Working Families

Public transportation is the lifeblood of New York City. Everyday, millions take buses and trains to work, school, to have fun, and go everywhere in between.

Our economy depends on it, and so does our way of life. But today, our public transportation system is in crisis.

We need massive new investment to meet the demands of a growing city, but city and state aid for the MTA hasn’t kept up.

Now, faced with looming budget deficits, the MTA is talking about raising fares again, further driving up the cost of living in a city working people already can’t afford.

We need a transit system that’s affordable and reliable. But without increased state and city aid, more fare hikes are inevitable.

Update 5/5/09:

This morning it looked like a done deal. But we can’t be sure what tomorrow will bring. WFP Executive Director had this to say:

We applaud the Governor and legislative leaders for forging this agreement. Millions of commuters are breathing a sigh of relief today now that it appears the worst of the fare hikes and service cuts will be avoided.

But without a serious commitment of capital funding, maintaining a reliable, affordable transit system for the future is impossible.  Our work is not done yet.