NEW YORK - New York City's vast transit network is the lifeblood of the five boroughs and it is essential that our elected officials take immediate steps to provide a stable financial base for the MTA, according to testimony presented today by the New York League of Conservation Voters to the New York City Council's Transportation and Finance Committees.

The League, which works to make sustainability a top political and policy priority in New York, supports the proposals adopted by the Ravitch Commission to diversify the MTA's funding stream. In particular, the League endorsed the concept of spreading the burden of higher costs among transit riders, drivers and businesses rather than unfairly burdening transit riders - who earn 30 percent less than drivers - with a massive fare increase. The MTA board is expected to pass exactly this kind of large, burdensome fare increase tomorrow.

"New York cannot afford to make the same mistakes we made 30 years ago when our transit system was abandoned," said Marcia Bystryn, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. "The Ravitch Commission has proposed an equitable solution that spreads the burden of supporting transit among all the beneficiaries of the transit system. Now we look to Gov. David Paterson and the state Legislature for their leadership on this issue, which is critical to the economic future of the entire state."

NYLCV Board Member Jim Melius speaks at a rally at New York City Hall.NYLCV joined a broad coalition of labor, business, civic and environmental leaders in calling on Gov. David Paterson and the state Legislature to pass a comprehensive stimulus package that would improve mass transit, protect parks and clean water, and reduce energy consumption.

NEW YORK --- The New York League of Conservation Voters joined a broad coalition of labor, business, civic and environmental leaders from across New York today in calling on Gov. David Paterson and the state Legislature to pass a comprehensive $12 billion New York State stimulus package that would create or save 435,000 jobs across New York.

NYLCV Board Member Jim Melius speaks at a rally at New York City Hall.The coalition also called on the state’s congressional delegation to devote federal stimulus money towards specific projects they laid out in their proposal. The announcement was made just weeks after State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli made the grim prediction that New York stands to lose 225,000 jobs over the next two years.  

At a press conference in the on the steps of City Hall, members of the coalition said they would be aggressively lobbying Gov. Paterson and the state congressional delegation to invest in New York’s future by creating new jobs and bolstering the state’s aging infrastructure.

The coalition singled out several projects where work could commence right away, providing an immediate jolt to the state economy.  The potential projects include:  rehabilitating aging New York City subway stations; investing in new energy efficient modes of transportation; making improvements to service on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro North; investing in Bus Rapid Transit; making waste water system improvements in counties across the state; expanding the Eric Canal Trailway; and undertaking water and sewer projects across the state.