The price of a single bus or subway ride in New York City goes up by a quarter on this Sunday to $2.25. Fares for the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will increase by about 10 percent on June 17. And tolls on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority bridges and tunnels will rise on July 12. The MTA board authorized the fare and toll hikes Monday after the state Legislature passed a rescue package last week that included higher fees and a payroll tax for employers in New York City and seven surrounding counties.Just one day after the bailout was approved by legislators last week, the MTA’s executive director and CEO Elliot Sander resigned.
“I think it’s fair to say I’m leaving because the governor wants me to,” Sander told CBS 2 HD in Douglaston, Queens on May 7. “It’s his prerogative to choose who he wants to be chair and CEO of the MTA and I’ve made it clear that it’s his choice.
“I would prefer to stay. For me, it was a dream job. I am very proud of the progress we had made in the two and a half years.”
Sander was appointed by Eliot Spitzer to the post and Gov. David Paterson apparently wants his own man to run the restructured agency. Hours before lowering the ax he was talking tough about the MTA.
Sander was not responsible for the MTA’s borrowing binge and has gotten high marks from transit watchdogs who call his departure yet another setback for the embattled agency.
“I don’t know if Lee Sander was forced out or that if it was voluntary. The bottom line is he was very good and if we ruled the world we would have begged him to stay.” said Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers’ Campaign.
{NewYorkNow/Matzav.com Newscenter}
