Office of Senator-Elect

Andrew Gounardes

Testimony of New York State Senator-Elect Andrew Gounardes

Given to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Proposed Fare and Toll Hikes
December 10, 2018

As the newly elected State Senator for District 22, which includes the neighborhoods of Bay
Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, Gravesend, Homecrest, Midwood, Sheepshead
Bay, Manhattan Beach, Gerritsen Beach, and Marine Park, I express my strongest opposition to
the MTA’s proposed fare and toll hike proposal, which is nothing short of an affront to the hard-
working New Yorkers of my district, and across the city.

New York City is often referred to as the capital of the world, but how can we live up to that title
when our transit system falls so far behind those of other major cities here in America and around
the world? In July of 2017, CNN1 ranked the metro systems of top cities around the world.
Sadly—though, perhaps not surprisingly for those who ride our transit system each day--Hong
Kong, Seoul, Singapore and London’s systems all ranked above ours, highlighting, among other
points, issues with cleanliness and delays.

In June 2018, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York2 conducted a study that confirmed what
most of us living in southern Brooklyn already know: Lower income communities face the longest
subway delays. The report further highlighted that Bay Ridge, Coney Island, Dyker Heights and
Gravesend are some of the hardest hit areas in the city, with an average delay of 42 minutes—8
minutes longer than areas with higher median incomes. These delays continue to cost the City
millions of dollars, not just in capital improvements, but in decreased ridership. As of August
2018, weekday ridership has dropped by 2.5%, as State Comptroller DiNapoli noted in an audit3
released last year, while subway and bus ridership is now projected to be 236 million riders
LOWER, a cumulative net loss of $822 million from 2016-2019. Most shameful of all has been
the MTA’s deafening lack of response to our pleas to make the subway accessible to all New

1
Where Are The World’s Best Metro Systems, CNN.com, July 12, 2017
2
Why New York City Subway Delays Don’t Affect All Riders Equally, Liberty Street Economics/Federal
Reserve of New York, June 27, 2018
3
MTA Says Subway Ridership Continues To Plummet, New York Post, October 19, 2018

311 86th St, Brooklyn, NY 11220 (District Office) 347-688-9924

Yorkers4. In 122 neighborhoods with subway stations, 62 don’t have elevators. These are
shocking statistics and fare hikes with no real plan to improve service and accessibility are simply
inexcusable

These proposed MTA price hikes are an affront to the hard working New Yorkers who depend on
our mass transit system. The MTA has consistently shifted the burden of years of
mismanagement and disinvestment onto the backs of hard-working New Yorkers, with
increasingly less and less to show for it. Adding insult to injury, these increases, which we
recognize as all but a rubber-stamped done deal, would become the sixth hike since 2009. Each
time the MTA raises fares, it chips away at the lives and dignity of hard working people struggling
to keep themselves and their families together. Many New Yorkers are already unable to afford
subway or bus fare at their current rates. In fact, for hundreds of thousands of working poor New
Yorkers, transportation costs often exceed 10 percent of their family budgets; with a price tag 75
percent higher than the national average, according to data released by StreetEasy.5 This harsh
reality can yield a devastating impact on these families, limiting access to school, work, doctor
appointments, or forcing them to compromise on—or do without—other necessities. The fare
increases being discussed are simply unacceptable as they will undoubtedly exacerbate these
problems, making New York City’s public transportation network even more inaccessible for even
more people.

Looking beyond just our subway and bus system, the proposed increased toll on the Verrazano-
Narrows Bridge from the currently outrageous $17 per crossing to $19 per crossing is utterly
unacceptable. While it may seem like no big deal to raise tolls on bridges that connect
neighborhoods in the outer-boroughs to members of this board, this is a slap in the face to the
thousands of outer-borough residents who need to travel the bridge on a daily basis to get to
work, seek medical treatment, or visit their families. There is no rational justification for charging
a nearly $20 toll on the only roadway that connects Staten Island to the rest of our city. It is beyond
time for the MTA to enact a proposal that minimizes this outer-borough tax and, just as residents
of Staten Island enjoy a reduced toll on the Verrazano Bridge, so too should others who need to
use the bridge on a daily basis.

The solution to the MTA’s budget and spending woes will not and cannot come from pushing
working-class families to the brink of their financial limits. It is unfortunate that not one member of
this board is empowered to vote on behalf of the very New Yorkers who will be most affected by
the fare and toll hike proposals under consideration. Rider representation on the board of the MTA
is critical to ensure that not only are our voices heard loud and clear at hearings and public
meetings such as this, but that when the important votes are cast on the projects, priorities, and
budget of the agency, riders have a real seat at the table and can cast a meaningful vote. Without
empowering the riding and paying public by giving us a vote on the board, any decisions made
by this board, agency executives, and other stakeholders will always lack the public legitimacy

4
Half of City Neighborhoods w/ Subway Stations Don’t Have Stops with Elevators, New York Daily News,
July 17, 2018
5
Just How Crazy Is The Cost Of Living in New York City, www.streeteasy.com, April 3, 2018
that I believe is truly necessary to help rebuild and restore what should always be the world’s
finest public transportation system.

I earnestly hope that we can deliver a world class transportation system for a world class city, and
I look forward to working with the MTA in every capacity possible to make that a reality. Reflexive
calls for repeated fare and toll hikes are not the answer. As soon as I am sworn into office,
advocating for and delivering a public transit system that is reliable, accessible, and wholly
accountable will be among my top priorities. We deserve nothing less.

311 86th St, Brooklyn, NY 11220 (District Office) 347-688-9924