Reforming The Rails: Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick & Senate Minority Conference Push For MTA Overhaul

Albany, NY - Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, along with members of the Senate Minority Conference, today unveiled a comprehensive package of legislation aimed at improving the failing MTA amidst out-of-control spending, decreased ridership, and increased crime on the subways.

Despite the Governor’s proposal of a record-breaking $64.5 billion 5 year Capital plan for the MTA, reports of wasteful spending and a lack of accountability persist. The self- serving spending habits of those managing the MTA are particularly concerning given that ridership has decreased and remains significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels. Crime on the subway remains a major concern - assaults on police officers are up more than 150 percent since 2019 and felony assaults were up 55 percent over 2019 last year. And yet, the Governor and Majorities are once again looking to increase taxes in the MTA region for yet another bailout in this year’s budget.

“The MTA is fiscally mismanaged, and instead of going after fare evaders, they are once again trying to drain hardworking New Yorkers with another tax while failing to fix its own glaring problems. Instead of prioritizing safety and responsible budgeting, the Governor and Legislative Majorities continue to push for yet another tax hike—another bailout for a system that has failed the people it serves. Enough is enough. New Yorkers shouldn’t have to choose between their wallets and their safety. Our legislative package will bring the accountability, transparency, and real reforms necessary to fix this broken system, ensuring the MTA finally works for the people—not the other way around,” said Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick

“Every year, the MTA comes to the state looking for massive amounts of funding – despite their record of reckless spending with zero accountability. 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. And once again, they are looking to the constituents of the MTA region to foot their bills with another possible payroll tax. It needs to stop. The MTA needs accountability and transparency, and they need to prioritize rider safety – these bills being proposed by my colleagues in the Senate Minority Conference  will address these issues and restore some sanity to the horribly mismanaged MTA,” said Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt.

As Democrats scramble to pick up the pieces of its plan to fund the money pit that is the MTA, our conference is highlighting legislation to hold the MTA’s feet to the fire. In an effort to prioritize public safety and protect MTA riders, the Senate Minority Conference introduced legislation to:

> Allow retired and current police officers to use MTA services for free, while also providing additional security to fellow riders (S.509, Senator Palumbo);

>  Increase the penalty of crimes committed in or upon MTA property. When a person is convicted of a crime while in or upon metropolitan transportation authority property, the crime shall be deemed to be one category higher than the specified offense the defendant committed, or one category higher than the offense level applicable to the defendant's conviction for an attempt or conspiracy to commit a specified offense, whichever is applicable (S.7024, Senator Lanza); and

> Establish two non-voting seats on the MTA Board for the MTAPD Chief of Police and a representative from the MTAPD PBA (S.7027, Senator Chan).

In addition to improving public safety, Senate Minority Conference continue to focus on restoring accountability, transparency and fiscal sanity to the MTA with legislation that would:

> Repeal congestion pricing and audit the MTA (S.533, Senator Martins);

> Establish the Long Island Transportation Account to provide fare discounts to residents of Nassau and Suffolk Counties for the Long Island Railroad (S.715, Senator Rhoads);

> Require continuous work on MTA projects - including design, construction, maintenance or renovation - until completion (S.1925, Senator Weber);

> Establish the MTA Control Board, a financial oversight board to bring crucially needed fiscal discipline and management reform to the MTA (S.2714, Senator Murray);

> Require the MTA, prior to submitting an amendment to the capital plan, to make available on their website a report outlining the repairs and investments needed to restore the authority's existing transit systems to a state of good repair and ensure the existing transit systems continue to deliver transportation services safely and reliably for the MTA region. (S.6384, Senator Murray)