Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Transit Funding

Will Cuomo Sign the Transit Lockbox Bill?

By Stephen Miller | Jun 20, 2013 | 2 Comments

The transit lockbox bill, which would require Albany to disclose the impacts of any raid of dedicated transit funds, passed both the Senate and Assembly unanimously in the final days of the legislative session, reports the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. It now heads to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s desk. A nearly identical bill reached Cuomo in 2011, […]

After Unanimous Senate Vote, Transit Lockbox Bill Heads to Assembly

By Stephen Miller | Jun 13, 2013 | 2 Comments

Albany has long used the MTA as a piggy bank, raiding dedicated transit funds on a regular basis to cover gaps in the state budget. As a result, straphangers are squeezed as transit agencies resort to fare hikes and service cuts to make up the difference. Legislative attempts to crack down on transit raids have […]

In Colorado, a Big Legal Victory for Active Transportation Funding

By Angie Schmitt | Apr 26, 2013 | No Comments

Believe it or not, in many U.S. states one of the biggest obstacles to active transportation is in the constitution. Embedded in the constitutions of 22 U.S. states are bans on spending gas tax revenues and/or vehicle registration fees on anything but highways and bridges. That means no matter how much practical value a sidewalk, busway, […]

In State Budget, Tax Receipts Giveth to MTA, and Cuomo Taketh Away

By Stephen Miller | Mar 29, 2013 | 3 Comments

Earlier this week, there was good news for transit riders: MTA tax receipts came in higher than expected, providing up to $40 million in additional revenue this year. While the MTA isn’t scheduled to update its budget until summer, there is already talk of using the money to restore cuts or expand service. But the […]

Ravitch: The Next Mayor Must Get Serious About Congestion Pricing

By Stephen Miller | Mar 5, 2013 | 5 Comments

The next mayor will have to take the lead on transportation funding challenges that, while difficult to address in campaign speeches, are critical to the city’s future, former lieutenant governor and MTA chairman Richard Ravitch said today at a Fordham University infrastructure forum. Ravitch said that while raising fares to cover the MTA’s operating expenses is […]

Budget Sequester Could Throw a Wrench Into Transit Expansion Projects

By Tanya Snyder | Feb 28, 2013 | No Comments

The consequences of the near-certain sequester for aviation have been well publicized by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s recent media blitz, but less well-known are the effects for surface transportation. LaHood broke that silence in a memo to department staff earlier this week and released yesterday by Politico, warning that even after taking measures like “instituting hiring freezes, cutting contracts, […]

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