MTA considers raising fares again

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The MTA confirmed it is considering several proposals to boost revenue for the cash-strapped agency.

The details could change slightly when the plans are officially unveiled next week, but here is the breakdown:

First, boost the base fare by a quarter while slightly increasing the cost of monthly and weekly passes.

Option two: reduce the pay-per-ride MetroCard bonus by 2-percent while significantly raising the price of monthly and weekly passes.

Lastly, eliminate the bonus completely while increasing the monthly pass by 15-dollars and the weekly pass by 3 dollars.

"We need 450-million dollars a year annualized in extra revenue starting next year. We pushed it back to March. It was supposed to start in January. But we wanted to give the riders a break and we are pushing this as far off as we can," Alan Lisberg, MTA Spokesman, said.

The MTA says it has already saved hundreds of millions of dollars through budget reductions and cost-cutting. The straphangers campaign says that's good, but a fourth fare hike in five years? That's too much.

"The riding public has really taken it on the chin and our best hope is that Gov. Cuomo and the state legislature come up with some more money to keep fare and service at reasonable levels," Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign said.

Fare and toll public hearings: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7
Long Island  5 PM
Roosevelt Hall  Little Theater
Farmingdale State College
2350 Broadhollow Road
Farmingdale, New York

Brooklyn  5 PM
NY Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge
333 Adams Street
Brooklyn, New York

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8
VIDEO CONFERENCE HEARING, 9 AM - NOON
2 Broadway (3 Stone St. entrance), bid room suite, Manhattan

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13
VIDEO CONFERENCE HEARING, 6-10 AM
Hicksville Long Island Rail Road Station Building
VIDEO CONFERENCE HEARING, 4-8 PM
Poughkeepsie Metro-North Station, pedestrian overpass

Manhattan  5 PM
Baruch Performing Arts Center, Mason Hall
Baruch College
17 Lexington Avenue (at 23rd St.)
New York, New York

Bronx  5 PM
Main Theater
Hostos Community College
Center for the Arts & Culture
450 Grand Concourse
Bronx, New York

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14
VIDEO CONFERENCE HEARING, 6-10 AM
Ronkonkoma Long Island Rail Road Station Building

Newburgh 5 PM
Vanderbilt/Astor Rooms
Hilton Garden Inn, Newburgh/Stewart Airport
15 Crossroads Court
Newburgh, New York

Staten Island 5 PM
Center for the Arts, Springer Concert Hall
College of Staten Island
2800 Victory Blvd.
Staten Island, New York

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15
Westchester 5 PM
Auditorium
Yonkers Public Library  Riverfront Library
One Larkin Center
Yonkers, New York

Queens 5 PM
Ballroom
Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel
135-20 39th Avenue
Flushing, New York

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ONLINE: mta.info

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mta, mass transit, new york city transit, subway, bus, abc7 traffic center, joe torres

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