Eighteen members of the Empire State Transportation Alliance
travelled to Albany on Tuesday to urge the State legislature to
implement the recommendations in the Ravitch Commission report on
financing the MTA. In total, ESTA members met with eight State
Senators and eight Assembly Members. The groups also announced at a
news conference (see news release) that they would be launching the
"Keep New York Moving Campaign" - a major public outreach and
education effort - to push for the recommendations.
While legislators were largely focused on filling the State's multi-
billion dollar budget gap and transitioning the State Senate from
Republican to Democratic control, they understood the MTA is facing
a dire fiscal situation and were generally receptive to Ravitch's
recommendations.
In their meetings, ESTA members presented legislators maps prepared
by RPA detailing the devastating service cuts proposed that will
occur without State action. A "transit-gram" was also delivered to
the Assembly Member Keith Wright, with dozens of signatures from
transit riders living in the Assembly Member's district.
Groups represented Tuesday included: Regional Plan Association,
AECOM, Environmental Defense Fund, General Contractor's Association
of New York, Long Island Contractors' Association, New York State
Laborers', Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, Tri-
State Transportation Campaign, Transportation Alternatives and
NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign.
@RegionalPlan