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STATEMENT FROM BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT MARTY MARKOWITZ ON MTA BOARD’S DECISION

“I’m outraged that the MTA board would vote to raise fares yet again on riders who have already faced significant fare hikes last year, and who are already paying more than their fare share. Brooklynites and New Yorkers deserve a fair fare! Raising tolls on the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, the Gil Hodges Marine Parkway Bridge and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge will be an additional burden on financially strapped Brooklynites who must use our bridges and tunnels for their livelihood.

The State continues to let down the riding and commuting public. Service cuts, booth closures, toll hikes, and the prospect of eliminating bus lines only causes further harm to a system that has been starved for cash by the State. It’s ridiculous that the MTA is going to close 164 token booths which provide transit riders with a measure of security and service, especially where Metrocard machines are broken. Closing the token booths presents an additional hurdle for moms and dads with strollers and people with large bags or bicycles.

We are sadly headed down a wrong track back to an earlier era of degraded service and unsafe conditions. My hope is that the State leadership will recognize a fundamental truth: a strong public transit system equals an economically strong New York.”
 
-Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz