Comments on: When reality and rhetoric do not line up http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/08/20/when-reality-and-rhetoric-do-not-line-up/ A New York City Subway Blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:53:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: TC http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/08/20/when-reality-and-rhetoric-do-not-line-up/#comment-64032 TC Sun, 23 Aug 2009 04:44:44 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=3711#comment-64032 Small math mistake above, Ben: if the MTA is receiving $75M in current dollars, and that represents 20% of what they used to get ($200M in 1980s dollars), then we're talking about $300M in current dollars that the MTA isn't getting from the city, not $200M. Either way, Bloomberg's "plan to save NYC transit" is a huge crock, and he knows it. Small math mistake above, Ben: if the MTA is receiving $75M in current dollars, and that represents 20% of what they used to get ($200M in 1980s dollars), then we’re talking about $300M in current dollars that the MTA isn’t getting from the city, not $200M.

Either way, Bloomberg’s “plan to save NYC transit” is a huge crock, and he knows it.

]]> By: herenthere http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/08/20/when-reality-and-rhetoric-do-not-line-up/#comment-63962 herenthere Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:12:29 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=3711#comment-63962 Wait a minute, let's not forget that in the 80s the MTA <i>needed</i> it for infrastructure rehab, but now it is in a better shape than before. Not in great shape, but better than back then, so it makes sense for the city to not give as much. Of course, I agree with the notion that cities should give $ to mass transit, but I can't argue for specifically what amount they should be giving. Wait a minute, let’s not forget that in the 80s the MTA needed it for infrastructure rehab, but now it is in a better shape than before. Not in great shape, but better than back then, so it makes sense for the city to not give as much. Of course, I agree with the notion that cities should give $ to mass transit, but I can’t argue for specifically what amount they should be giving.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/08/20/when-reality-and-rhetoric-do-not-line-up/#comment-63952 Alon Levy Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:10:59 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=3711#comment-63952 There's general inertia leading to more use of substandard American cars in fleets - for example, NYC taxis are mostly Crown Vics; they're replacing them with Priuses very slowly, and even then they also insist on getting hybrid Ford SUVs. The only reason the MTA gets good equipment is that after the R44 and R46 disasters, the remaining American rolling stock manufacturers went bankrupt, so the city was free to buy high-quality foreign trains. There’s general inertia leading to more use of substandard American cars in fleets – for example, NYC taxis are mostly Crown Vics; they’re replacing them with Priuses very slowly, and even then they also insist on getting hybrid Ford SUVs. The only reason the MTA gets good equipment is that after the R44 and R46 disasters, the remaining American rolling stock manufacturers went bankrupt, so the city was free to buy high-quality foreign trains.

]]> By: Jerrold http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/08/20/when-reality-and-rhetoric-do-not-line-up/#comment-63946 Jerrold Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:27:43 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=3711#comment-63946 Not about Bloomberg, but still a SAS-related issue: Did anybody else notice how THIS page: http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/capconstr/sas/construction.htm on the MTA website, is not even being kept up-to-date anymore? The info on that page is still about a time period that ends on Aug. 2. Maybe somebody went on vacation for the entire month of August. If so, you would think that that person would have arranged for somebody else to keep the page updated during his absence. Not about Bloomberg, but still a SAS-related issue:

Did anybody else notice how THIS page:

http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/capco.....uction.htm

on the MTA website, is not even being kept up-to-date anymore?

The info on that page is still about a time period that ends on Aug. 2.
Maybe somebody went on vacation for the entire month of August.
If so, you would think that that person would have arranged for somebody else to keep the page updated during his absence.

