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Number 1, I did not know that LIRR was part of MTA. Interesting. I did hear about overtime abuse and have commented on that in the past. I find it ridiculous and it upsets me as a young person that we will be paying for s*** like this. The fact that there is some loophole where people can get two pensions (not just MTA)...I thought I was hearing things; to see my buses not come at all when they don't come frequently in the first place, it upsets me that instead of hiring more workers, they are giving out all this overtime.
Not just MTA but other pensions will most likely have to be cut because obviously they were created when demographics were different (I'm assuming this is what they had in mind). We have too many retirees to be supporting these kind of generous pensions.
The Port Authority runs all of these agencies include the ports, bridges, tunnels. They have a monopoly and with COVID19, it has to hurt their bottomline too. It's a huge service corp that even Cuomo can't reform effectively. The pensions are generous because there's no requirement to keep it down except for hiring. The PA doesn't hire high salary workers easily, because they already have a ton of employees that are pension qualified. So majority of their costs now is spending on 3rd party contractors. Some day the pension reality will bite they will need a massive bailout from Albany otherwise they will demand a huge spike in tolls and cost to service all our services in the region.
Without reform now, they're delaying the inevitable that one day the region doesn't have enough income to support their pensions or it is one stock market crash away from unable to pay their retirees.
The Port Authority runs all of these agencies include the ports, bridges, tunnels. They have a monopoly and with COVID19, it has to hurt their bottomline too. It's a huge service corp that even Cuomo can't reform effectively. The pensions are generous because there's no requirement to keep it down except for hiring. The PA doesn't hire high salary workers easily, because they already have a ton of employees that are pension qualified. So majority of their costs now is spending on 3rd party contractors. Some day the pension reality will bite they will need a massive bailout from Albany otherwise they will demand a huge spike in tolls and cost to service all our services in the region.
Without reform now, they're delaying the inevitable that one day the region doesn't have enough income to support their pensions or it is one stock market crash away from unable to pay their retirees.
I hope they don't get bailed out. They need to make cuts.
Number 1, I did not know that LIRR was part of MTA. Interesting. I did hear about overtime abuse and have commented on that in the past. I find it ridiculous and it upsets me as a young person that we will be paying for s*** like this. The fact that there is some loophole where people can get two pensions (not just MTA)...I thought I was hearing things; to see my buses not come at all when they don't come frequently in the first place, it upsets me that instead of hiring more workers, they are giving out all this overtime.
Not just MTA but other pensions will most likely have to be cut because obviously they were created when demographics were different (I'm assuming this is what they had in mind). We have too many retirees to be supporting these kind of generous pensions.
Maybe Atlanta and Georgia don’t seem that bad after all, right?
Double dipping pensions and excessive overtime are the norm in NY. You see LI school board superintendents retiring on $200K pensions and then taking a consulting job with the school board. Police as well. Read up on the “rubber rooms” that NYC teachers are placed in like this guy.
NY is heavily taxed and poorly run, and COVID has exposed the financial cracks badly. You’ll be paying the bill for all of this through even higher taxes and fees and less service.
The Port Authority runs all of these agencies include the ports, bridges, tunnels. They have a monopoly and with COVID19, it has to hurt their bottomline too. It's a huge service corp that even Cuomo can't reform effectively. The pensions are generous because there's no requirement to keep it down except for hiring. The PA doesn't hire high salary workers easily, because they already have a ton of employees that are pension qualified. So majority of their costs now is spending on 3rd party contractors. Some day the pension reality will bite they will need a massive bailout from Albany otherwise they will demand a huge spike in tolls and cost to service all our services in the region.
Without reform now, they're delaying the inevitable that one day the region doesn't have enough income to support their pensions or it is one stock market crash away from unable to pay their retirees.
The Port Authority does not "run all these agencies". The PA is a bi-state agency. The MTA is a completely separate entity.
You need to be called out on this tactic of continually posting false information as if you know what you are talking about.
I didn’t think the PA was in dire shape unlike the MTA. I imagine NJT is also hurting though.
The PA is having trouble because a large portion of their revenue is the airports, and nobody's flying. On the other hand, they are taking advantage of the pause to accelerate some construction. The LGA CTB opened ahead of schedule.
NJ Transit was already in trouble before COVID. It always is. Yet it keeps chugging along.
The MTA has so many different sub-agencies--LIRR, its bridges and tunnels, the subway system--I think some areas are faring worse than others.
The MTA has so many different sub-agencies--LIRR, its bridges and tunnels, the subway system--I think some areas are faring worse than others.
I can’t imagine any are doing well right now. Bridge and tunnel revenue has to be way down and there are so many fixed and locked in union costs that savings are hard to come by.
I can’t imagine any are doing well right now. Bridge and tunnel revenue has to be way down and there are so many fixed and locked in union costs that savings are hard to come by.
You are probably right. Although, I visited my daughter on Long Island for the first time earlier this week. The gps took me home over the Throgs Neck Bridge--an MTA facility, and the GWB--which is PA. I crawled for more than half an hour on the Cross Bronx. Looks to me like vehicular traffic is back to normal.
Same going out, which was Goethals (PA) and Verrazzano (MTA). Plenty of traffic.
You are probably right. Although, I visited my daughter on Long Island for the first time earlier this week. The gps took me home over the Throgs Neck Bridge--an MTA facility, and the GWB--which is PA. I crawled for more than half an hour on the Cross Bronx. Looks to me like vehicular traffic is back to normal.
Same going out, which was Goethals (PA) and Verrazzano (MTA). Plenty of traffic.
I've spent too many mind numbing hours on the CB as well as the Interboro (now Jackie Robinson) so I sympathize.
I suspect a good amount of the traffic is from commuters who used to take the train but are scared to right now.
Subway is down 2/3 from a year ago, the bus 50%.
LIRR is between 60% and 3/4 down. Metro North close to 80%.
At least I don't have to do that drive regularly. My daughter moved to LI last year, and this was the first time I visited her. Next time I will travel at 3 a.m., lol. Both ways.
I have a friend who is a NJ Transit conductor. Most of his travelers have been medical workers, a few business people, and derelicts apparently making drug runs. He did say it had picked up somewhat.
I believe all of the agencies will be cutting staff big time. It was going on before. The Port Authority offered a retirement incentive in the winter, took it back when COVID hit, and just put it back last month. A pile of people retired last Friday. Now I hear they are going to do some outright staff cutting. I'm sure the same thing is going on in the MTA and other agencies.
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