Goodbye B31, B2 and B4! Hello $2.50
Our B31 will have daily overnight service cease between 1:30 and 4:30 a.m. The B4 and B2 will not have any weekend service. About 3,000 subway and bus positions are also being cut, which will mean about 1,000 layoffs
So much for the Ravitch plan, congestion pricing, and faith in our city and state elected officials. I remember our Lew Fidler almost promising that a new payroll tax would be adopted which would save the fare.
It also looks like we will be getting those East River Bridge Tolls and also an expansion of the rapid bus transit system down Nostrand Ave (more to come on that)
What a mess. What in the world happened?! Was it really the State Senate?!
Marty Golden’s people sent in a press release:
Senator Marty Golden stated, “Does the Governor, Speaker and Majority Leader understand what a 25% fare increase and what the service reductions proposed by the M.T.A. mean to the average New Yorker? In these troubling economic times, this is clearly an issue that required leadership but unfortunately went basically ignored by the Democrats in charge. Although there were actually no good choices, today’s vote by the M.T.A. was clearly the worst option.”
Golden continued, “The issue of an M.T.A. bailout has become a political football. It was punted from Shelly Silver to Malcolm Smith, to the Governor, then a website was created, and then it is was dropped. The inaction on the part of the Democratic leadership of this state in control of the Governor’s mansion, the Senate and the Assembly, closing the doors completely to Republicans, failed all New Yorkers. Now, when you pay another 50 cents to ride the train or when you have to walk even further to catch a bus, remember to thank the Democrats. Their inaction has caused your quality of life, a basic necessity to work and to live, to suffer.”
Senator Golden spoke at the Brooklyn hearing hosted by the Metropolitan Transit Authority where he opposed the fare hikes and service cuts on bus routes in his district. Senator Golden further organized a petition drive opposing service reductions to the entirety of the weekend express bus service on the X 27 and X 28, weekend service on the B2, B4 and B16, overnight service on the B31 and B64, the entire B37 bus route, and other reductions to the B16 and B70.
Seems like this statement is a political “punt” of sorts and more putting politics ahead of what’s best for the people!