Comments on: The sins of the Pataki Administration http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/03/24/the-sins-of-the-pataki-administration/ A New York City Subway Blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:32:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Marc Shepherd http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/03/24/the-sins-of-the-pataki-administration/#comment-59538 Marc Shepherd Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:20:35 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2526#comment-59538 I wish people would look up the <strong>publicly accessible</strong> numbers before they make such statements. The LIRR connection was just 12.6% of the last capital program ($2.672B of $21.145B). There were $10.88B worth of bonds issued to fund that program (the remainder came from other sources), so the LIRR project is only a small part of the deficit. In addition, that project is being heavily funded by federal money. If you cancel the project, then the funding goes away too. In addition, you seem to be saying that the LIRR funds should have been diverted to the SAS. Whatever the merits of that idea, it doesn't solve the budget crisis. It just re-allocates the deficit to a different set of priorities. I wish people would look up the publicly accessible numbers before they make such statements.

The LIRR connection was just 12.6% of the last capital program ($2.672B of $21.145B). There were $10.88B worth of bonds issued to fund that program (the remainder came from other sources), so the LIRR project is only a small part of the deficit. In addition, that project is being heavily funded by federal money. If you cancel the project, then the funding goes away too.

In addition, you seem to be saying that the LIRR funds should have been diverted to the SAS. Whatever the merits of that idea, it doesn’t solve the budget crisis. It just re-allocates the deficit to a different set of priorities.

]]> By: Parker http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/03/24/the-sins-of-the-pataki-administration/#comment-59536 Parker Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:08:28 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2526#comment-59536 Really? I guess you dont commute from LI to the east side. Its horrible Really? I guess you dont commute from LI to the east side. Its horrible

]]> By: Rhywun http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/03/24/the-sins-of-the-pataki-administration/#comment-59535 Rhywun Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:12:56 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2526#comment-59535 Nevertheless Aaron makes a valid point that could be the subject of another article: the politics behind which projects get built and which don't. It seems to me that the capital budget is not being spent very wisely when projects like ESA which provide a minuscule benefit to a small number of people get approved. Nevertheless Aaron makes a valid point that could be the subject of another article: the politics behind which projects get built and which don’t. It seems to me that the capital budget is not being spent very wisely when projects like ESA which provide a minuscule benefit to a small number of people get approved.

]]> By: Do Bugs Say ‘Choo-Choo’ on the No. 2? - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/03/24/the-sins-of-the-pataki-administration/#comment-59530 Do Bugs Say ‘Choo-Choo’ on the No. 2? - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:31:01 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2526#comment-59530 [...] new approach to explaining the Metropolitan Transportation Authority budget crisis: blame Gov. George E. Pataki’s administration. [2nd Avenue [...] [...] new approach to explaining the Metropolitan Transportation Authority budget crisis: blame Gov. George E. Pataki’s administration. [2nd Avenue [...]

]]> By: Richard Green http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/03/24/the-sins-of-the-pataki-administration/#comment-59525 Richard Green Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:40:13 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2526#comment-59525 “How did the MTA get here?” Chuck Scarborough asked me last night during my appearance on his new cable-only 7 p.m." Just to let everyone know Chuck Scarborough's show is available on NBC's news channel on FREE BROADCAST TV digital channel 4.2! People just don't understand that with digital TV there are a lot of free stations over the air that are now available. “How did the MTA get here?” Chuck Scarborough asked me last night during my appearance on his new cable-only 7 p.m.”

Just to let everyone know Chuck Scarborough’s show is available on NBC’s news channel on FREE BROADCAST TV digital channel 4.2! People just don’t understand that with digital TV there are a lot of free stations over the air that are now available.

]]> By: Streetsblog » It’s No Accident http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/03/24/the-sins-of-the-pataki-administration/#comment-59524 Streetsblog » It’s No Accident Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:59:41 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2526#comment-59524 [...] on the Network, with the MTA set to vote on drastic fare hikes and service reductions tomorrow, Second Avenue Sagas looks back at how the agency, and the region, finds itself on the brink of transit doomsday. Still, [...] [...] on the Network, with the MTA set to vote on drastic fare hikes and service reductions tomorrow, Second Avenue Sagas looks back at how the agency, and the region, finds itself on the brink of transit doomsday. Still, [...]

]]> By: Chris http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/03/24/the-sins-of-the-pataki-administration/#comment-59523 Chris Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:54:40 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2526#comment-59523 Aaron, it doesn't work that way. Those projects are in the MTA's Capital Budget, not their operating budget. Even if all work stopped on the East Side Access project today, we'd still be faced with higher fares. Aaron, it doesn’t work that way. Those projects are in the MTA’s Capital Budget, not their operating budget. Even if all work stopped on the East Side Access project today, we’d still be faced with higher fares.

]]> By: Aaron Burke http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/03/24/the-sins-of-the-pataki-administration/#comment-59521 Aaron Burke Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:31:02 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2526#comment-59521 If they ditch unneeded projects like the LIRR connection to Grand Central Station then we can have the 2nd Avenue Subway, which we need, and a balanced MTA budget in one swoop. Aaron If they ditch unneeded projects like the LIRR connection to Grand Central Station then we can have the 2nd Avenue Subway, which we need, and a balanced MTA budget in one swoop.

Aaron

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