensure accountability and prioritize rider safety. Jack M. Martins criticized attempts to impose regional fees, which he described as efforts to "pick LI’s pocket."

Bill Weber highlighted the unfairness in asking Rockland and Orange counties to pay the same tax rate as areas with better transit options and promotes equitable service. In line with these sentiments, Steve Chan stated, "New Yorkers work too hard to be seen as a piggy bank for an outdated and poorly run transit system."

The legislative package also seeks to make significant reforms. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick addressed the management issues, stating, "The MTA is fiscally mismanaged," and called for reforms to prevent further tax hikes. Mario Mattera supported these measures, emphasizing the need for increased transparency and financial discipline.

Dean Murray insisted on resolving management inefficiencies before increasing the MTA payroll tax, while Anthony Palumbo underscored the MTA's global importance and current failures. Steve Rhoads and Rob Rolison emphasized the necessity for accountability and safety measures within the system.

Senator Alexis Weik criticized the MTA's long-standing financial practices and the proposed $64.5 billion capital plan. The Republican Conference has underscored its commitment to both improving public safety and restoring fiscal responsibility through various legislative measures.

This includes letting police officers use the MTA for free to enhance security (S.509, Senator Palumbo), increasing penalties for crimes on MTA property (S.7024, Senator Lanza), and adding non-voting seats on the MTA Board for law enforcement representation (S.7027, Senator Chan). Additional proposals aim to repeal congestion pricing, audit the MTA, and provide fare discounts for Long Island residents. Other measures call for uninterrupted work on MTA projects until completion and establishing an oversight board to oversee fiscal management.