At Public Hearing, Riders Express Anger Over Proposed MTA Fare Hikes

The MTA is poised to raise fares for subway and bus riders for the third time in three years. Before those fare increases go through, the agency is holding a series of public hearings throughout the five boroughs, through next week.

MTA Chairman Jay Walder says he doesn't see a way for the agency not to raise fares. He says its more about finding a way to do so in the best way possible.

"The more fundamental question today is not whether there will be a fare increase," he says, "but the more fundamental question is to solicit public input on the nature of that fare increase. We've put out proposals about that and we're soliciting public input as a way to gauge our system."

The public hearing Monday night in Manhattan did not attract huge crowds, but those who testified said it seemed unfathomable that the agency could raise fares again, after two years of increases.

Martin Gittelman says the hike might help the cash strapped agency, but will hurt the city as a whole. "We don't need a fare increase. We need a progressive tax system," Gittelman says. "We're in a recession, folks...business is going to slow. People are not going to take mass transit."

What the crowd didn't have in size, it tried to make up for in passion. Some held signs protesting the increases, while others chanted "Fire the MTA."

Linda Pickett says she only makes $800 a month and can't afford a penny more for her "Access a Ride" service. "I'm on a fixed income, I'm disabled at this time," she says. "If the amount of money I pay on Access-a-Ride increases to the point that I could not use it, it would change the caliber of my life."

Gene Russianoff of the Straphanger's Campaign blames much of the MTA's financial woes on the state but says the MTA isn't fighting to get funds reinstated.

"I think the problem here is that its easier for the MTA to ask their customers to fork over more money than it is to try to get money from the state legislature and I think they haven't tried hard enough," Russianoff says.

The MTA is expected to make a decision on the proposed fare increases by the end of October.