“If the MTA and the state as a whole had to borrow less, then more of the current revenue would go towards construction and services, because it wouldn’t be paying useless interest.”

Too late. All the money people are willing to lend has already been borrowed, and all the taxes will be going to debts and pensions. Unless bankruptcy is declared to force the politically rich, with their rich pensions after short careers, and the financially risk, with their tax-free investment, to share the sacrifice.

In my office, they’re taking away the fluorescent tubes from every other light fixture. Our office has been told we can’t buy any more paper (seeing as my floor alone probably uses a case of paper a day, I don’t know how long we’ll be able to hold out). I can’t send out project specifications manuals to be printed without 3 forms of approval, but I can’t get those approvals without having printed copies.

I do have a solution though. Maybe the state should stop borrowing so much money from the rich Wall Street folks (at interest) and instead appropriate through traditional means, like maybe taxes. NY’s rich pay a significantly smaller share then they used to and seeing as how their profits are generated by all of us workig people, who can’t get to work without this infrastructure, maybe its in the best interest of their profits to shell out a little more.

If the MTA and the state as a whole had to borrow less, then more of the current revenue would go towards construction and services, because it wouldn’t be paying useless interest.

Let’s hope he understands that there’s a difference between “investing” wisely and merely shoving more money down an empty hole.

Fact is, the revival of New York and its transit system took place in the years AFTER cities stopped going hat-in-hand to Washington, asking to be treated like sickly vassals.