NY Daily News featured a letter from transit advocates — including NYLPI — regarding MTA improvements that was sent to Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Majority Leader, New York State Senate and Carl E. Heastie, Speaker, New York State Assembly, as well as Senators Leroy Comrie, Tim Kennedy, and Liz Krueger, Assembly Members Helene Weinstein and Kenneth Zebrowsi, Nivardo Lopez, Deputy Secretary to the Governor for Transportation, Juliette Michaelson, MTA Deputy Chief External Relations Officer, and Will Schwartz, MTA Deputy Chief of Government and Community Relations.

“We write for millions of public transit riders who need and deserve frequent, reliable, accessible and affordable service. Four years ago, we were part of the historic campaign that won congestion pricing, which will upgrade our transit infrastructure after decades of deferred maintenance. Congestion pricing is law because of your leadership. New York’s innovative program will soon fund new signals, elevators, and more as the main funding source for the MTA Capital Program. But the authority now faces an operating budget fiscal cliff after the pandemic triggered its worst ever financial crisis.

We urge you to target new investment to keep buses and trains running and meet riders’ changing needs while public transit leaders fix the network New York depends on. The executive budget would keep trains and buses running at pre-pandemic levels as the MTA rebuilds ridership. Proposed changes to the payroll mobility tax and City contribution provide a critical path forward. They will avert massive service cuts and fare hikes that would drive riders away from the system,” the letter reads.

Read the full letter here.

Read more at NY Daily News.