Long Island Railroad Schedule

Long Island Railroad Schedule, Preliminary 2011 Metropolitan Transportation Authority budget for 2011-2014 and the Financial Plan, which were released recently. Although I am aware of the challenges financial windfall that has found since he took the MTA last fall, I can not support the authority’s plan to increase the fare and toll revenues by 7.5 percent in January 2011. Visitors and users of transport does not deserve another rate increase, and, moreover, that simply can not afford one. The MTA needs to reach an alternative.

As the MTA has recognized, an increase of 7.5 percent in revenues from tariffs means that Long Island Rail Road to switching costs increase by 9.4 percent. This would come on top of a rate increase of 10 percent in June 2009, an increase of almost 4 percent in March 2008 and up 8 percent in March 2005.

In addition to a proposed fee increase in 2011, the MTA is also trying to “Nickel and Dime” LIRR riders, reducing the time period during which certain types Tickets are valid, the increase of fees for certain ticket operations, and eliminating the discount mail & Drive (2 percent) and the discount MetroCard (4 percent) for travelers who buy tickets joint monthly commutation MetroCards. All of these
rate increases are just too much.

Unfortunately, the MTA increases have already begun. Last month the MTA Board approved to increase parking fees for the Mineola Intermodal Center and the garage on the Ronkonkoma train station by 20 percent and 25 percent respectively. These increases certainly appear to be unnecessary, increasing the financial burden to be borne by LIRR passengers.

As the economy continues to struggle and the unemployment rate remains high, it is difficult to imagine that the MTA wants to drivers wanting more while providing less service. Inflation remains low, but the MTA wants to, once again, by rising rates of almost 10 percent. This trend only serves to make transit less and less affordable, especially for suburban passengers often have to buy weekly or monthly MetroCard that besides switching their tickets.

The MTA has stated that it agreed to Albany rate of 7.5 percent and toll revenue increases for both January 2011 and January 2013 as part of a package of financial aid that MTA was approved by the Legislature and the governor in May 2009. The MTA called rescue, which took place before he returned to the MTA, including a new regional payroll tax and other tax and fee increases that were initially estimated to generate about 2 billion per year for the MTA. While some lawmakers may have signed-Albany in 2011 with the proposed fare and toll increase under the MTA bailout should be noted that neither I nor any other Senate Republicans supported this legislation and the adoption of a regional payroll tax. We continue to believe that, for various reasons, the rescue of the MTA was a defective
piece of legislation, and was not well thought out. The payroll tax has undoubtedly hurt many employers and nonprofit organizations in the region of the MTA.

Regardless of whether it was part of the MTA rescue legislation, the proposed rate of 7.5 percent and increase the amount of income from January 2011 is not acceptable. The future of Long Island Bus is also currently a major problem, since the MTA suddenly decided it can no longer afford to help subsidize the operation. As noted in my previous letter, I hope the MTA and the Nassau County this important matter as negotiating in good faith. One solution to this dispute may have to recognize that Nassau County is currently facing a serious financial crisis. From the MTA showed a willingness to compromise on the issue of fees for students from New York
the school earlier this year, I hope that an agreement can be worked in order to protect pilots from Long Island Bus.

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