Senator Lanza & Assemblywoman Malliotakis Speak Out Against Mta Debt Proposal

Legislators say fiscal hole shows need for public audit 

Senator Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R,C-Brooklyn, Staten Island) today railed against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) plan to help close a $9 billion budget deficit by digging themselves $6.9 billion deeper into debt through new loans and bonds.

"The MTA consistently deals with a deficit of its own creation and consistently comes to the taxpayers of this state with its hands out," said Lanza. "They create mess after mess and then pass the buck to taxpayers by hiking fares and cutting services. The MTA must be held accountable and its finances should be independently examined to seek greater efficiencies and cut expenses, just like the rest of us have had to do in our own households and businesses. Legislation to allow for this transparency has passed the state Senate, and I join Assemblywoman Malliotakis in calling on the Assembly to pass it as well." 

“It appears that the only word the MTA understands when it comes to its budget is ‘more,’" said Malliotakis."This is a perfect example of why the people of Staten Island need an independent audit of the MTA. We cannot expect our commuters and taxpayers to keep funneling money into the transit agency’s coffers while services in our borough are slashed left and right. Instead of allowing the agency to keep kicking the can down the road, we must let the people decide if their money is being spent appropriately." 

Lanza is sponsoring Senate Bill 4637, while Malliotakis is sponsoring the Assembly companion, 7856.

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