Harckham Blasts Proposed MTA Fare Hikes

Peekskill, NY - New York State Senator Pete Harckham blasted the MTA’s proposed fare increases today, which come at a time when New Yorkers are struggling financially with continued rising costs for everything from utilities, food, health care and housing. 

“The MTA is out of touch with reality by proposing fare increases at a time when there is an affordability crisis among residents of the Hudson Valley,” Harckham said. “The MTA told us that congestion pricing would be enough, it claimed a payroll tax was needed to subsidize transit, and now they want even more money. Enough is enough!”

The MTA has announced that fares on Metro-North Railroad, which serves Harckham’s Senate district, would increase by 4.5%, boosting the cost of a monthly commutation ticket to as much as $500 for some riders in the district. New York City subway and bus fares would rise to $3 under the proposal, and tolls on the MTA bridges and tunnels would increase by 7.5%.

Harckham said the MTA should look to itself for some of the funding for its operations. He said the MTA needs to address the annual $800 million loss from fare evasions before it asks financially strapped residents for even more money. 

The New York State Legislature earlier this year gave the MTA $68 billion to fund capital investments, Harckham noted, and the payroll tax already subsidizes the agency to the tune of $30 billion. Additionally, congestion pricing is projected to raise $1 billion each year.

“Regular New Yorkers and businesses are paying through the nose in order to subsidize the huge transit agency,” he said. “The MTA is fast becoming part of the affordability problem and not the solution.”

Harckham is a long-time supporter of public transit as a way to address a multitude of problems, including high transportation costs, environmental issues, and economic competitiveness. 

“Funding for public transit makes sense because our huge transit system benefits the entire region,” Harckham said. “However, the MTA is proving insensitive to the very real affordability issues facing everyday New Yorkers, including rising housing, health care, and food costs. The MTA is there to serve the public, not the other way around.”