Matthew Schuerman

New York, NY —

Former MTA chairman Richard Ravitch testified about his plan to help out the MTA at a City Council hearing yesterday. WNYC's Matthew Schuerman reports that his proposals for a new payroll tax and bridge tolls may not solve the authority's long-term financial problems.

REPORTER: While the ...

New York, NY —

Former MTA chairman Richard Ravitch testified about his plan to help out the MTA at a City Council hearing yesterday. WNYC's Matthew Schuerman reports that his proposals for a new payroll tax and bridge tolls may not solve the authority's long-term financial problems.

REPORTER: While the ...

New York, NY —

In contrast to the state and the city governments, the operator of the region's airports passed its budget for next year without any public debate.

The Port Authority does expect fewer people will pay to use its bridges and tunnels next year, and traffic at its ...

New York, NY —

A member of the public attempted to throw his shoe at an MTA board meeting, Wednesday.

Stephen Millies, an Amtrak worker and self-described subway rider, went on a three-minute rant during the public speaking portion of the MTA board meeting.

Towards the end, Millies asked where MTA ...

New York, NY —

The board of the MTA is expected to approve a budget today that would cost riders more and give them less. But as WNYC's Matthew Schuerman explains, the budget isn't exactly real.

REPORTER: Legally speaking, the MTA has to approve a balanced budget by the end ...

New York, NY —

Tomorrow, Gov. Paterson will unveil his plan for closing the $15 billion deficit that the state is projecting over the next two years. WNYC's Matthew Schuerman says automobile drivers will feel some of the pain.

REPORTER: Right now, the Department of Motor Vehicles charges about $70 ...

New York, NY —

Even before a bus driver was fatally stabbed over a fare dispute in Brooklyn this month, New York City was trying to install security cameras in buses.

But those cameras didn't work very well and the transit system has canceled the contract.

Bus division head Joseph Smith, ...

New York, NY —

The city's law department is getting another week to defend Mayor Bloomberg's decision to withhold those $400 homeowner rebate checks. A state supreme court judge granted the city's request for a delay in a case filed by Staten Island Councilman Vincent Ignizio and other Council ...

New York, NY —

More than 6,000 families facing foreclosure will get counseling next year under a series of grants announced by Mayor Bloomberg yesterday. The $2.3 million will go to 19 community organizations that'll help troubled homeowners hold onto their homes. A smaller set of grants awarded over ...

New York, NY —

It looks like the Yankees are going to get a little more help in building their stadium. WNYC's Matthew Schuerman reports that Mayor Bloomberg gave his blessing to issuing another $370 million in tax-exempt bonds for the team.

REPORTER: The Yankees need the money to add ...

New York, NY —

New York Assembly members have heard from former MTA Chairman Richard Ravitch about his plans for tolls and a new tax to save the transit authority. WNYC's Matthew Schuerman reports.

REPORTER: More than a year ago, Mayor Bloomberg presented his plan to save the MTA in ...

New York, NY —

Mayor Bloomberg is warning the public that he will have to cut popular school, fire and police services to get the city's budget balanced next year.

BLOOMBERG: It is virtually impossible to reduce your expenditures in this city unless you go to the popular large programs. ...

New York, NY —

Richard Ravitch, the man credited with saving the MTA in the 1980s, will face tough questions from state Assembly members today. They're conducting a hearing on his proposal, which was unveiled last week to rescue the MTA by imposing a payroll tax on the region's ...

New York, NY —

Governor Paterson is backing down from his pledge to avoid raising taxes to balance the state's budget. He says higher gas taxes will be needed to fill a $15 billion deficit over the next two years, and he defends his proposal to impose $5 tolls ...

New York, NY —

The basic subway fare could go up to $2.50 or more, and a monthly Metrocard could surpass 100 bucks if the state doesn't help out.

That's the conclusion of a study conducted by the city's Independent Budget Office and commissioned by the Straphangers Campaign.

The MTA says ...

New York, NY —

Governor Paterson says there's a new timetable to deliver long-delayed donations to hurricane victims in Haiti three months after four heavy storms hit the Caribbean nation.

He says 40 tons of water, food and medical supplies that have been stored in a Brooklyn Armory will be ...

New York, NY —

New York drivers may be facing higher gasoline taxes, and new tolls on East River bridges, as the state looks for ways of closing a $15 billion budget deficit.

Yesterday, opponents of the new tolls suggested that state officials bail out the Metropolitan Transportation Authority by ...

New York, NY —

Five bucks to cross the East River Bridges? That's what Governor Paterson and others are pushing for now that a state commission has given them recommendations on how to keep subway and bus fares from going up too much. Mayor Bloomberg hasn't commented yet on ...

New York, NY —

The local chapter of ACORN helped get Brooklyn's Atlantic Yards project approved. Now, the developer is helping out the non-profit housing group.

An ACORN spokesman says Forest City Ratner gave it half a million dollars, and is loaning the group another $1 million at a difficult ...