THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES Cities Election Law STATE OF NEW YORK Environmental Conservation Corporations, Authorities ALBANY and Commissions Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development
Chair: Subcommittee on ROBERT CARROLL Museums & Cultural th Assemblymember 44 District Institution
July 26, 2020
Senator Charles Schumer Representative Gregory Meeks Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Representative Grace Meng Representative Yvette Clarke Representative Jerry Nadler Representative Antonio Delgado Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Representative Eliot Engel Representative Kathleen Rice Representative Adriano Espaillat Representative Max Rose Representative Hakeem Jeffries Representative José Serrano Representative Peter King Representative Thomas Suozzi Representative Nita Lowey Representative Nydia Velázquez Representative Carolyn Maloney Representative Lee Zeldin Representative Sean Maloney
Dear Members of the New York Congressional Delegation in the MTA Region,
We write as state representatives of your constituents. As state leaders, we are responsible for overseeing the New York metropolitan area’s public transit system run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the largest unit of state government.
In recent years, we have voted repeatedly to create new funding streams to support the growth of MTA services which nine million people depend on every day and which the region would collapse without. Now however, those resources are outmatched by the devastation of the ongoing pandemic. We therefore turn to you for aid.
The COVID-19 emergency is unprecedented in our lifetimes. Governor Cuomo says “(New York) government cannot meet this crisis without the capacity of the federal government.”1 We agree, and as champions of public transit, urge you to ensure that the MTA is protected with a second federal aid package of $10.3B in emergency operating support in response to the COVID-19 crisis needed to meet service needs through the end of 2021.
The MTA, which represents 38% of all passenger trips among all US public transit agencies2 calculates that the COVID-19 emergency will cost transit authorities up to $36B through 2021.
1 https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/487992-cuomo-coronavirus-peak-could-be-in-45-days 2 https://www.apta.com/wp-content/uploads/2020-APTA-Fact-Book-Appendix-B.xlsx
ALBANY OFFICE: Room 557, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248 • 518-455-5377, FAX: 518-455-5592 DISTRICT OFFICE: 416 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11215 • 718-788-7221, FAX: 718-965-9378 EMAIL: [email protected]
A robust federal aid package should ensure the MTA can continue to operate at full capacity while supporting health care workers, essential government personnel, and countless other working New Yorkers as the New York City region and New York State reopen safely following this unprecedented event.
We recognize that there are many requests for federal aid, but we emphasize that without a fully functioning MTA, the recovery in the New York City region and New York State will collapse, bringing the national economy down too. Public transit is the lifeblood of our City; it powers the economy and enables the region's growth and success. Affordable, reliable transit is also essential to lifting up the most vulnerable New Yorkers who use it to access jobs, education, and other opportunities.
Even as institutions reopen and ridership improves, the MTA’s finances will still be severely impacted by a sharp reduction in dedicated tax revenue caused by the damage to the regional economy from the COVID-19 emergency. City Comptroller Scott Stringer has projected city tax revenue to see at least $9 billion in losses.3 Estimates for the MTA’s losses total $10.3B through 2021.4
It is your responsibility as federal officials to ensure that the MTA along with vulnerable New Yorkers will survive this pandemic. New York State and City governments will not be in a position to provide additional aid to the MTA beyond what has already been provided by its historic 2020-2024 Capital Plan, as they too will be hit by severely reduced tax revenues, as noted by Governor Cuomo and City Comptroller Stringer.
We also ask that you ensure congestion pricing obtains federal approval so that it can provide $15 billion in desperately needed capital funds. It is more important than ever that the MTA be on solid footing for its rebuilding and modernization needs, given the hit it will be taking to its operating budget.
Strong public transit is also essential to the nation's efforts to address climate change, and we cannot afford to see it decline when we must be encouraging mass transit ridership. The nation's largest public transit system must be protected and should be treated with utmost urgency.
3 https://www.cityandstateny.com/articles/politics/new-york-city/scott-stringers-roadmap-balanced-budget.html 4 https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-mta-federal-relief-covid-19-transit-20200510- aajmqv3dnjh63oqqou4jawgsfi-story.html
ALBANY OFFICE: Room 557, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248 • 518-455-5377, FAX: 518-455-5592 DISTRICT OFFICE: 416 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11215 • 718-788-7221, FAX: 718-965-9378 EMAIL: [email protected]
Thank you for your leadership during this crisis.
Sincerely,
Robert Carroll New York State Assemblymember 44th Assembly District
David Buchwald Richard Gottfried rd 93 Assembly District 75th Assembly District
Jeffrey Dinowitz Steve Englebright st 81 Assembly District 4th Assembly District
Joseph Lentol Mathylde Frontus 50 Assembly District 46th Assembly DIstrict
Walter Mosley Felix Ortiz th 57 Assembly District 51st Assembly District
Amy Paulin th Dan Quart 88 Assembly District 73rd Assembly District
ALBANY OFFICE: Room 557, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248 • 518-455-5377, FAX: 518-455-5592 DISTRICT OFFICE: 416 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11215 • 718-788-7221, FAX: 718-965-9378 EMAIL: [email protected]
Karines Reyes Linda Rosenthal th 87th Assembly District 67 Assembly District
Rebecca Seawright Jo Anne Simon nd 76th Assembly District 52 Assembly District
Aravella Simotas Steve Stern 36th Assembly District 10th Assembly District
Harvey Esptein th Judy Griffin 74 Assembly District 21st Assembly District
Carmen De La Rosa Yuh-Line Niou 72nd Assembly District 65th Assembly District
CC: Governor Andrew Cuomo MTA Chairman/CEO Patrick Foye MTA Board of Directors MTA CFO Robert Foran
ALBANY OFFICE: Room 557, Legislative Office Building, Albany, New York 12248 • 518-455-5377, FAX: 518-455-5592 DISTRICT OFFICE: 416 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11215 • 718-788-7221, FAX: 718-965-9378 EMAIL: [email protected]