]]> By: Josh K http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/08/20/when-reality-and-rhetoric-do-not-line-up/#comment-63941 Josh K Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:07:58 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=3711#comment-63941 Why is the Bloomberg administration wasting money buying up swaths of College Point and Coney Island for redevelopment? Why do the police seem to need new vehicles every 2-4 years? If the current ones they buy don't hold up, why aren't they bidding contracts for ones that will? The MTA makes it's rolling stock out of stainless steel, why doesn't the FDNY and NYPD? Invest now, spend less over time. Why is the Bloomberg administration wasting money buying up swaths of College Point and Coney Island for redevelopment? Why do the police seem to need new vehicles every 2-4 years? If the current ones they buy don’t hold up, why aren’t they bidding contracts for ones that will? The MTA makes it’s rolling stock out of stainless steel, why doesn’t the FDNY and NYPD? Invest now, spend less over time.

]]> By: zgori http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/08/20/when-reality-and-rhetoric-do-not-line-up/#comment-63938 zgori Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:18:12 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=3711#comment-63938 I don't necessarily doubt Bloomberg's commitment to mass transit. He wanted to fund it with congestion pricing, etc. And I don't think any mayor could find more money for the MTA in this political climate. But his hands are 98 percent tied in regards to the MTA. It's all Albany. His propaganda is disingenuous, but relatively harmless and could even help if it ends up moving some decent ideas into the public's mindset. I don't think Bloomberg's been perfect, and I probably wouldn't vote for him a third time if there was a viable alternative (which there doesn't seem to be). But he's at least tried when it comes to the MTA, and he's also been far more bike- and pedestrian-friendly than I ever imagined. I don’t necessarily doubt Bloomberg’s commitment to mass transit. He wanted to fund it with congestion pricing, etc. And I don’t think any mayor could find more money for the MTA in this political climate. But his hands are 98 percent tied in regards to the MTA. It’s all Albany. His propaganda is disingenuous, but relatively harmless and could even help if it ends up moving some decent ideas into the public’s mindset. I don’t think Bloomberg’s been perfect, and I probably wouldn’t vote for him a third time if there was a viable alternative (which there doesn’t seem to be). But he’s at least tried when it comes to the MTA, and he’s also been far more bike- and pedestrian-friendly than I ever imagined.

]]> By: Larry Littlefield http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/08/20/when-reality-and-rhetoric-do-not-line-up/#comment-63937 Larry Littlefield Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:50:54 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=3711#comment-63937 There isn't going to be any money because the city is going broke, and other public services are going to be gutted too. The crime was the money that was not invested in the future when the money was rolling in, from 1995 to 2000 under Giuliani and 2004 to 2008 under Bloomberg. The MTA is ideal for politicians. Everyone takes more out, no one is willing to put more in (including riders as well as taxpayers to the city and state), so the board obligingly borrows, and we head for the abyss. There isn’t going to be any money because the city is going broke, and other public services are going to be gutted too.

The crime was the money that was not invested in the future when the money was rolling in, from 1995 to 2000 under Giuliani and 2004 to 2008 under Bloomberg.

The MTA is ideal for politicians. Everyone takes more out, no one is willing to put more in (including riders as well as taxpayers to the city and state), so the board obligingly borrows, and we head for the abyss.

]]> By: ScottC http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/08/20/when-reality-and-rhetoric-do-not-line-up/#comment-63935 ScottC Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:56:45 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=3711#comment-63935 Bloomberg is a complete tool. Bloomberg is a complete tool.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/08/20/when-reality-and-rhetoric-do-not-line-up/#comment-63932 Alon Levy Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:55:38 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=3711#comment-63932 On the off chance I ever get to talk with random people here on the Upper East Side, I'm going to ask them what they think about SAS. Because I'll bet there's some "Why is the city blowing money on the 7 extension when our 80-year-old subway line's first phase's completion date has been pushed back 5 years in the last 2 years?" sentiment here that can be stoked. On the off chance I ever get to talk with random people here on the Upper East Side, I’m going to ask them what they think about SAS. Because I’ll bet there’s some “Why is the city blowing money on the 7 extension when our 80-year-old subway line’s first phase’s completion date has been pushed back 5 years in the last 2 years?” sentiment here that can be stoked.

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