Comments on: A fully funded capital plan Walder’s top priority

By: Niccolo Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:37:23 +0000

“but I think the only way to get anyone past the angry mob and in the executive seat is via a general election”.

A general election would probably be the absolutely worst way to select an executive for the MTA. What a horrible thought, almost guaranteeing that some like Espada or Kruger would end up in the seat. Amazing.

By: Marc Shepherd

Marc Shepherd — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:58:37 +0000

I don’t think the MTA has all that much fat that can be “thinned.” Oh, I’m sure there’s some, but those who think the problem can be solved primarily by belt-tightening are just whistling up the chimney.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:58:13 +0000

Hopefully Walder can go ahead and do here what he did for London. After he gets past balancing the budget, and thinning out the MTA’s fat, bringing in an “Oyster-card like” payment system would be a great step forward for the system. The Port Authority has already implemented a system of this kind for its PATH trains, and NJ Transit is also looking into the technology for it’s busses and trains. Now if he could only find a way to get some sort of joint system which would allow users of all systems (Metro North, LIRR, NJT, PA, NYC subway) to have ONE CARD for all forms of transit in the region…wow, now there’s progress. (Pie in the sky idea though…so i digress)

By: Streetsblog New York City » Today’s Headlines

Streetsblog New York City » Today’s Headlines — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:57:53 +0000

[...] Jay Walder Meets the New York Media (NYT, NY1, Post, AMNY, 2nd Ave Sagas) [...]

By: Scott E

Scott E — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:31:53 +0000

The problem here is that the Governor lost his credibility with the way he went about filling former Sen. Clinton’s seat, and the Senate (especially Pedro Espada) has lost all credibility with the antics over the MTA rescue package and then the lunacy that happened over the past month. The Governor could appoint God to run the MTA, and the Senate would object, citing His “less-than-stellar” track record of fires, famines, and floods.

I have very little faith in the public’s knowledge of the MTA as a whole (see a previous Second Ave Sagas post and the online comments of any related news article), but I think the only way to get anyone past the angry mob and in the executive seat is via a general election. Of course, that carries a ton of problems itself.

By: rhywun

rhywun — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:47:33 +0000

I’m tired of hearing threats like “cutting late-night bus service” in response to these multi-billion-dollar funding gaps. Much like cutting customer service and cleaning crews, such cuts are a tiny drop in the bucket and do nothing to address real problems like debt service and waste. Such behavior is how we wound up with the dysfunctional system of the 70s–please let’s not go back there.