http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/24/waiting-out-the-weekend-for-the-mtas-fate/ A New York City Subway Blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:51:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/24/waiting-out-the-weekend-for-the-mtas-fate/#comment-60381 Alon Levy Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:43:19 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2767#comment-60381 Jet fuel tax makes sense, actually. Air travel and the subway are not substitutes, but they both come from the realm of transportation, and air travel is something that needs to be discouraged in order to reduce emissions. You could even argue that reducing air travel will (slightly) increase subway ridership by prompting more people on the East Coast to take Amtrak instead, so that they'll take the subway from Penn Station to their final destination. Jet fuel tax makes sense, actually. Air travel and the subway are not substitutes, but they both come from the realm of transportation, and air travel is something that needs to be discouraged in order to reduce emissions. You could even argue that reducing air travel will (slightly) increase subway ridership by prompting more people on the East Coast to take Amtrak instead, so that they’ll take the subway from Penn Station to their final destination.

]]> http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/24/waiting-out-the-weekend-for-the-mtas-fate/#comment-60371 Skip Skipson Sat, 25 Apr 2009 02:37:12 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2767#comment-60371 Pornography tax for the MTA? Increase the cigarette tax for the MTA too! Pornography tax for the MTA? Increase the cigarette tax for the MTA too!

]]> http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/24/waiting-out-the-weekend-for-the-mtas-fate/#comment-60370 Alfred Beech Sat, 25 Apr 2009 02:11:03 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2767#comment-60370 I usually gloss over the grammatical errors, but "calm before the store"? And "whence" means "from where", so "from whence" is redundant.... I usually gloss over the grammatical errors, but “calm before the store”?
And “whence” means “from where”, so “from whence” is redundant….

]]> http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/24/waiting-out-the-weekend-for-the-mtas-fate/#comment-60369 j Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:01:46 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2767#comment-60369 Can you do an entry on whether or not the MTA can default on its debt? Did it come near during the fiscal crisis or any other time? Would it be in much better shape if it went through bankruptcy? Can you do an entry on whether or not the MTA can default on its debt? Did it come near during the fiscal crisis or any other time? Would it be in much better shape if it went through bankruptcy?

]]> http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/04/24/waiting-out-the-weekend-for-the-mtas-fate/#comment-60367 Scott E Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:35:19 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2767#comment-60367 Don't be fooled into thinking that those "What's next..." scenarios are so nonsensical that they wouldn't happen. One already has -- I'm specifically looking at toe one about funding the MTA with a tax on cell-phone minutes. There's a line item on my Verizon wireless bill which reads "NY Local McTd Sales Tax" - the "Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District" tax - which is a 3/8% sales tax collected in the 5 boroughs and Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties for just that purpose. (See the link <a href="http://www.nystax.gov/pdf/2005/st/st05_4_405.pdf" rel="nofollow">here</a>) Don’t be fooled into thinking that those “What’s next…” scenarios are so nonsensical that they wouldn’t happen. One already has — I’m specifically looking at toe one about funding the MTA with a tax on cell-phone minutes.
There’s a line item on my Verizon wireless bill which reads “NY Local McTd Sales Tax” – the “Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District” tax – which is a 3/8% sales tax collected in the 5 boroughs and Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties for just that purpose. (See the link here)

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