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New York City transit bailout divides Upstate Republicans and Democrats
Sunday, May 10, 2009
DELEN GOLDBERG
ALBANY NOTEBOOK
Legislative leaders finally reached a bailout agreement last week for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which manages buses, subways, trains, bridges and tunnels in New York City and its surrounding areas.
Central New Yorkers may think the bailout has no impact on them, but it does.
New York City transit bailout divides Upstate Republicans and Democrats
Sunday, May 10, 2009
DELEN GOLDBERG
ALBANY NOTEBOOK
Legislative leaders finally reached a bailout agreement last week for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which manages buses, subways, trains, bridges and tunnels in New York City and its surrounding areas.
Central New Yorkers may think the bailout has no impact on them, but it does.
What do people in the Syracuse area think about this?
It's tough because it did note that this might have saved some jobs in the area, but on the other hand, it didn't involve any infrastructure improvements for the area or the rest of Upstate.
Dave dropped the ball on this one. The truth is that NYC runs the whole of NYS and there's little we can do about it. As far as they're concerned anything north of Westchester might as well be in Wyoming.
As usual, John DeFrancisco runs his mouth throughout that article, fabricating his perspective based on seemingly nothing at all.
The primary funding source of the bailout is indicated as an increased tax in the 12 county MTA region. How this is a tax on all NYS taxpayers, as he claims, I'm not sure.
While I despise DeFrancisco, part of his assertion that this will impact upstate is correct. Historically, transportation funds for the MTA and roads/bridges outside of the NYC area were negotiated at the same time which allowed for both distinct regions of NY (upstate and downstate) to benefit. The multi-billion dollar bailout of the MTA unveiled last week by the downstate-controlled Senate, Assembly, and Governor's office applied exclusively to the MTA which benefits the 12 county region in the NY area with no guarantee when/if specific road projects upstate will be funded. Senate Democrats had stated road projects for Long Island and upstate would be addressed at a later time. Given the state's budget crisis and the continued deterioration of the economy, the prospect of the state fully funding upstate transportation projects is certainly not guaranteed. Considering a large portion of Senate and Assembly "leaders" represent constituents from densely populated districts that don't drive cars and rarely travel outside of their yuppified or ghetto neighborhoods, funding road projects in far flung places like Long Island and upstate is not one of their priorities, particuarly if it doesn't benefit their needy or wine and cheese crowd constituents.
Perhaps most disturbing is the governor's promise to reimburse school districts in the 12 county area that will lose money from payroll tax which is estimated to cost up to $90 million. I personally don't have a problem with the state imposing this tax on the NYC area since this in itself won't hurt upstate. The governor's promise to reimburse school districts in the NYC area with $90 million of taxpayer money with no specified funding stream is where I draw the line.
As someone who rides the subways and Metro North every weekday, it is patently unfair that people in Jamestown, Syracuse, Speculator, and Amsterdam have to subsidize a service that provides no benefit to people outside the 12 county region. If the state would have funded high speed rail to major upstate cities in conjunction with last week's unprecedented MTA bailout I would have been in support. Although this bailout will result in me paying 10% more for my daily commute as opposed to 33% more without state assistance, I would have gladly paid the 33% more to save upstate from this unfair burden. I'm an upstater at heart and am deeply troubled by the governor's incompetence and the disproportional control of NY by urban centric downstaters that lack the appreciation, empathy and understanding of upstate's plight.
Last edited by RollsRoyce; 05-11-2009 at 08:46 AM..
While I despise DeFrancisco, part of his assertion that this will impact upstate is correct. Historically, transportation funds for the MTA and roads/bridges outside of the NYC area were negotiated at the same time which allowed for both distinct regions of NY (upstate and downstate) to benefit. The multi-billion dollar bailout of the MTA unveiled last week by the downstate-controlled Senate, Assembly, and Governor's office applied exclusively to the MTA which benefits the 12 county region in the NY area with no guarantee when/if specific road projects upstate will be funded. Senate Democrats had stated road projects for Long Island and upstate would be addressed at a later time. Given the state's budget crisis and the continued deterioration of the economy, the prospect of the state fully funding upstate transportation projects is certainly not guaranteed. Considering a large portion of Senate and Assembly "leaders" represent constituents from densely populated districts that don't drive cars and rarely travel outside of their yuppified or ghetto neighborhoods, funding road projects in far flung places like Long Island and upstate is not one of their priorities, particuarly if it doesn't benefit their needy or wine and cheese crowd constituents.
