Second Ave. Sagas

Four arrested at Brooklyn MTA hearing

Written by

Benjamin Kabak

in

,

The proceedings grew rowdy last night at the Brooklyn Museum as four people were arrested at the MTA hearing in the County of Kings last night. Police had to remove these people — assumed to be students — from the auditorium last night when they jumped the line at the podium and refused to cede ground to those waiting to speak.

Meanwhile, news reports say hundreds of people attended hearings in the Bronx and Brooklyn last night, and as you can imagine, the grandstanding politicians were at it again. Assembly rep Vanessa Gibson joined the chorus of elected officials who decided to blame the MTA for her own personal inability to lead and govern in Albany. It’s too bad these people getting arrested can’t direct their passion and ire toward Gibson and her ilk — those politicians who are able to skip the line and speak before everyone else does. With a vehement public urging them on, Albany would finally have the impetus to approve the policies and ensure the money the MTA so badly needs.

Comments

5 responses to “Four arrested at Brooklyn MTA hearing”

  1. Think twice

    This morning Cablevision put out a PSA on 1010 WINS talking smack about ABC.

    I find it utterly staggering that the MTA doesn’t do likewise to drive home the message that voters need to be screaming at their lazy, lousy representatives instead.

    Reply
    1. Benjamin Kabak

      I’ve thought about this, and the MTA is in a bit of a bind. Because of their position as a public authority, the MTA doesn’t respond to directly to voters, but because of its position as a public authority, the agency has to respond to politicians. It can’t further antagonize New York’s politicians because, in the end, those politicians are the ones who are going to choose to fund the MTA or not. The MTA statements have to be somewhat political, and it’s the job of transit advocacy organizations to turn people’s ire onto the politicians.

      Ask the Straphangers or the WFP what they’ve done for us lately in that regard. The answer is nothing. They’re teaming up with the same politicians who don’t understand that this crisis is their fault.

      Reply
      1. Rhywun

        The WFP is a political party, not an advocacy organization. They’re only interested in preserving transit jobs, not improving transit.

        Reply
        1. Benjamin Kabak

          My reference to the WFP stems from their advocacy efforts. If they’re going to start doing that at MTA meetings, I will criticize them for targeting the wrong audience.

          Reply
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