Peekskill, NY – On the heels of a report last week saying the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) loses $1 billion annually to fare evasion, New York State Senator Pete Harckham called on the MTA to reconsider its proposed transit fare and toll increases.

“We see stories daily of rampant fare evasion of MTA services, reportedly costing $1 billion annually, more than twice the amount of money that the fare increase is expected to generate,” Harckham said in a letter to MTA Chairman Janno Lieber. “So, it is incomprehensible as to why the MTA is coming back to New Yorkers for even more money before addressing this serious annual loss of revenue. I am a supporter of MTA and the economic catalyst it provides to the region, but this has gone too far.”

In news reports published last week, the respected Citizens Budget Commission said that in 2024 the MTA lost $1 billion to fare evasion on the transit system and its bridges and tunnels.  

According to the organization, the MTA lost a combined $568 million in unpaid bus fares and $350 million in unpaid subway fares, plus at least $51 million in unpaid tolls and at least $46 million in unpaid commuter railroad tickets.

Harckham said that the State Legislature had already authorized the Central Business District Tolling Program, which generates about $1 billion a year, while also providing the MTA with $68 billion to support its capital plan in the 2025 budget. In addition, the MTA collects about $30 billion in payroll taxes from businesses in the MTA area, many of them in the Senate District that Harckham represents.  

“It is absurd to ask New Yorkers to pay an increase in the payroll mobility tax and higher fares simultaneously, particularly at a time when so many families are struggling with the already high cost of living,” Harckham said. “The proposal to increase tolls and fares is unacceptable and must be reconsidered.”

Harckham’s letter was submitted on September 12, 2025 as his official comment on the proposed fare and toll hikes, which would take effect in January 2026.  The public comment period closed on September 14, 2025.

A copy of Harckham’s letter is attached to this release.