Perhaps most disturbing is the governor's promise to reimburse school districts in the 12 county area that will lose money from payroll tax which is estimated to cost up to $90 million. I personally don't have a problem with the state imposing this tax on the NYC area since this in itself won't hurt upstate. The governor's promise to reimburse school districts in the NYC area with $90 million of taxpayer money with no specified funding stream is where I draw the line.
As someone who rides the subways and Metro North every weekday, it is patently unfair that people in Jamestown, Syracuse, Speculator, and Amsterdam have to subsidize a service that provides no benefit to people outside the 12 county region. If the state would have funded high speed rail to major upstate cities in conjunction with last week's unprecedented MTA bailout I would have been in support. Although this bailout will result in me paying 10% more for my daily commute as opposed to 33% more without state assistance, I would have gladly paid the 33% more to save upstate from this unfair burden. I'm an upstater at heart and am deeply troubled by the governor's incompetence and the disproportional control of NY by urban centric downstaters that lack the appreciation, empathy and understanding of upstate's plight.
It's splitting hairs, but aren't most of those multi-benefit projects that you mentioned usually paid out of overall state taxes, not, as in this case, primarily via a levy on the 12-county MTA area?
High speed rail, I believe, largely has to be done separately since that's a primarily fed-funded bit, but I could be mistaken in that regard.
High speed rail would have to be done separately, perhaps a better analogy would be the state funding OnTrack and finishing the Park Street Bridge (with permission from CSX of course) and/or further investment in the Connective Corridor as this constitutes a transportation project. If the state would have invested in the infrastructure needed to support high speed rail several years ago when work was abruptly halted on the Park Street Bridge, OnTrack may survived albeit just barely. Connecting the poorly located P&C Stadium with the Carousel Center, downtown and the SU Hill is essential in revitalizing the city and region. Although Schumer and Patterson allege they support High Speed Rail in upstate, the support of the NY congressional delegation is essential in securing federal funds. I'm doubtful that representatives from the 5 boroughs, the Hudson Valley and Long Island would support this initiative since they see it as not benefiting their district and city. This type of provincial thinking is the reason upstate continues to die its slow death while the downstate region grows in population.
High speed rail would have to be done separately, perhaps a better analogy would be the state funding OnTrack and finishing the Park Street Bridge (with permission from CSX of course) and/or further investment in the Connective Corridor as this constitutes a transportation project. If the state would have invested in the infrastructure needed to support high speed rail several years ago when work was abruptly halted on the Park Street Bridge, OnTrack may survived albeit just barely. Connecting the poorly located P&C Stadium with the Carousel Center, downtown and the SU Hill is essential in revitalizing the city and region. Although Schumer and Patterson allege they support High Speed Rail in upstate, the support of the NY congressional delegation is essential in securing federal funds. I'm doubtful that representatives from the 5 boroughs, the Hudson Valley and Long Island would support this initiative since they see it as not benefiting their district and city. This type of provincial thinking is the reason upstate continues to die its slow death while the downstate region grows in population.
I'd rather upstate be stagnant than have turn into raleigh,nc, even though I doubt it ever will, alot factors keep people from moving here.
I'd rather upstate be stagnant than have turn into raleigh,nc, even though I doubt it ever will, alot factors keep people from moving here.
Every year, even a higher population of Upstate NY agrees with your sentiments as all the people who enjoy living in a thriving metropolitan area move away...
It's getting to the point where the only people that want to move to Upstate NY are those who dislike cities with high job growth rates.
Not to go off topic, but this is IMO the main reason why Upstate NY cities, especially Syracuse will never be a city with a healthy economy full of young families like Raleigh, NC.
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