Comments on: Moving the region’s economy but driven into the ground http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/ A New York City Subway Blog Sat, 26 May 2012 04:42:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/#comment-67913 Alon Levy Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:51:26 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4468#comment-67913 It's not so much more work, as fewer workers, and more efficient use of workers. It’s not so much more work, as fewer workers, and more efficient use of workers.

]]> By: Bloomberg: It’s like taking canday from a baby :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/#comment-67906 Bloomberg: It’s like taking canday from a baby :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:23:33 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4468#comment-67906 [...] understand the overall economic effect the transportation network has on our a region, I topic I explored yesterday. “It’s going to make it very difficult for people who rely on mass transit,” the [...] [...] understand the overall economic effect the transportation network has on our a region, I topic I explored yesterday. “It’s going to make it very difficult for people who rely on mass transit,” the [...]

]]> By: rhywun http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/#comment-67887 rhywun Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:44:05 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4468#comment-67887 The reason the TWU gets away with this is because they're working for a government agency, which has effectively unlimited funds. Sure, it will reach a breaking point eventually, but by then the current leadership will be comfortably retired. (Of course, some private companies (ahem--GM) get a public bailout, too. But that's not usually the case....) The reason the TWU gets away with this is because they’re working for a government agency, which has effectively unlimited funds. Sure, it will reach a breaking point eventually, but by then the current leadership will be comfortably retired.

(Of course, some private companies (ahem–GM) get a public bailout, too. But that’s not usually the case….)

]]> By: rhywun http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/#comment-67886 rhywun Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:41:13 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4468#comment-67886 Only if those consultants can somehow extract more work out of labor--who are, after all, the vast majority of the cost. Only if those consultants can somehow extract more work out of labor–who are, after all, the vast majority of the cost.

]]> By: rhywun http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/#comment-67885 rhywun Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:38:24 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4468#comment-67885 <blockquote>The MTA is actively fighting the raises by appealing an arbitration award that favored the TWU.</blockquote> Too little, too late. They should have negotiated in good faith in the first place. By which I mean, they need to defend the people (us) who pay the union members' salaries.

The MTA is actively fighting the raises by appealing an arbitration award that favored the TWU.

Too little, too late. They should have negotiated in good faith in the first place. By which I mean, they need to defend the people (us) who pay the union members’ salaries.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/#comment-67860 Alon Levy Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:43:26 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4468#comment-67860 It's not, but it's one of the things that will save money. I also suspect that if the MTA replaces its current crops of consultants with better consultants, it'll be able to spend a fraction of what it spends right now on its capital plan - after all, SAS does cost four times as much as subway construction in every other city. It’s not, but it’s one of the things that will save money.

I also suspect that if the MTA replaces its current crops of consultants with better consultants, it’ll be able to spend a fraction of what it spends right now on its capital plan – after all, SAS does cost four times as much as subway construction in every other city.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/#comment-67858 Alon Levy Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:21:06 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4468#comment-67858 Well-run public companies would probably cancel SAS, too. In Tokyo they've stopping building new subways because the cost has risen to $500 million per km. SAS is budgeted at $1.7 billion per km. Well-run public companies would probably cancel SAS, too. In Tokyo they’ve stopping building new subways because the cost has risen to $500 million per km. SAS is budgeted at $1.7 billion per km.

]]> By: Benjamin Kabak http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/#comment-67855 Benjamin Kabak Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:15:40 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4468#comment-67855 You keep saying this as though it's going to magically save $200 million. It won't. That cost savings cannot materialize without either major pain to riders or some cutbacks on union worker staffing levels, salaries or benefits. You keep saying this as though it’s going to magically save $200 million. It won’t. That cost savings cannot materialize without either major pain to riders or some cutbacks on union worker staffing levels, salaries or benefits.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/#comment-67854 Alon Levy Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:12:45 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4468#comment-67854 You don't need appeals to lay off redundant managers and consultants. The TWU doesn't represent them. You don’t need appeals to lay off redundant managers and consultants. The TWU doesn’t represent them.

]]> By: DMIJohn http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/12/08/moving-the-regions-economy-but-driven-into-the-ground/#comment-67845 DMIJohn Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:34:16 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4468#comment-67845 When first proposed by Ratvitch, the payroll tax was going to net $1.5 billion. It seems that the MTA was planning on only $1 billion, though, which indicates that the projections had factored in the recessionary impacts on the tax revenue. It looks like the school reimbursement was only going to be $60 million. So, who knows where the shortfall comes from. When first proposed by Ratvitch, the payroll tax was going to net $1.5 billion. It seems that the MTA was planning on only $1 billion, though, which indicates that the projections had factored in the recessionary impacts on the tax revenue. It looks like the school reimbursement was only going to be $60 million.

So, who knows where the shortfall comes from.

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